Gyeonggi Province Discovers 17 Vulnerable Children in Crisis, Links to Emergency Medical and Welfare Services

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 15th that during the second half of 2020 resident registration fact investigation, it identified and linked 17 children—including 14 children ages 3-6 in crisis and 3 children with prolonged school absences—to welfare services.

The province plans to provide emergency medical support and housing expenses to children unable to receive proper care or treatment due to difficult family circumstances, and will conduct customized integrated case management services for vulnerable children to ensure they receive necessary support.

Gyeonggi Province completed the second half of 2020 resident registration fact investigation on a total of 112,742 people from October 29 to December 21 last year to identify those in welfare blind spots and verify resident registration details and actual residence facts.

The investigation was initiated with the aim of confirming children's safety simultaneously with the resident registration investigation at a time when the importance of early detection of children in crisis has grown following child abuse incidents. The province explained that this has significance in creating a safe growth environment for children.

The 112,742 people subject to investigation consisted of ▲49,827 families receiving childcare allowances among ages 3-6 children not using childcare facilities ▲489 children with prolonged school absences and school-age children not enrolled in educational institutions as requested by educational institutions ▲62,426 people queried as suspected deaths in the Ministry of Health and Welfare HUB system, etc.

First, the confirmation of residence for ages 3-6 children in home care showed 45,100 children confirmed as residing, and 4,727 children confirmed as non-residing due to relocation.

Additionally, the actual investigation into prolonged school absences and school-age children not enrolled in educational institutions revealed 189 children residing overseas, 223 children attending alternative and private schools, 33 children in homeschooling, 15 children with deferred admission, and 29 children with other relocations.

Suspected deaths were confirmed as 1,508 residents, 173 unaccounted for, and 60,745 deaths.

During the fact investigation period, village chiefs visited each household to confirm children's actual residence and observe childcare environments and living conditions. For children with difficult family circumstances or notable findings, child welfare officers conducted secondary confirmation, identifying 17 children.

The 17 children received support including linkage to child protection specialized agencies (6 children), welfare service support (6 children), allowance linkage (1 child), and welfare consultation (4 children).

Looking at specific cases, a 4-year-old child in City A had a family where monthly rent was overdue for several months and garbage was accumulating in the home, indicating a vulnerable living environment for the child.

Staff members and Happy Village Management Office employees cleaned up the household garbage, and are providing housing and medical benefits payment, health prevention, and speech therapy services.

A 3-year-old child in City B had delayed developmental progress requiring hospital examinations, but testing was delayed due to COVID-19, creating difficulties in childcare. The city is providing speech therapy support.

City C provided emergency support (living expenses, housing expenses, fuel expenses) to a family with a registered disabled 3-year-old child classified as near the poverty line experiencing difficulties in child-rearing, and is reviewing psychological support services for young children.

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province plans to conduct additional investigation by February 26 through second-stage city and county welfare (child) officers on 1,707 children among the 45,100 whose residence was confirmed, for whom additional investigation was deemed necessary due to reasons such as children's absence at the time of investigation.

Governor Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province stated, "I sincerely thank the village chiefs and related staff who participated in the fact investigation to care for our neighbors despite the difficult circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic," and urged, "Your attention can prevent child abuse beforehand. Please always pay attention and check whether there are any children in crisis around you."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province conducted the first nationwide resident registration fact investigation-linked comprehensive survey of children in home care in 2019, investigating 164,052 children ages 7 and under receiving childcare allowances and provided welfare consultation to 63 people and linked 10 people to welfare services.