Gyeonggi Province to Provide Up to 600,000 Won Monthly to Relatives and Neighbors Caring for Young Children

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gapdong] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 20th that it will begin accepting applications for the 'Gyeonggi-style Family Care Allowance' starting February 3rd, which provides up to 600,000 won monthly to relatives within 4th degree (such as grandparents) or community members caring for children aged 24 to 48 months.

The Gyeonggi-style Family Care Allowance is one of Gyeonggi Province's flagship welfare policy series '360° Always Care' and represents the implementation of an agenda discussed at the Population Talk Committee in December 2023. Since its launch in June last year, it has selected and supported 3,993 households (4,298 children).

This year, the province plans to select and support approximately 5,000 households in childcare gap situations across 18 cities and counties—Seongnam, Hwaseong, Anyang, Paju, Gwangju, Gwangmyeong, Hanam, Gunpo, Osan, Yangju, Guri, Anseong, Pocheon, Yangpyeong, Yeoju, Dongducheon, Gwacheon, and Gapyeong—with which prior consultation has been conducted.

The caregiver (father or mother) and the child (aged 24 to 48 months) must be registered residents of the participating city or county where there is a childcare gap due to dual incomes or other circumstances. There are no income restrictions.

Relatives within 4th degree (such as grandparents) who are selected as caregiving assistants and receive care fees may reside in other local government jurisdictions, but community member caregivers must reside in the same eup, myeon, or dong as the child and must have been Gyeonggi Province residents residing in that eup, myeon, or dong for at least one year.

Once selected as a caregiving assistant, individuals must register on the 'Gyeonggi Lifelong Learning Portal (GSEEK)' and complete mandatory education on child safety, child abuse prevention, and fraud prevention prior to providing care.

Caregivers must provide a minimum of 40 hours of care per month. They receive 300,000 won monthly for one child, 450,000 won for two children, and 600,000 won for three children. For four or more children, two or more caregiving assistants are required to provide attentive care.

Applications are accepted from the 1st to 10th of each month (applications begin February 3rd for the first month). The caregiver (father or mother) must obtain a power of attorney from the caregiving assistant and apply collectively at the 'Gyeonggi Civil Service 24' website (http://gg24.gg.go.kr). For more information, contact the relevant city or county residents center or the Gyeonggi Call Center (031-120).

The province anticipates that this project will foster a social atmosphere that respects the social value of childrearing, while alleviating parental childcare burden and creating a more stable childcare environment.

Yoon Youngmi, director of the Provincial Women and Family Department, stated, "The family care allowance is a policy that supports practical caregiving assistants for families experiencing childcare gaps due to dual incomes or multiple children," adding, "We will continue efforts to alleviate parental childcare burden, fill gaps in childcare support, and create an increasingly family-friendly environment for raising children."