J Korean Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry.
2015 Mar;26(1):12-21. 10.5765/jkacap.2015.26.1.12.
The Early Childhood Care and Education Policy in the United Kingdom and Similar Policies in Korea: A Comparison of the Sure Start Children's Centres and Dream Start
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 2Department of Psychiatry, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. mompeian@khu.ac.kr
- 3Department of Psychiatry, Bucheon Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea. irenelee@schmc.ac.kr
- 4Department of Psychiatry, Sanggye Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, Seoul, Korea.
- 5Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Eulji University, Seoul, Korea.
- 6Yonsei Clinic of Psychiatry, Seoul, Korea.
- 7Maum to Maum Clinic, Seoul, Korea.
- 8Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
- 9Department of Psychiatry, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
- 10Department of Psychiatry, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 11Department of Psychiatry, Myongji Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
- 12Department of Psychiatry, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
- KMID: 2172704
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.5765/jkacap.2015.26.1.12
Abstract
- In an effort to expand working opportunities for women and encourage childbirth, the government of Korea introduced the free infant care policy in 2013. This policy, however, was controversial with regard to issues, such as budget shortages and dissatisfaction based on socioeconomic status. In addition, the lack of evidence-based data regarding adequate age criteria for the entry of children into childcare facilities was noted as a challenge. As child development professionals who are concerned with mental health issues, we investigated the influence and challenges of the free infant care policy with regard to infant mental health. In this review, we examined the policies enacted by developed countries, such as the United Kingdom (UK), and compared them with those in Korea. The childcare systems in Korea and the UK differ historically and socially, but show some similarities, such as maternal responsibility for parenting and household issues. Like Korea, the need for UK childcare facilities increased in the 1990's in response to market recovery and associated increase in female employment. Among the new policies in the UK, the Sure Start program has begun to provide integrated services for infants, particularly to those 0-4 years of age, who are vulnerable to social exclusion. Similar to the Dream Start program in Korea, it has been successful in providing family-related services, resulting in improvements in problematic behaviors of children, enhanced parenting skills, and decreased rates of severely injured children.
Keyword
- Full Text Links
-
- Actions
-
Cited
- CITED
-
- Close
- Share
-
- Similar articles
-
- Ideology of Social Health Insurance and Health Policy
- Sleep and Dream Development in Children
- Global trends in health equity policy: lessons from experiences in the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the World Health Organization
- Health Disparity and Health Welfare among Children from Low-Income Families
- Needs on Early Childhood Sex Education of Teachers in Day Care Centers for Children
