Help for single moms comes slowly
Published: 13 Jan. 2010, 20:44
Two years ago a woman surnamed Kim, 34, became head of her household after she divorced her husband.
Unable to concurrently manage her career and raise her 5-year-old daughter, Kim had no choice but to put her daughter under the care of her parents.
“Childcare centers have waiting lists and as a single mom, I can’t avoid people talking behind my back,” said Kim. “Some sort of government support would have been very helpful.”
Single-parent families, like Kim’s, are rapidly on the rise in Korea.
But, according to a recently released research, welfare support for such families is inadequate.
According to the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, last year’s usage of childcare services by single parents with children less than 3 years old was only at 32.1 percent, much lower than 88.8 percent for those with 5-year-olds.
“Single mothers are often unable to find jobs,” explained Kang Ji-won, researcher from Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs. “So they tend to stay and work from home while taking care of kids. In that case, they do not get high priority in the admission system of childcare centers,”
Single-parent families do receive priority in childcare services if they earn within the range of the minimum cost of living. This year, for two-member households that figure was 858,000 won ($735) a month. If a single parent like Kim has a job earning more than the minimum cost of living, he or she is wait-listed behind double-income families.
“Companies should adopt a flexible work hour system so that single parents can work and take care of children at the same time,” said Kang. “The system should also be revised so that single parents can receive subsidies when their kids were taken care by relatives and neighbors, not childcare services.”
In 2005, the National Statistical Office reported 1.38 million single-parent families in Korea. The number is estimated to have grown to 1.44 million by 2008.
The number is larger than those of many other countries. According to OECD, the percentage of single parent families in Korea was 9.4 percent, higher than France’s 8 percent and Germany’s 5.9 percent. In 2007, single-parent households’ poverty rate was four times higher than two-parent families. The current support for the former, however, is lagging.
Single parents with children less than 12 years old only receive monthly support of 50,000 won. For those with middle and high school students, the government provides financial aid for their education - only if their income is under 130 percent of the minimum cost of living.
“In order for families in need to receive fair welfare support, it is imperative that current regulations are adjusted, including the 50,000 won childcare support,” said Ryu Man-hee, professor of social welfare at Sangji University.
By Kang Ki-heon [[email protected]]
Unable to concurrently manage her career and raise her 5-year-old daughter, Kim had no choice but to put her daughter under the care of her parents.
“Childcare centers have waiting lists and as a single mom, I can’t avoid people talking behind my back,” said Kim. “Some sort of government support would have been very helpful.”
Single-parent families, like Kim’s, are rapidly on the rise in Korea.
But, according to a recently released research, welfare support for such families is inadequate.
According to the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, last year’s usage of childcare services by single parents with children less than 3 years old was only at 32.1 percent, much lower than 88.8 percent for those with 5-year-olds.
“Single mothers are often unable to find jobs,” explained Kang Ji-won, researcher from Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs. “So they tend to stay and work from home while taking care of kids. In that case, they do not get high priority in the admission system of childcare centers,”
Single-parent families do receive priority in childcare services if they earn within the range of the minimum cost of living. This year, for two-member households that figure was 858,000 won ($735) a month. If a single parent like Kim has a job earning more than the minimum cost of living, he or she is wait-listed behind double-income families.
“Companies should adopt a flexible work hour system so that single parents can work and take care of children at the same time,” said Kang. “The system should also be revised so that single parents can receive subsidies when their kids were taken care by relatives and neighbors, not childcare services.”
In 2005, the National Statistical Office reported 1.38 million single-parent families in Korea. The number is estimated to have grown to 1.44 million by 2008.
The number is larger than those of many other countries. According to OECD, the percentage of single parent families in Korea was 9.4 percent, higher than France’s 8 percent and Germany’s 5.9 percent. In 2007, single-parent households’ poverty rate was four times higher than two-parent families. The current support for the former, however, is lagging.
Single parents with children less than 12 years old only receive monthly support of 50,000 won. For those with middle and high school students, the government provides financial aid for their education - only if their income is under 130 percent of the minimum cost of living.
“In order for families in need to receive fair welfare support, it is imperative that current regulations are adjusted, including the 50,000 won childcare support,” said Ryu Man-hee, professor of social welfare at Sangji University.
By Kang Ki-heon [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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