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'You're not alone,' initiative tells single parents with welfare visits

Published: 05 Jul. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 08 Jul. 2025, 15:11

Seven-month-old Seung-joo, the son of a 24-year-old single mother going by the pseudonym Song Yoo-jin, is seen resting at home on June 23. [LEE YOUNG-KEUN]

As Korea grapples with the world’s lowest birthrate, experts are calling for sweeping changes in early childhood support — chief among them, universal home-visitation services for infant welfare. A pilot program targeting vulnerable single mothers is already showing signs of easing isolation and improving child health outcomes.

One such case is that of Song Yoo-jin, a 24-year-old single mother raising her seven-month-old son, Seung-joo, alone. After relocating to a city in South Chungcheong last February, Song was left entirely on her own when the child’s father disappeared upon hearing of her pregnancy. With little support from her own family, Song found herself in worsening conditions — her home’s toilet overflowed, mold spread through the baby’s room and depression took hold.

That changed in April when Song was selected for a pilot initiative by Save the Children that pairs new mothers with certified child rearing planners in collaboration with local welfare centers.

Through the program, social worker Hyun Min-young began visiting Song’s home once a week. She taught Song how to soothe the baby, breastfeed, prepare baby food and helped improve the home environment.

Hyun also noticed delays in Seung-joo’s development and recommended a medical consultation. Early diagnosis led to successful rehabilitation treatment, according to the center.

“I wanted to raise my son well, but everything was new and overwhelming,” said Song. “The planner has been a huge help, offering personalized information and emotional encouragement.”

A whiteboard memo by Song Yoo-jin, a 24-year-old single mother, detailing her son's dietary plan is seen in the family's home on June 23. [LEE YOUNG-KEUN]

Global push for universal home visits

In the academic and civic sectors, there is growing advocacy to institutionalize universal home visitation services for infant welfare as a response to Korea’s record-low birthrate and shrinking population.

Home visitation programs involve trained nurses or social workers visiting the homes of children under the age of two to listen to parental concerns and check on the child’s health and safety. The United States, Britain and Japan have all run such programs for decades.

Experts note that children under two face the highest developmental vulnerability and mortality risk, making public support at this stage critical. Of the 312 children who underwent an autopsy in 2016, 136 — or 43.7 percent — were infants under one year old, a trend that continues today, according to the National Forensic Service.

In Korea, a limited number of local governments currently provide such services upon request. Families in 15 cities and 73 public health centers can access care under the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s early-life health management program, as can residents of Seoul through the “Seoul Healthy First Step” initiative.

Lee Eun-ju, a professor of social work at the State University of New York at Albany, speaks during a symposium on the need to institutionalize universal home visitation services for infants in Korea that was held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul on June 10. [SAVE THE CHILDREN KOREA]

“We’re working not only to provide parenting information but also to foster support networks through self-help groups,” said a health official with Seocho District in southern Seoul.

Japan launched its newborn home visitation program in 1961 and institutionalized the “Hello, Baby” program in 2009, under which nurses visit every household with an infant under four months.

In the United States, each state runs various home visitation programs. A long-term study by the organization Nurse-Family Partnership found that participating households saw a 48 percent reduction in child abuse compared to a control group, with children also demonstrating higher academic performance.

“If we only wait for families to apply, those who need help the most may be excluded,” said Lee Eun-ju, a professor of social work at the State University of New York at Albany who has studied home visitation. “Active outreach is essential. In New York, workers build trust by visiting places like hospitals and schools and addressing real-life challenges.”

“Home visitation services send a national-level message that goes beyond simply encouraging childbirth — it’s about ensuring every child has the opportunity to grow up healthy and happy,” said Lee Bong-joo, professor of social welfare at Seoul National University. “Considering Korea’s stage of development, the adoption of this system is long overdue.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE YOUNG-KEUN [[email protected]]