- Incheon’s childcare service for busy moms and dads 

- Over 300 dedicated caregivers available during early morning (6–8 AM) and late evening (8–10 PM) hours 

- Expanded infant care for children of 3 to 36 months to reduce wait times

The Incheon Metropolitan Government will be launching a pilot program this month for the “Incheon i+Care” customized support initiative to address the gaps in childcare needs.

As the demand for childcare during early morning hours and late evenings continues to rise due to the needs of working parents, most existing services remain focused on daytime hours, particularly around school drop-off and pick-up times.

In response, the Incheon Metropolitan Government has announced plans to designate caregivers specifically for early morning (6–8 AM) and late evening (8–10 PM) shifts, offering an additional hourly caregiver allowance of KRW 1,000 to expand the coverage during those critical hours.

According to a survey conducted in May, a total of 668 households in Incheon were put on hold for childcare services, with 333 of these households—representing 50 percent of the total—seeking care for infants aged up to 2 years. This underscores the shortage of caregivers relative to the high demand for infant care.

Infant care, which requires frequent attention to tasks such as feeding, diaper changes, and sleep routines, is often less preferred by caregivers. To address this issue, Incheon plans to incentivize participation by offering an additional monthly allowance of KRW 50,000 to caregivers who provide care for infants aged between 3 and 36 months for at least 60 hours per month.

The city secured a budget of KRW 272 million through a supplementary budget earlier for the pilot program set to commence in the second half of 2024. The program is subject to expansion in 2025 based on the outcomes of the pilot program.

Si Hyun-jung, Director-General of the Gender Equality and Family Bureau at the Incheon Metropolitan Government, said, “This initiative aims to provide swift and reliable childcare services, particularly during the busy commuting hours of working parents, and to meet the significant demand for infant care. We will do our utmost to improve the conditions for caregivers, thereby enhancing the quality of care services and meeting the needs of our youngest residents.”

The childcare service is available to children from 3 months to 12 years old in households experiencing gaps in care due to reasons such as both parents working. Government support for the service is provided on a sliding scale for households with an income of up to 150 percent of the median income.

Applications for childcare services can be made at local service providers following an income assessment by an administrative welfare center. For households where all income earners are enrolled in employment insurance, online applications can be submitted via the Bokjiro website (www.bokjiro.go.kr).

* For inquiries: 1577-2514 (Connected to local service providers)