Family Ministry to Offer Low-Cost Nanny Care

Chosun Daily, April 5, 2007

The government is stepping in to help families that need emergency babysitters for children from three months to 12 years old.

The government will provide trained low-cost babysitters to take care of kids at home or at school when parents are faced with emergency situations like work, business trips, illness or family problems.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said the babysitting service would be available from 38 Healthy Family Support Centers nationwide starting in the middle of this month.

The base fee for low-income households with a monthly income less than W1.56 million (US$1=W936) and four family members will be W1,000 per hour. Other families will pay W5,000 per hour.

Nighttime babysitters will cost W6,000 per hour. The hourly rate is reduced to W4,000 when the babysitters are needed for more than two hours at a time.

The service will be available to families with children from three months to 12 years old. Parents can apply at the Healthy Family Support Centers.

The service will be restricted to 80 hours a month. The Ministry said it has allotted W2.6 billion to pay for the service.

(englishnews@chosun.com )