Seminars

The Korea Institute of Child Care and Education (KICCE) successfully held the 7th KICCE Policy Forum of 2024, titled “Empowering and Advancing Parents with Disabilities,” on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 2:00 PM at the Sky Hall of the Post Tower. This forum was organized as part of the KICCE’s 2024 general project, “A Study on Support Measures for Parenting Capacity of Vulnerable and At-Risk Families (Ⅲ): Support Measures for Parents with Disabilities,” and aimed to discuss various support strategies to strengthen the parenting capacity of parents with disabilities.

The event began with opening remarks from Ock Kyeung Hwang, President of the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education (KICCE), followed by a keynote presentation moderated by Bae Yoon-jin, Research Fellow at KICCE. The forum featured three thematic presentations and a panel discussion with experts from various fields.

Kim Ja-yeon, Associate Research Fellow at KICCE, delivered the first presentation on “Support Measures for Parenting Capacity of Parents with Disabilities.” She provided an overview of the research, which included case studies on pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing among parents with disabilities. Based on the analysis, she proposed a mid- to long-term support plan for parents with disabilities. Key highlights included the introduction of customized support measures aimed at enhancing the parenting capacity of parents with disabilities, as well as the development of a user-friendly childcare guidebook tailored to the needs of parents with disabilities.

The second presentation, delivered by Dr. Yoon So-yeon from Baekseok University, was titled “Parents with Disabilities, Good Parents, Just Parents.” Dr. Yoon addressed the social prejudices faced by parents with disabilities and emphasized that all parents, regardless of disability, are "becoming beings" and "unique beings." Her presentation highlighted the importance of normalizing the image of parents with disabilities as "just parents." Dr. Yoon also introduced the Q&A section of the “Parenting Guide for Parents with Disabilities,” sharing its key features and practical applications.

Professor Jeon Bo-young of Myongji College presented on “Analysis of the Parenting Support System for Parents with Disabilities Based on Case Studies and Policy Proposals.” Her presentation analyzed the parenting support system for parents with disabilities using a policy analysis framework (allocation, benefits, delivery, and finance) and presented key implications. She emphasized the need to address policy gaps related to disability type, child age, and regional differences. Professor Jeon proposed policy directions to expand service support according to disability type, establish a collaborative delivery system between the private and public sectors, and reduce regional disparities in support policies.

The panel discussion included expert commentators such as Kim Sung-hee, Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA); Lee Hye-kyung, Director at the Korea Disabled People’s Development Institute (KODDI); Choi Jeong-won, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Council of Social Welfare (KCSW); and Lee Jeong-lim, Ph.D., a former Senior Research Fellow at KICCE and currently affiliated with the Department of Child and Family Studies at Yonsei University. The panelists exchanged a wide range of views and provided critical insights into improving support policies for parents with disabilities.

This policy forum served as a valuable platform for deriving key insights into strengthening the parenting capacity of parents with disabilities. The discussions explored practical support measures and policy improvement directions. Based on the outcomes of the forum, KICCE plans to continue its efforts to establish a more comprehensive and systematic support framework for parents with disabilities.