Seminars

The Korea Institute of Child Care and Education (KICCE) held its 9th policy forum on Thursday, December 26, 2024, in the main conference room of the institute, under the theme "Current Status and Challenges of Child Development in the COVID Generation." This forum was part of KICCE's 2024 general project titled "A Longitudinal Study on the Development of Children from the COVID Generation (I)."

The forum featured three presentations. The first was by Professor Jeong Yoonkyung from the Department of Psychology at The Catholic University of Korea, titled "Early Childhood Development in the Post-COVID Era: Domestic and International Research Findings." Professor Jeong analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on early childhood development, introducing various studies related to overall development, mental health, socio-emotional development, and cognitive and language development before and after the pandemic. She also examined protective and risk factors, considering family environment, parents, regional and socioeconomic backgrounds, and digital media and smart technology.

The second presentation was by Professor Lee Kyungok from the Department of Early Childhood Education at Duksung Women's University, titled "Child Development Research in the COVID Generation: 2024 In-depth Survey Results." Professor Lee shared findings on developmental changes among young children who experienced the approximately two-year COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the sensitive period of early childhood development. She analyzed development and adaptive behaviors by sampling groups of 1-2-year-olds and 5-year-olds.

The third presentation was by Senior Research Fellow Choi Yoon Kyung from KICCE, who presented "Child Development Research in the COVID Generation: 2024 General Survey Results." Dr. Choi introduced survey results on child development status across five age groups (1 to 5 years old), based on questionnaires completed by homeroom teachers and parents.

Following the presentations, an in-depth discussion was held with experts including Professor Chun Sook Young from Korea Nazarene University, Professor Min So-Young from Kyonggi University, Professor Kim Yeonsoo from Jeonju University, and Professor Lee Boram from Daegu University. They provided insights and policy implications related to each presentation.

The forum concluded with a comprehensive analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on child development and discussions on future directions for child care policies based on the presented research findings.