유치원 안전사고 관리에 관한 실태조사: 예방 중심의 안전관리 체계 구축을 위한 기초 조사

Abstract

This study investigates safety accidents in Korean kindergartens and proposes a preventive, data-driven safety management framework in the context of ECEC integration. Despite declining kindergarten enrolment, claims to the School Safety Mutual Aid Association for kindergarten accidents have steadily increased, raising concerns about the adequacy of current systems. The research first reviews legal and policy frameworks governing early childhood safety, including school safety, facility safety, health, and transportation regulations and guidelines. These instruments place kindergartens within a general school safety regime but only partly reflect the developmental characteristics of young children and the realities of kindergarten settings. Second, national statistics for 2024 are analyzed, showing 9,802 kindergarten accidents reported to the mutual aid association, about 98 percent of which involve children. Accidents are concentrated during daytime educational hours, especially large- and small-group activities and free play, and mainly occur in classrooms, playrooms, and gymnasiums. Third, the study maps kindergarten safety management arrangements, including annual safety plans, inspections, evaluations, information disclosure, and manuals for facilities, play equipment, and disasters. This mapping reveals a dense but fragmented governance structure involving ministries, education offices, mutual aid associations, facility agencies, and local authorities, with divided responsibility for personal and property damage. To capture field-level perspectives, focus group interviews were conducted with public and private kindergarten principals on accidents, management burdens, and policy needs. Principals reported growing administrative and psychological pressure from parental complaints and legal risks, even for minor everyday injuries, which can discourage play-based and outdoor activities. They also highlighted structural constraints such as large class sizes, increasing numbers of children with disabilities or borderline developmental difficulties, and insufficient support staff. The study further recommends revising teacher–child ratios, class-size standards, and support staff allocation from a safety perspective, alongside differentiated in-service training modules by role and career stage. At the governance level, it calls for an ECEC integration–aligned early childhood safety framework, stronger local safety councils, and enhanced cooperation among education, welfare, health, police, and fire services. Legal and institutional reforms are also suggested to clarify relationships among mutual aid, private insurance, and health insurance, reduce excessive liability for kindergartens, and provide systematic legal and psychological support to staff. Overall, the report offers a strategic roadmap for building a preventive, data-informed, and play-supportive kindergarten safety regime that protects both children’s development and educators’ professional practice in the era of ECEC integration.