조부모 영유아 손자녀 양육실태와 지원 방안 연구

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide preliminary data for policy making by researching the support of grandparents’ raising grandchildren nationwide. Also, the study suggests the rational support plan and the establishment of directions for supporting grandparents raising grandchildren. The study surveyed 500 grandparents who are currently raising grandchildren and their child(parents). Also, survey targeting 1,000 people in public was conducted for collecting objective opinions about the financial assistance of grandparents raising grandchildren. Main findings of this study are as follows.

Number of grandmothers exceeds grandfathers(95.6%). Among grandmothers, more than half are maternal grandmothers(56.8%). Number of grandchildren is 1.15 in average and their age are 28.8 months in average. Grandmothers start to raise their grandchildren when they are 7.78 month in average until 21.0 month in average as for now. The study shows that the grandparents start to raise grandchildren when they are just born and it lasts

for a long period.

90.2% of the families who foster their children to grandparents are double-income households and 7.2% are single-income households. These double-income households share typical middle class characteristics. As for the motive of grandparents raising grandchildren, nurturing by 'grandchildren's parents' request'(76.0%) was higher than their 'voluntary nurture'(24.0%). Most of the grandparents(78.6%) are raising grandchildren even though they do not live with them. Furthermore, grandparents spend average 5.25 days per week and average 42.53 hours per week for nurturing grandchildren, and the hours are equivalent to working hours of wage earner. Half of the grandparents receive child rearing expenses periodically and average amount of child rearing expenses per month was approximately 572,100 won.

According to the public opinion survey asking about the opinions of supporting policy on child rearing expenses for grandparents raising grandchildren, 82.2% of grandparents and parents, 80.2% of general public agreed on the policy. Also, if the supporting conditions are same among the grandparents and 'public nanny service' which the government dispatches, parents and general public tend to prefer grandparents.

Based on the findings of this study, the study suggests that the current 'public nanny service' should also include the grandparent child rearing service. The suggestions are as follows; 1) since grandparents not only nurture the grandchildren but also are required to do house chores, the benefit should be in accordance with 'hourly comprehensive service' of public nanny service. 2) the service should mainly support the double-income households working more than 40 hours a week. 3) supporting the grandparents with child rearing counseling, monitoring the benefit with filling out the monthly report by trained 'nurturing adviser for grandparents'.

In addition, many grandparents are interested in educational program about raising their grandchildren, but it is only implemented in Seoul and metropolitan areas. Therefore, the government's support is necessary so that it can be implemented nationwide. Also, for the grandparents raising grandchildren but are not able to attend the education program, 'door-to-door' education program by nurturing adviser for grandparents is suggested.