편부모가족에 대한 복지정책과 과제

Social Welfare Policy for Single Parents in Korea

The number of single parents has rapidly increased in Korea. Most of them are suffered from economic and psychological difficulties, the double burden of houseworking and child rearing and income generating activities, and social prejudice. This study aims to review social welfare policy of the government for single parents and suggests new policies for them. The social welfare supports for them were not sufficient. Low-income-single mothers has insufficent economic support for living and their children's education. The number of single mother families who have opportunity to live in the social welfare institutes or community house is very small and, even worse, is decreased recently. They has no support from the government to consult their psychological problems. Low-income-single father families have no housing service even though single farthers can be qualified to get government welfare service as low-income-family with higher income than single mothers. Based on the review, several new policies are suggested: Sufficient equal economic support for living and children's education for the low-income-single parents families should be provided. The housing service should be extended for both the single mother and father families. Programmes for helping their psychological problems should be launched. Above all, the social welfare service should be reached the families who need governmental help but are neglected.