조손가족지원방안연구

Research on the Life-Worlds of Grandparents-grandchildren Households and policy Implications

Ⅰ. 서론 1. 연구의 배경 및 목적 ○ 최근 가족의식 및 형태의 변화로 가족다양성이 크게 증가함에 따라 조손가족 역시 증가해왔음. - 2005년 인구주택총조사 시 조사한 동거자 통계를 집계한 결과에 따르면, 우리나라 조손가구는 전체 가구의 0.36%에 불과함. 하지만, 1995년 35,194가구, 2000년 45,224가구, 2005년 58,101가구로 지난 10년 동안 65.1%나 증가해왔음. ○ 이같은 조손가족의 급속한 증가에도 불구하고, 조손가족의 손자녀 양육 실태에 관한 객관적인 자료생산은 물론 이들 가족에 대한 적실한 지원 방안에 관한 논의 역시 미흡한 수준임. - 2000년을 기점으로 지역사회 차원에서 조손가족에 대한 실태조사가 진행되기 시작함. 그러나 대다수 기존연구들은 주로 특정 지역 사회에 거주하는 조부모들만을 대상으로 한 연구라는 점에서 조사대상 조손가족의 사례는 2-300가구에 불과함. - 여성가족부 역시 2007년도에 전국 600여 가구를 조사한 바 있으나, 연구 대상으로 선정된 대다수의 조손가구는 국가지원 대상 저소득 가구라는 점에서 자료의 한계가 있음(염동훈ㆍ김혜영ㆍ안치민, 2007). ○ 여성가족부(2007, 2010)의 조사결과를 위시하여, 그동안 조손가족에 대한 연구결과들은 대체로 다음과 같은 사실을 공통적으로 지적함. - 조손가족은 부모를 대신하여 조부모 혹은 조모나 조부가 손자녀의 실질적인 양육을 책임지는 가족형태로서 조부모의 손자녀 돌봄에 대한 부담과 함께 경제적 부양, 조부모의 질병이라는 삼중고에 시달리고 있음(여성가족부, 2007, 2010).

Given the increase in family diversity through changes in family value and family structure, the number of grandparents who are the primary caretakers of their grandchildren (hereafter "grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) household") has been steadily increasing. Yet, few research on grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) household have utilized nationally representative samples to identify the characteristics of such families and their needs. Likewise, systematic support systems for grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren ) households have been sparsely developed. Therefore, this study analyzes life worlds of grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) households by investigating the characteristics of grandparents and grandchildren and compares such characteristics with those of more traditional families where both parents raise their children and those where single parents raise their children, using national level data. According to the 2005 Population and Housing Census data, the characteristics of grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) households are as follows: there are about 65,000 grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) households, which comprises about 0.4% of the total population in Korea, and the average number of children raised by grandparent(s) per household is less than the average number of children raised by both parents households and single parent households. The mean age of children raised by grandparents tended to be older than that of children raised by both parents. Approximately 57.9% of grandparents who raised their grandchildren lived together with their spouses. In terms of grandparent's age, about 53.7% of grandparents who raised their grandchildren were in their 60s, and 38.6% of them were in their 70s, and about 4.6% of them were in their 80s. About 1 out of 3 grandparents had disabilities and about 1 out of 5 grandparents had limitations with daily activities, and about 29% of grandparents responded that they had at least one or more physical/mental disability. About 26.5% of grandparents of grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) households were in the labor force, and the majority of them were employed in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. With regard to income, the major source of income among grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) households was personal transfer, and the level of household income among them was lower than that of single parent households. In regard to increasing the number of policy beneficiaries, we have estimated the number of potential recipients: the number of grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) households who are under the 100% of national minimum standards are 64.9%, and those who are under the 100-130% of national minimum standards are 18.6%, and those who are above 130% of national minimum standards are 16.5%. The caring of preschoolers is predominantly conducted by grandparents, and grandparents are the major care providers for the afterschool care of grandchildren at the elementary school level, showing a stark contrast to other types of families who utilizes extra-curricular activities such as private lessons for afterschool care. In addition, many grandparents expressed their concerns and difficulties as a major caregiver, especially in the areas of guidance and tutoring in their grandchildren's education, developing communication skills with their grandchildren, and building a sound emotional relationship with them. With regard to academic achievement, children from grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) households have lower educational attainment in terms of being less likely to obtain an advanced degree. In addition, the 2010 National Survey of Youth Risk Behaviors data produced by the Korea Youth Counseling Institute shows that adolescents from grandparent(s)-grandchild(ren) households were more likely to have a higher level of depression and anxiety, and were likely to show more aggressiveness, compulsiveness, and carelessness compared to adolescents from single parent households. Likewise, adolescents from grandparent(s