An Evaluation of Public Responses Taken in the Area of Care Services after the Covid-19 Pandemic
Title
An Evaluation of Public Responses Taken in the Area of Care Services after the Covid-19 Pandemic
Alternative Author(s)
Kim, Hyoung-Yong
Keyword
Social Service Delivery System
Publication Year
2023-04-01
Publisher
Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs
Citation
Health and Welfare Policy Forum 2023.4 No.318, pp.34-49
Abstract
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, the government worked to minimize care gaps with temporary response measures such as emergency care and child care coupons, while progress was sluggish in institutional efforts to ensure care in everyday life. Various attempts were made to bring changes to institutional arrangements, including providing public care through social service centers, expanding child care programs run by primary schools, establishing and operating community care centers, and widening the eligibility for the Disability Activity Support Benefit. The national and local governments have sought with these measures to move away from the pathway where social services and placements for institutional care were purchased by individuals toward care safety nets with increased public responsibilities. In the meantime, however, the government’s effort to strengthen the right to care remains incomplete due to a lack of investment. As a result, inadequacies in benefits and inefficiencies in service delivery remain. The care safety net should be further improved with a clear role division between the national and local governments, increased coverage, the fostering of reliable providers, and improved treatment of care workers.