Social Economy and Childcare: Raising Children Together with the Community

 In the past, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that “the whole village raised the children” in Korea. In my own experience, when my parents went to work, neighbors looked after us. If a friend’s parents were away, we spent time at each other’s homes. Even during outings or picnics, several families would join together to care for the children.

 

However, as nuclear families became more common, this culture of communal childcare gradually disappeared. With more women participating in the workforce and an increasing number of single-person households, the responsibility for childcare became concentrated primarily on parents and immediate family. A shortage of childcare facilities, high costs, and concerns about quality added to the practical burden on families.

 

A New Model of Cooperative Childcare through Social Economy

 

Recently, social economy initiatives have begun addressing childcare challenges in a community-centered, participatory, and sustainable way. Social economy organizations are characterized by local engagement, participatory governance, prioritizing social value, and sustainable operation.

 

Cooperative childcare organized by parents and local residents is more than just a service for leaving children in care; it creates an environment where parents, children, and the community grow together. Parents and community members actively participate in operations, helping improve quality and designing education and care models suited to local needs.

 

Entrance of an elementary after-school care center I visited last year. I fondly remember spending some time chatting with the teachers and children.(Photo by Milly) 

Parent and community-led care

Parents, local residents, and educators collaboratively establish and operate childcare centers as cooperatives, participating in program management and decision-making.

 

Community-based content development

Local resources are leveraged to offer children diverse experiences, while caregivers and participants develop and manage educational content, expanding their skills and capacities.

 

 

This approach provides more than just childcare—it fosters a stable and sustainable care environment, generates new employment opportunities, strengthens community bonds, and expands social networks.

 

Realizing Social and Economic Value Together

 

The essence of the social economy is the simultaneous pursuit of social and economic value. By addressing social issues such as childcare and education while designing sustainable revenue models, organizations can secure stability and long-term impact.

 

In this system, parents, children, and communities all benefit in meaningful ways, without relying solely on public support or government policies. Social economy-based childcare is not merely a service for leaving children; it is a model for building an ecosystem where the community, parents, and children thrive together.

 

When policy, civic participation, and social economy models work in tandem, a sustainable cooperative childcare system is achievable in Korea. This is why the intersection of social economy and childcare is increasingly recognized as a promising new model for social care.