Seoul's grandchild care allowance program records high satisfaction rating

Seoul’s grandchild care allowance recorded the highest satisfaction rating among related policies by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

A baby is tended to by a nurse at a hospital in Goyang, Gyeonggi, on Nov. 26, 2025. [YONHAP]

Seoul’s grandchild care allowance recorded the highest satisfaction rating among related policies by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

In a survey conducted on people who monitor the program, 99.2 percent said they were satisfied with the initiative, and 99.5 percent said they would recommend it, the city said on Tuesday.

Despite its name, the program targets not only grandparents but any family member who takes care of a related child and offers them either a monthly allowance of 300,000 won ($200) or vouchers that can be used at private care service providers.

Eligible participants must be Seoul residents who are raising children aged 24 to 36 months and require assistance with child care — such as dual-income couples, single parents and households with multiple children — and whose income is no more than 150 percent of the median. As of the end of 2025, a total of 5,466 people had benefited from the program.

An impact analysis by the Seoul Foundation of Women and Family found that participating caregivers experienced positive effects compared to nonparticipants, including less stress from child care costs, parenting and balancing work and family.

Visitors to a baby fair try at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 15 [NEWS1]

The city said it plans to expand eligibility — such as by widening the age range and easing income criteria — after completing consultations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare on changes to the social security program.

Applications are accepted from the first to the 15th of each month via the city's parenting information portal.

“Beyond easing financial burdens, the [...] grandchild care allowance is also helping children’s healthy development and growth by providing emotional stability through [family] care,” said Ma Chae-sook, the deputy mayor for the Women and Family Office of the Seoul Metropolitan Government. “Seoul will continue to provide careful support to create an environment in which anyone can raise children with peace of mind.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]