Proposal for a Governmental Support System for Children Excluded from Institutional Care through Comparative Analysis between South Korea and Germany

On March 22, 2016 the South Korean Child Welfare Act has been amended. Based on this, the responsibility of local governments, i.e., mayor/provincial governors and district leaders, has been specified in terms of institutional care for the children excluded from the institutional care. In addition, on July 13, 2021, the South Korean government announced a 'measure to strengthen support for children who are dependent on institutional protection (youths preparing for self-reliance)', which states that children who use institutional facilities can stay there until the age of 24 if wanted. Thus, the responsibility of local governments in establishing a self-reliance support system and the national responsibility for children being excluded from institutional care are increasing. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to present national responsibility for supporting self-reliance and the self-reliance support system of local governments for the children. The research topics are to examine the basic viewpoint of such support system regarding local governments in Germany and to suggest the principles and directions of the self-reliance support system for the children excluded from institutional care. The research method was to compare and analyze the German case of rebuilding the state responsibility and the self-reliance support system for children being terminated from institutional care through the 68 student protests. In conclusion, this research suggests to practice the state's accountability for self-reliance support for children in South Korea, to establish an agency dedicated to local governments and to grant strong authority, and to accompany experts; and offer follow-up care for the daily needs and empower these children through public-private cooperation of local governments.