Yeongdeungpo-gu launches emergency childcare escort service for toddlers

Seoul's Yeongdeungpo-gu announced Monday it has launched an emergency childcare escort service called "Bbippobibbo Ansim Care," designed to address childcare gaps caused by dual-income households and other urgent situations.

The service operates in two forms: hospital escorts and daycare drop-off and pickup escorts. For hospital escorts, a dedicated staff member accompanies the child through the entire process — from registration and the medical appointment to the trip home. The daycare escort service supports safe transportation when a guardian is suddenly unable to handle drop-off or pickup due to work or other unexpected commitments.

The service is open to children aged 3 to 5 enrolled in daycare centers within the district and operates on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Applications for hospital escorts are accepted from seven days before the intended date until 3 p.m. on the day of use. Daycare escort applications are accepted from seven days before the intended date until noon Sunday.

Residents wishing to use the service should call the Yeongdeungpo-gu Comprehensive Childcare Support Center for a consultation, then submit an application through a Naver form provided by the center. Once an application is received, a dedicated escort staff member will be assigned according to the schedule. After the service concludes, the child will be handed directly to a guardian or the daycare center to ensure a safe return.

Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor Cho Yu-jin said the district would listen closely to what parents actually need in terms of childcare support and expand a range of programs to close childcare gaps.

Yeongdeungpo-gu currently operates a range of public childcare services, including year-round daycare centers, weekend daycare centers, 24-hour daycare centers, part-time childcare rooms, multicultural integrated daycare centers and daycare centers for children with disabilities.