Range and Nature of Social Services for Children With Disabilities and Their Families: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Objective: Children with disabilities and their families continue to face challenges in social inclusion and accessing resources. This study aimed to evaluate the availability and associated challenges of using services for these children and their families.

Methods: A descriptive study was conducted to analyze social services for children with disabilities. Data were collected from the official websites of both public and private institutions across three regions in South Korea. These data included information on the service contents and the characteristics of the target beneficiaries.

Results: A total of 12,841 service units were analyzed and grouped into 10 domains and 35 categories of social services. The most frequently identified service content was “Healthcare,” followed by “Child and family care” and “Community services.” The most frequently used characteristic of target beneficiaries was “Residential area,” followed by “Income level,” “Benefit,” and “Type of disability.”

Conclusion: The current services are limited in meeting the needs of children with disabilities, particularly in terms of selection criteria, service content, and the integration of policies and delivery systems, contributing to a lack of social inclusion and lower quality of life. Constructing a national scheme to expand eligibility and support tailored to individual circumstances and needs is necessary.