Categorization of Community Types Based on Childcare Resource Supply for Infants and Toddlers

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify community-level childcare infrastructure for infants and toddlers and to use the data to categorize community types using K-Means cluster analysis with spatial constraints. Seven indicators of childcare resource supply were used for the purpose of categorization and the results revealed six types of community cluster. Communities in the Type 1 cluster provided sufficient parks, libraries, and kindergartens, but lacked pediatric facilities and private education institutions. This cluster comprised small cities and rural areas in Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, and Jeollabuk-do. The Type 2 cluster had numerous pediatric facilities and childcare centers, but lacked other childcare infrastructure. This comprised small and medium-sized cities in Gyeonggi-do, some areas in Chungcheongnam-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, and Gangwon-do bordering Gyeonggi-do. The Type 3 cluster comprised Busan, Daegu, and Gyeongsangnam-do, but had insufficient childcare infrastructure as a whole. Type 4 had the largest number of childcare centers, libraries, and private education institutions and comprised Jeollabuk-do, areas near Gwangju, and Jeju-do. Type 5, consisting of Seoul, Incheon and the southern part of Gyeonggi-do had many pediatric facilities and certified childcare centers, but lacked other childcare infrastructure. Type 6, being the rural areas and islands in Jeollanam-do, had sufficient kindergartens, but other infrastructure was insufficient. These results are expected to provide local government with policy implications in terms of relieving the childcare burden on residents with infants and toddlers.