Disorder) is growing fast, particularly among secondary school students: in 2009,
compared to 2003, the number of ADHD patients aged 15~19 increased by 766%. A
2009 publication by the Ministry of Health and Welfare shows that 29.9% of the
secondary school students ever suffered from depression in 2005 and the rate was on the
rise, recording 41.4% in 2006 and 41.3% in 2007. One of the biggest causes is the
competitive education system mainly oriented toward the college entrance examination.
71. The Periodic Report mentioned the Government's plan to gradually expand
the scope of the early-detection programs for mental health of children (para. 342), but,
as of 2011, only 38% of the elementary and secondary school students are selected to
receive the student mental health services by the Ministry of Education, Science and
Technology and the mental health management services for children and youth by the
Ministry of Health and Welfare.
72. The Government needs to expand school-based or community-based
services for children's mental health so that early detection and early intervention
is possible. In relation to the secondary school students, the Government needs to
ensure that child-oriented mental health service programs are in progress linking
families, schools and local communities. Additionally, it needs to take actions to
reduce social stigma against children's mental health checkup while increasing
people's awareness about mental health so that children may not be stigmatized on
the ground of the outcome of the selective checkup.
3. Social Security (Article 26 of CRC)
Fostering Allowance (CRC/C/KOR/Q/3-4, para. 51)
73. The Government is offering child care subsidy to a selected group of
children in a varying amount according to the income level of their parents. This
subsidy is sort of fostering allowance, in that it is given only to the families immediately
above the poverty line with a child under 36 months in age who does not use a nursery
facility and the subsidy amount differs according to the child's age (in monthly terms).
The Government should extend progressively recipient groups of child care
subsidy.
Impoverished Children(CRC/C/KOR/3-4, para. 298-299; CRC/C/KOR/Q/3-4 para. 16-1,
17)
74. The Government has reinforced its support to impoverished children by
increasing the community-based child centers, initiating the Dream Start Project and
introducing the Child Development Account. However, the community child centers are
concentrated in urban areas, widening the gap between the urban and rural
communities; the Dream Start Project is, as of 2011, in operation only 131
municipalities out of the total 230 throughout the country. The extent of Child
Development Account Program on recipient children differs by budget size for children
welfare of local governments.
75. The Additional Report said that the child poverty rate continued to drop and
the number of children eligible for the state-funded meal support program increased
20