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Video Description

Type: KIHASA Policy Featurette

Topic: We Need People to Care for People with Severe Developmental Disabilities

Guest Speaker: Professor Kim Dong-gi, Mokwon University

Transcript

It’s unfortunate that people with severe developmental disabilities, who require the highest level of care, need to be cared for by experienced staff, but most service providers can only afford to hire new, inexperienced staff due to lack of government budget support. Whether it's a welfare center or a day care center, these facilities should be staffed with experienced staff, at least at the team leader or department head level. There also needs to be an infrastructure that allows at least two social workers to care for one person―not just one to one.

The reality, however, is that while service providers may exist, they are unable to employ sufficient numbers and quality of staff to deliver services. In some cases, even if they manage to employ someone, the staff quits after just a few days. Integrated care for people with severe developmental disabilities has been launched with both hope and concern, but what’s most frustrating is the lack of readiness on the ground and insufficient government support to build the necessary infrastructure.