The Korea Local Administration Review

While the policy interest in childcare-friendly local communities is high, this subject lacks academic research in Korea. Therefore, there is limited empirical evidence of the factors contributing to parents’ perceptions of a local community’s friendliness toward raising children. This study uses a hierarchical linear model to address this research gap and explore the determinants of parents’ perceptions of childcare friendliness in the local community. The results are: First, higher monthly income is positively correlated with a more favorable perception of childcare friendliness. Second, employed mothers express higher satisfaction with local facilities than unemployed mothers. Third, an increase in the number of children in a household is correlated with lower satisfaction with local facilities. This study is significant in promoting the establishment of childcare-friendly local communities.