국민기초생활보장제도 청년 가구 분리 규정의 집행 경험에 대한 초점집단면접 분석

This study aims to exploratorily analyze the experiences of service providers regarding the implementation realities and limitations of household separation policy for young adults under the age of 30 in the National Basic Livelihood Security System. In terms of the research method, this study performed a thematic analysis by collecting data through Focus Group Interviews with front-line public officials, as well as practitioners from social welfare agencies and non-profit organizations. The results of the thematic analysis derived several themes regarding the regulations, implementation realities, and limitations of household separation: age criteria that fail to reflect the reality of young adults; differences in perception among providers regarding the verification of domestic violence victims; regulations restricting the self-reliance of young adults with mild disabilities; ambiguous judgments regarding independent livelihood status; abandonment of household separation due to issues affecting the original household’s benefits; the burden of exercising discretion in adjudication; and concerns over an increase in fraudulent receipt of benefits. In summary, these findings provide clues as to how current regulations structure and constrain the self-reliance process of young adults. Therefore, it is necessary to urgently devise improvements to the current regulations to reflect the changing patterns and realities of youth self-reliance. Additionally, given the growing number of issues with a household-based public assistance system rooted in traditional family concepts, it is necessary to standardize procedures for verifying domestic violence and specify criteria for judging independent livelihood. Also we need to review the option of lowering the age requirement for youth household separation, which is currently 30, in the long term.