Abstract

Childcare support for working mothers is crucial for women’s smooth transition into society, career development, and well-being. Based on interviews with 10 Korean working mothers with children aged 0-2, this paper explores the process of utilizing childcare support services, psychological experiences, and plans for work-life balance using the grounded theory analysis method. The analysis revealed three categories: the decision-making process before using the childcare services (past), experiences during the use of childcare support (present), and future plans for work-life balance (future). The decision-making process before using childcare support services consisted of the following categories: seeking information about childcare support services, having family discussions during the decision-making process, the proposer and decision-maker of the services, and the final decision on childcare support services. Experiences during the use of services included economic burdens, changes in postnatal career paths, disparities between expectations and the reality of pre- and post-childbirth, discrepancies between expectations and reality in work-family balance, factors affecting of quality of life, and the division of household and childcare responsibilities with husbands. Plans for future work-life balance included categories such as the desire for career advancement, the desire to maintain a career, the desire for temporary or reduced career commitment, and uncertainty regarding future career plans. Finally, the study investigated whether there were differences in the past and present service usage processes and experiences based on plans for future work-life balance. This research suggests the need for multidimensional support for working mothers’ work-family balance and well-being, and highlights the need to reduce uncertainty about women’s future careers.