Establishing the Concept of Publicness in Family Counseling Services at Family Centers and Policy Implementation Strategies: Based on a Literature Review

This study aims to conceptualize the publicness of family counseling services in response to family structure changes and increasing emotional needs, and to propose policy and practical strategies. Unlike prior research focused on effectiveness or programs, this study applies a tripartite framework of publicness—subjectivity, process, and content—developing it into institutional and practical strategies. Using literature review and policy analysis of key documents, including the Framework Act on Healthy Families, the 4th Basic Plan on Healthy Families, and related surveys, the study identified six elements of publicness. From this framework, ten strategic directions were derived: enhancing responsibility, improving accessibility, raising public awareness, refining programs, strengthening institutional support, building governance, ensuring quality, expanding support for diverse families, fulfilling social responsibility, and advancing outcome-based evaluation. These strategies highlight family counseling as a core public asset within the welfare system, offering both theoretical contributions and practical guidelines for policy and service improvement.