TAIPEI (TVBS News) — New Taipei City unveiled an ambitious expansion of its innovative "family-like project" (類家庭) on Tuesday (Jun 17), adding six new households and 18 placement beds in the Linkou (林口) district. The initiative represents a significant advancement in the city's approach to caring for vulnerable youth, leveraging available social housing units while forging strategic partnerships with established welfare organizations to create nurturing environments that simulate traditional family structures.
New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) delivered an impassioned address at the announcement ceremony, underscoring the program's philosophical underpinnings. "Love is the foundation of a nation. Through love, we help children grow and unite the strength of society," Hou explained, framing the initiative within broader social values. Social Welfare Department Commissioner Li Mei-chen (李美珍) elaborated on the operational structure, noting that nonprofit organizations manage the family-like system by carefully selecting and training substitute parents who provide nurturing care for children from troubled or disrupted family environments.
The municipal government has secured crucial private sector support for the initiative, establishing partnerships with a prominent furniture retailer and philanthropic donors to create thoughtfully designed living spaces that emphasize comfort and normalcy for displaced children. These collaborations extend beyond basic furnishings to include sponsored painting services and interior design expertise, transforming institutional spaces into environments that authentically replicate the aesthetic and emotional qualities of traditional family homes.
Currently, the family-like service operates across four strategic districts of New Taipei City: Sanchong (三重), Linkou, Yonghe (永和), and Xindian (新店), encompassing 23 households that collectively provide care for 75 vulnerable children. Caregivers report significant developmental benefits from the program's intimate setting, noting enhanced ability to identify and address individual children's emotional and psychological needs. City officials confirmed their commitment to further expansion, citing preliminary data suggesting improved social adjustment and interpersonal relationship development among children raised in these home-like environments rather than traditional institutional settings. ◼
