public childcare 結果共7筆

Explore Taiwan’s new approach to supporting families: Premier Chen Chien-jen announces plans for more flexible unpaid parental leave, expanded childcare services, and increased subsidies to ease the childcare burden. With a focus on diverse family roles and improved work-life balance, these measures aim to reduce childcare costs and encourage shared parental responsibilities.

A toddler’s tragic death at a public kindergarten in New Taipei City has sparked debate and confusion over whether toddlers should wear masks. The child’s family suspects that the mask may have become wet with tears, leading to asphyxiation. The Social Welfare Department clarified that only hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and senior care centers are required to follow the mask regulation. The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the kindergarten director and two caregivers, who have been summoned by the police for further investigation.

Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih highlights his achievements in public childcare in New Taipei City, having established 121 facilities, surpassing other major cities in Taiwan combined. Hou criticizes his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) opponent, Lai Ching-te, for lacking concrete efforts in providing care for children up to the age of 22. Hou also questions Lai’s commitment to waiving high-school fees and granting university subsidies, suggesting irresponsibility towards young people. Additionally, Hou points out Lai’s failure to plan social housing during his tenure as mayor of Tainan, while New Taipei City completed 11,000 units under his leadership.

Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih has announced an extension of childcare policies, promising free after-school care services for elementary students aged 6 to 12. This initiative aims to double the current capacity of after-school care in public elementary schools from 180,000 to 360,000 children, with a focus on providing specialized care to children in rural areas and from disadvantaged backgrounds. Hou’s plan includes establishing after-school programs in public elementary schools to meet 100% of the demand, increasing student coverage from 15% to 30% and meeting the standard set by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The policy, guided by the ＂Three Safeties＂ principle, aims to ensure parental peace of mind, child safety, and stability for the disadvantaged. Extended care until 7 p.m. will be available during the school term and vacations. Additionally, the initiative seeks to expand private-sector participation in after-school care services by creating a matching platform to add over 20,000 new classes and increasing the proportion of outsourced after-school care to over 20%. The anticipated benefits of this policy include providing services to approximately 300,000 families, including 80,000 disadvantaged families, creating around 30,000 job opportunities, and strengthening the service capacity of private institutions.

In 2022, 330,000 Taiwanese women withdrew from the labor market to care for their families, highlighting the challenges women face in balancing work and family life. This trend, coupled with workplace stress and inflexibility, is impacting Taiwan’s birth rate and female labor force participation.

Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je has proposed several policies to address Taiwan’s low birth rate. These policies include extending maternity leave, offering a ＂pregnancy subsidy＂ of NT$50,000 to expectant mothers, and providing an additional subsidy of NT$100,000 to families after the child is born. Ko also plans to establish a ＂Population Development Committee＂ within the Executive Yuan to coordinate efforts between various governmental departments and address the issue of low birth rates. He advocates for increasing public childcare facilities and raising salaries for public preschool teachers and personnel to improve the employment environment for childcare workers. The National Development Council predicts that Taiwan’s population could be halved by 2070 due to low birth rates and an aging population, which would further burden society and younger generations. Ko sees the low birth rate as a security issue for Taiwan, causing labor shortages and challenges in school recruitment.

Mayor Hou You-yi has kept his electoral promise and opened the 120th public childcare center in New Taipei City on Monday (Jan. 16).