New Taipei's remote northeast coast lacks public childcare, nannies

New Taipei City faces a stark urban-rural divide in childcare services, with three remote districts on the northeast coast reporting zero public childcare centers and nannies. City Councilor Lin Yi-chi raised the issue during a municipal inquiry, pointing out that while the city boasts 130 public childcare centers, Pingxi, Shuangxi, and Gongliao have none. Only the Ruifang district has one center with a capacity for 15 children, serving a total of 353 infants under two in the four districts.

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New Taipei City has 130 public childcare centers, but in the remote areas of Pingxi, Shuangxi, and Gongliao, there are zero public childcare centers and nannies.

Lin criticized the city's approach, stating that encouraging young people to return and start families is undermined by the lack of essential services. She argued that this disparity contributes to the outflow of young families and the aging population in these areas. The councilor urged the city government to balance childcare resources and support young parents, also calling for more training programs for professional nannies.

Mayor Hou Yu-ih acknowledged the difficulties in setting up public childcare in remote areas, citing challenges in finding suitable locations and retaining childcare workers. He noted that many home-based nannies lack formal training, and the demand in these areas may not always justify the investment. The city plans to expand the existing Ruifang public childcare center to accommodate 20 children, with enrollment expected in the first half of next year.

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Remote areas face challenges in establishing public childcare centers. We are continuously assessing resources and planning to expand the capacity of the Ruifang public childcare center.

The Social Affairs Bureau is also exploring options like expanding the Ruifang center's capacity and utilizing its space for temporary childcare services. While the city has focused on establishing centers in urban areas, it aims to gradually expand to remote districts. Currently, the priority for remote areas includes enhancing parents' childcare knowledge through workshops and parenting classes. The bureau also plans to establish temporary childcare spots and training programs for local nannies in the latter half of the year, responding to local needs.

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The existing Ruifang public childcare center will expand its capacity from 15 to 20 children, with enrollment planned for the first half of next year.