Taiwan Candidate Outlines Father Support Policies Across Generations

On Father's Day, Su Chiao-hui, a legislator and candidate for New Taipei City mayor, unveiled a comprehensive set of policies aimed at supporting fathers across different life stages. Her proposals address the multifaceted challenges faced by fathers, from starting a family to caring for aging parents.

For expectant and new fathers, Su's platform includes enhanced support for fertility treatments, with subsidies of up to NT$150,000 per pregnancy. She also advocates for extended paternity leave and flexible work arrangements, including salary subsidies and job replacement allowances, to help fathers balance work and family responsibilities. A "Youth Childcare Housing" initiative is also proposed, offering eligible families long-term rental options, alongside expanded newborn screening programs.

Recognizing the demands of raising children, Su plans to bolster the childcare support system. Building on her past efforts, which included securing NT$100,000 per child and extending parental leave up to age six, her new proposals involve encouraging businesses to form consortiums for establishing childcare facilities. She pledges to subsidize 50% of losses for the first three years of such ventures and aims to establish night-time and temporary childcare services, creating a more robust support network for working parents.

Furthermore, Su addressed the needs of fathers caring for elderly parents. Her plans include a subsidy of up to NT$50,000 for dentures for seniors aged 65 and above, and an increase in subsidies for long-term care facilities from NT$180,000 to NT$240,000 annually. She also aims to improve emergency short-term accommodation options and ensure seamless transitions from hospital to home care, including necessary equipment and home services, to alleviate the burden on caregivers.