Taiwan Establishes New Agencies for Child Support and Long-Term Care in Major Ministry Overhaul

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan has passed a significant amendment to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's organizational law, marking the first major restructuring of the ministry since its inception. The reform introduces two new key agencies: the "Child and Family Support Administration" and the "Social Development and Long-Term Care Administration."

These new bodies are designed to address the challenges posed by Taiwan's declining birthrate and aging population. The Child and Family Support Administration will focus on planning, executing, and coordinating childcare, early intervention, child welfare, and family support services. Simultaneously, the Long-Term Care Administration will oversee policies and services for the elderly, individuals with disabilities, long-term care, and the national pension system.

In addition to these administrations, the amendment establishes two administrative corporations: the National Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Health Technology Assessment Center. This move aims to enhance flexibility in hiring and attract specialized talent in these critical fields.

Child welfare organizations, such as the Child Welfare League Foundation, have lauded the creation of a central child welfare unit, a long-standing demand since their coalition formed in 2018. They emphasized the need for ample budget and staffing for the new Child and Family Support Administration to ensure the development and implementation of effective policies that meet the needs of families and children.

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The future budget and staffing for the Child and Family Support Administration should be generously allocated, implementing child welfare from a policy perspective, proposing developmental child and family policies, and fully responding to the needs and expectations of families raising children.