Taiwanese Parents, Educators Urge Action on Childcare Subsidies

Parents and early childhood education organizations are collectively calling on lawmakers to expedite negotiations on Article 7 of the "Childcare Act." They stress the urgency of the matter, stating "children cannot wait," and advocate for a system where subsidies are directly tied to the child, ensuring equitable national support irrespective of whether a child attends public, non-profit, quasi-public, or private childcare centers.

The joint statement, issued by the National Parents' Alliance, the ROC United General Association of Early Childhood Education, the ROC Early Childhood Education Association, and the ROC Childcare United General Association, clarifies that their initiative is not politically motivated or aimed at benefiting specific institutions. Instead, their core objective is to guarantee that every child receives fair state support and that every family retains reasonable educational choices.

The groups propose five key initiatives, including the swift finalization of Article 7 negotiations to prevent further delays in children's rights. They also call for the gradual reduction of support disparities between different childcare systems and the implementation of the "subsidies follow the child" model. Furthermore, they emphasize respecting parents' educational choices and urge cross-party consensus to advance the "0-6 years old, the nation raises them together" policy amidst Taiwan's declining birthrate crisis.