A private daycare center in Taipei has been fined NT$1.02 million (US$33,162) and ordered to close for a year after an investigation uncovered repeated mistreatment of infants and toddlers, the Taipei Department of Social Welfare said on Thursday.
The investigation into allegations made by parents in March has found that young children were treated badly by several caregivers at the center in Neihu District (內湖), the department said in a statement.
Department officials reviewed surveillance footage from the center, questioned the caregivers and convened panels of experts twice, the statement said.
Many children were forcefully pulled, shaken and even tossed to the ground, which “adversely affected their physical and mental development” and contravened child welfare and rights laws, it said.
The center was fined NT$600,000 on Tuesday last week and ordered to shut down for a year from August, it said, adding that it was fined NT$120,000 on May 2 and NT$300,000 on May 5 for failing to hand over surveillance footage, which the city government deemed to be obstruction of the investigation.
Three caregivers have had their names made public and were banned from working at any daycare center for at least five years, the department said.
Two of the caregivers were fined NT$100,000 and NT$150,000, while the third is facing a criminal investigation, it said.
The department said that it would provide resources and information to parents, and help them transfer their children to other nurseries nearby.
It would visit and examine the daycare center weekly and monitor the quality of its services for the three-month grace period before it suspends operations, the department said.
An incident first reported in late March by a mother was referred to a social worker on April 7, with the department beginning its investigation on April 11, Taipei City Councilor Hung Wan-jen (洪婉臻) said on May 4.
The mother said her child’s body was covered in bruises.
Department head Yao Shu-wen (姚淑文) at a news conference later on May 4 apologized for the delay between the incident being reported and the response from authorities.
PROCEDURE: Although there is already a cross-strait agreement in place for the extradition of criminals, ample notice is meant to be given to the other side first Ten Taiwanese who were involved in fraud-related crimes in China were extradited back to Taiwan via Kinmen County on Wednesday, four of whom are convicted fraudsters in Taiwan. The 10 people arrived via a ferry operating between Xiamen and Kinmen, also known as the “small three links.” The Kinmen County Prosecutors’ Office yesterday said that four of the 10 extradited people were convicted in Taiwan for committing fraud and contravening the Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法), and were on the wanted list. They were immediately arrested upon arrival and sent to Kinmen Prison to serve their sentences following brief questioning, the office said.
Taipei and Kaohsiung have extended an open invitation to Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki after Chinese authorities abruptly canceled her scheduled concert in Shanghai. Hamasaki, 47, had been slated to perform on Saturday before organizers pulled the show at the last minute, citing “force majeure,” a move widely viewed as retaliation for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could draw a military response from Tokyo. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday said the city “very much welcomes” Hamasaki’s return and would continue to “surprise” her. Hamasaki, who has a large global fan base, including
‘REGRETTABLE’: Travelers reported that Seoul’s online arrival card system lists Taiwan as ‘China (Taiwan),’ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday urged South Korea to correct the way Taiwan is listed in its newly launched e-Arrival card system, saying the current designation downgrades the nation’s status. South Korea rolled out the online system on Feb. 24 to gradually replace paper arrival cards, which it plans to phase out by next year. Travelers must complete the electronic form up to 72 hours before entering the country. The ministry said it has received multiple complaints from Taiwanese travelers saying that the system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in dropdown menus for both “place of departure” and “next
VIGILANT: Enterovirus activity remains in the epidemic phase, with the CDC urging caregivers of infected children to be on the lookout for signs of severe illness Influenza activity is rising in neighboring countries, and, with temperatures forecast to drop this week, flu cases are expected to increase in the next two weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. Hospitals reported 87,162 visits for flu-like illnesses between Nov. 23 and Saturday, which remained about the same level as the previous week, but nine deaths and 24 cases with serious flu complications were also confirmed last week, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said. Flu activity reached a peak in late September before declining for eight consecutive weeks, CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesman Lin Min-cheng (林明誠)
RSS