A group of political parties yesterday urged the government to enhance protections for toddlers by revamping the childcare system and raising the wages of nursery center staff.
The parties — including the New Power Party (NPP), Taiwan Statebuilding Party, Taiwan Obasang Political Equality Party and Green Party Taiwan — made the call outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, where they were accompanied by six children aged six to nine, brought by their parents and carrying placards that read: “Please help us, so we can grow up safely.”
Legislators are this week to review a draft bill on the “childcare services act.”
Photo: CNA
DAYCARE
As most Taiwanese parents work, they need to use daycare centers and other childcare services, but Taiwan still lacks monitoring mechanisms and resources for childcare, NPP Chairwoman Claire Wang (王婉諭) said.
“That has resulted in many incidents of abuse, injury and sometimes even death,” she said.
“We need public and parental input on the draft bill, and must monitor legislators and the bill’s progress. This is a window of opportunity to effect real reform, to protect children from physical abuse or neglect by adult caregivers,” she added.
Taiwan Obasang Political Equality Party executive Chen Wan-yu (陳宛毓) recommended that legislators perform a comprehensive review of all childcare centers for children up to age six with the aim of revamping them and integrating them into a national system.
CERTIFICATIONS
The government should require certifications of private nurseries and other childcare centers and establish a “childcare services network” in local communities to support parents, Chen said.
Citing a shortage of childcare workers, Taiwan Statebuilding Party Chairman Wang Hsin-huan (王興煥) called for higher wages for such workers, as well as the establishment of a mechanism to adjust their wage structure.
The government should provide more training and offer more financial subsidies, especially to nursery centers willing to look after children with special needs, he said.
He also proposed installing surveillance cameras at childcare centers, with video backed up to a data center, to deter abuse.
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