To alleviate the national security issue posed by the declining birth rate, the government is expanding fertility treatment subsidies and building a supportive, friendly environment for pregnancy and childrearing. Amendments to the Early Childhood Education and Care Act are also diversifying service models for childhood education and care, and expediting the addition of slots at public preschools and child care facilities.
Since July 2018, the government has promoted an array of measures to counter declining birth rates, and in 2024 it launched version 2.0 of its national child care policy for children ages 0-6. This policy implements various upgraded measures such as enlarging affordable education and care service capacities, increasing child care subsidies, creating more preschool classes dedicated to enrolling two-year-olds, continuing to grant childrearing allowances, reducing preschool student-teacher ratios, trialing flexible parental leave without pay, and raising salaries for child care and education personnel. Through all these measures, the government is throwing its full support behind childrearing households, giving young people the confidence to marry and start a family.
Key measures
■ Expand fertility treatment subsidies: Beginning July 2021, the in vitro fertilization subsidy program was expanded from only covering low income and lower-middle income households, to now covering all couples where at least one spouse is of Taiwanese nationality.
■ Enlarge affordable education and care capacity: In addition to more public child care facilities, quasi-public services are also being expanded through collaboration with residential child care (nanny) and private infant care centers that meet the required standards. More public and nonprofit preschools are being established through utilization of available space within schools and publicly-owned land. The government is encouraging public and private sector organizations to invest in new preschools, as well as encouraging qualified private preschools to partner through the quasi-public mechanism, thereby providing parents with a greater choice of affordable schooling for their children.
■ Raise childrearing allowances: Childrearing allowances for children ages 0-6 were raised to NT$5,000 (US$152) per month, with additional allowances of NT$6,000 for the second child and NT$7,000 for the third child and beyond. Tuition subsidies for children ages 5-6 enrolled at private preschools were adjusted in accordance with childrearing allowances.
■ Lower child care and education fees: Since 2023, child care subsidies for children ages 0-2 attending public and quasi-public care centers increased to NT$7,000 (US$213) and NT$13,000, respectively, with additional subsidies for the second and third children and beyond, as well as for low income and lower-middle income households and disadvantaged families. For children ages 2-6 attending public, nonprofit or quasi-public preschools, tuition fees were capped at NT$1,000, NT$2,000 and NT$3,000 per month, respectively, with further reductions for the second and third children and beyond.
■ Raise employee salaries: Monthly starting salaries for personnel working in public child care services were raised to over NT$35,000 (US$1,066). For personnel working in quasi-public child care, minimum monthly salaries were raised according to three tiers—NT$30,000, NT$33,000 and NT$36,000—based on level of seniority. Since August 2024, salaries for principals, teaching staff and educare providers at quasi-public preschools also follow three tiers based on seniority, with the minimum monthly salary starting from NT$33,200.
■ Provide an incentive structure: Depending on their size, quasi-public child care centers are eligible for grants ranging from NT$200,000 to NT$1.2 million (US$6,089 to US$36,534) to pay for facilities, equipment and operating costs. Additionally, quasi-public nanny services that upgrade their service quality will receive an increased allowance of NT$12,000 per nanny per year.
■ Reduce student-teacher ratios: The government is providing grants of up to NT$500,000 (US$15,223) per additional caregiver per year for child care centers that hire to a child-to-caregiver ratio of 4:1. Preschool classes for children ages 3 and above are being adjusted to a maximum of 12 children per educare provider and a maximum class size of 24 children, with the objective of achieving a student-teacher ratio of 12:1 by the 2026 school year.
■ Trial flexible parental leave without pay: Starting May 2024, workers at organizations participating in the trial run for this policy can apply for parental leave without pay on a single-day, five-day or seven-day basis.
■ Extend child care service hours: Beginning January 2024, public preschools are extending care services on weekdays and adding extra care services during summer and winter vacations, as well as offering drop-in care services on a trial basis.
■ Open more preschool classes for two-year-olds: Public preschools are adding more classes aimed at newly enrolling two-year-olds, providing them with greater opportunities to receive education and care services.