Father's Day Gift: Aolian-Gangshan Public Childcare Center and Parent-Child Center Inaugurated, Adding Support for Families in Kaohsiung

On the eve of Father's Day, the Kaohsiung City Government delivered a warm gift to families raising children! Today (8th), the city held a joint inauguration ceremony for the 'Aolian-Gangshan Public Childcare Center' and 'Aolian Parent-Child Center' at the Aolian District Gangshan Community Activity Center. By revitalizing underused public spaces, the city has created a service hub that combines public childcare with parent-child play areas, strengthening childcare resources in rural areas and providing more support for parents on their parenting journey.

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai attended the event, stating that in response to the challenge of low birth rates, the city government continues to align with the central government's 'Nation Raising Children Together from 0 to 6 Years' policy. From pregnancy and childbirth to child-rearing, the city is progressively improving its childcare support system. In addition to actively expanding public daycare, temporary care, and parent-child centers, it is also promoting inclusive parks and other family-friendly environments, aiming to ensure every family receives more comprehensive childcare support.

Mayor Chen pointed out that there is a saying in foreign countries: 'It takes a village to raise a child.' The city government is striving toward this goal by promoting family-friendly measures such as the 'Good Pregnancy, Smooth Journey' program, including transportation vouchers for pregnant and postpartum women, in-home postnatal care services, birth allowances, childcare subsidies, nutritional meal programs, and housing subsidies. These initiatives reduce the burden on families from multiple angles.

Among these, starting in April this year, the city further enhanced the 'Good Pregnancy, Smooth Journey – Transportation Vouchers for Pregnant and Postpartum Women' program, increasing the number of subsidized trips to 36 and raising the transportation allowance to NT$9,000. The usage period has also been extended from the date of issuance to one year after the due date, providing greater support for medical visits, prenatal checkups, and transportation needs during child-rearing.

According to the Department of Social Affairs, the 'Aolian-Gangshan Public Childcare Center' can care for 16 infants under the age of 2 and is expected to begin recruitment in August and officially start operations in September. The 'Aolian Parent-Child Center' is scheduled to officially open on August 17, offering parent-child play, interaction, and childcare support services. Parents or grandparents are welcome to bring their children to explore, play, and enjoy quality family time.

The city explained that by revitalizing underutilized public spaces, it has integrated public childcare and parent-child play services in the same location, not only improving the efficiency of public space usage but also further strengthening the childcare service network in the Aolian area, enabling rural families to access childcare and parent-child resources nearby.

To continuously reduce the burden of childcare on families, the Kaohsiung City Government has been actively assessing public spaces and infrastructure in recent years and integrating childcare resources for children aged 0 to 12, advancing toward the goal of 'one public daycare per elementary school district.' The city prioritizes identifying idle spaces in schools that already have public kindergartens, non-profit kindergartens, or dedicated classes for 2-year-olds, with the Department of Social Affairs and the Department of Education jointly building an integrated 'childcare-education' service system.

For areas with high demand for public daycare and growing populations, the city is accelerating the establishment of daycare centers and integrating childcare facilities into new school buildings and social housing projects. By the end of this year, the number of public daycare centers in Kaohsiung is expected to exceed 85 and reach 88, ensuring that all 38 administrative districts have public childcare service centers. Temporary定点 childcare centers are expected to reach 30 by the end of this year and 38 by the end of next year, moving toward the goal of 'temporary care in every district.'

The city stated that from pregnancy and childbirth to child-rearing, Kaohsiung continues to improve its family-friendly maternity and childcare service network, ensuring families do not face parenting challenges alone. The inauguration of the Aolian-Gangshan public daycare and parent-child center is a concrete action by the city government to implement the vision of 'accompanying every family in raising children together,' adding a practical and warm blessing for Father's Day.

Aolian-Gangshan Public Childcare Center and Parent-Child Center Information: Address: 2nd Floor, No. 275, Piwei Road, Aolian District, Kaohsiung City Phone: (07) 633-1400 Aolian Parent-Child Center opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 8:30 AM–11:30 AM and 2:00 PM–5:00 PM. Detailed admission rules and information on upcoming parent-child activities can be found on the Aolian Parent-Child Center Facebook fan page.

Mayor Chen Chi-mai visited the childcare facility and interacted with parents and young children. (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Department of Social Affairs)