Childcare Alliance Affirms Third Reading of Childcare Services Act, Expresses Concern Over New Foreign Domestic Helper Policy's Impact on Childcare Quality
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of the Childcare Services Act on April 14, introducing a maximum fine of NT$600,000 for childcare staff abuse and mandating 30-day retention of surveillance footage in facilities. The Childcare and Employment Policy Promotion Alliance lauded the new law as a milestone for infant and toddler care, emphasizing national responsibility. However, the Alliance raised concerns that the relaxed foreign domestic helper employment policy, effective April, might undermine efforts to professionalize domestic childcare and impact service quality, despite the government stating helpers are not a substitute for childcare. The Alliance urged expanding public childcare capacity to meet demand.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 14:11
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 14:31 (19 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 16, 2026 at 19:55 (53h 24m after Collected)
The Legislative Yuan today passed the third reading of the Childcare Services Act. The law stipulates that childcare-related personnel found to have committed physical or mental abuse, or severe sexual harassment, can face a maximum fine of NT$600,000. The 'supervision cloud' section requires childcare institutions to install surveillance video equipment, with footage retained for at least 30 days and uploaded to a system established by the competent authority for storage.
The Childcare and Employment Policy Promotion Alliance issued a statement today, declaring that the third reading of the Childcare Services Act marks a new milestone for Taiwan's infant and toddler childcare system, affirming that care is a national responsibility, not just a family matter.
The Alliance highly praised the enactment of this law, stating that only a sound childcare system can truly support dual-income families, enabling stable employment and secure parenting, thereby promoting a 'dual employment, dual care' gender-equal family model.
However, the Alliance also noted that the relaxed foreign domestic helper employment policy, which commenced in April, could introduce variables to the new system's effectiveness. While the government stated that 'family domestic helpers are not a substitute for childcare services,' this policy might weaken the government's resolve to continuously enrich the domestic professional childcare workforce and improve labor conditions, consequently affecting overall childcare service quality.
The Alliance emphasized that all parenting and family policy planning should possess consistency and overall coherence, avoiding policy tools with completely opposite intentions from 'clashing' and creating an incoherent childcare system. Future policy promotion should continue to focus on 'expanding public childcare capacity, implementing management mechanisms, improving service quality, and stabilizing the professional workforce' as core objectives to genuinely respond to family needs and ensure healthy systemic development.
The Alliance stressed it would continue to supervise the implementation of the system and ensure resources are in place, aiming for consistent policy goals to foster a friendly parenting environment and safeguard Taiwanese families with children.
The Childcare and Employment Policy Promotion Alliance issued a statement today, declaring that the third reading of the Childcare Services Act marks a new milestone for Taiwan's infant and toddler childcare system, affirming that care is a national responsibility, not just a family matter.
The Alliance highly praised the enactment of this law, stating that only a sound childcare system can truly support dual-income families, enabling stable employment and secure parenting, thereby promoting a 'dual employment, dual care' gender-equal family model.
However, the Alliance also noted that the relaxed foreign domestic helper employment policy, which commenced in April, could introduce variables to the new system's effectiveness. While the government stated that 'family domestic helpers are not a substitute for childcare services,' this policy might weaken the government's resolve to continuously enrich the domestic professional childcare workforce and improve labor conditions, consequently affecting overall childcare service quality.
The Alliance emphasized that all parenting and family policy planning should possess consistency and overall coherence, avoiding policy tools with completely opposite intentions from 'clashing' and creating an incoherent childcare system. Future policy promotion should continue to focus on 'expanding public childcare capacity, implementing management mechanisms, improving service quality, and stabilizing the professional workforce' as core objectives to genuinely respond to family needs and ensure healthy systemic development.
The Alliance stressed it would continue to supervise the implementation of the system and ensure resources are in place, aiming for consistent policy goals to foster a friendly parenting environment and safeguard Taiwanese families with children.