After a renovation costing tens of millions of New Taiwan dollars, the Datan Childcare Resource Center in Taichung has been officially upgraded to the Dali Parent-Child Center, which was inaugurated on the 26th. Taichung Mayor Lu Shieu-huan unveiled her "Parent-Child Center Doubling Plan," stating that in addition to building new centers, existing resources will also be utilized to expand facilities. She aims to increase the number of parent-child centers in Taichung to 13 within her four-year term and is actively adding more public childcare and preschool services to alleviate the burden on families.
Mayor Lu Shieu-huan, along with several city councilors and local representatives from Dali District, unveiled the plaque for the new Dali Parent-Child Center. She then entered the center to interact with the children, helping them complete a dinosaur craft in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Lu noted that good policies should be continued and improved upon. Currently, Taichung has four parent-child centers, all of which have yielded positive results, and she hopes to further expand their number, aiming for a doubling within four years.
Mayor Lu then elaborated on her social welfare policies, emphasizing that creating a family-friendly environment is urgent. Progress is already being made on the plan to double the number of public preschools and childcare centers, with an expected increase to 180 public preschool classes and 23 public childcare centers within four years—some of which are already under construction.
The Dali Parent-Child Center was formerly the Datan Childcare Resource Center. According to the Social Affairs Bureau, it previously served only children aged 0 to 3, but as a parent-child center, its services now extend to children up to 6 years old. The center will offer programs such as storytelling sessions, board games, and building blocks, with up to 30 parent-child pairs able to book sessions daily.
The Social Affairs Bureau stressed that in addition to upgrading the Dali center, plans are underway to elevate similar centers in North District, Fengyuan, Shalu, and Dajia. Future expansions will also include new parent-child centers in Shihkang, Daya, Wuri, Beitun, Dong District, and West District, providing convenient, professional, and comprehensive service resources for families with parenting needs.
(China Times)