This week, Chinese mainland lawmakers submitted a draft law on childcare services to the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress for a first reading.
The draft, launched in 2023, aims to strengthen legal protections for children under three and improve support policies for childbirth and parenting. Luo Shugang, chairman of the NPCs Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee, said extensive field visits were carried out across Beijing, Guangdong, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia to address local needs through legislation.
Comprising eight chapters and 76 articles, the draft law adopts a demand-driven, problem-focused approach to tackle challenges in service quality, provider qualifications and institutional oversight. It proposes expanding affordable care options, lowering childcare costs and building a public system that is diverse, safe, high-quality, reasonably priced and accessible.
Safety is a core focus: the draft details clear standards and requires institutions to obtain approval from health authorities, meet staffing and facility requirements, and comply with a new blacklist barring individuals with records of violent or sexual offenses from serving as childcare personnel.
The initiative comes amid a historic dip in the Chinese mainlands birthrate. In 2024, there were just 9.54 million births5.77 per 1,000 peopledown from 16.55 million births and a rate of 12.07 per 1,000 a decade earlier. High childcare and living costs are key drivers of the decline.
To ease the burden, the Chinese mainland government has rolled out measures such as plans to make childbirth essentially free under the national medical insurance system by 2026 and annual subsidies of 3,600 yuan (about $511) per child under three.
As the draft law moves to its next stages of review, observers will watch how it shapes the future of childcare support and family planning in the Chinese mainland.
Reference(s):
China's draft law on childcare services submitted for first reading
cgtn.com
