Shanghai Extends Child Care to Promote Fertility and Seamless Early Childhood Care

Shanghai Extends Child Care Services to Promote Fertility

Shanghai plans to extend child care services to younger children, aiming to create a seamless continuum of care from infancy to pre-primary school. This initiative is part of broader efforts to improve early childhood care services and promote a more fertility-friendly environment.

The city will require synchronized planning, construction, and delivery of child care facilities alongside new residential compounds. This will help working parents balance career and child care duties. The measures align with national directives to address societal concerns and encourage parenthood.

To provide inclusive and diverse child care services, the document encourages industrial parks and employers to offer child care services for children under 3 years old at below-market prices. Shanghai has set a target for 85% of kindergartens to offer child care services for children under 3 by the end of 2025.

The city also plans to further develop affordable child care services, enhance the quality of baobaowu (government-run playgrounds for toddlers), and expand free caregiving services for families in need. Additionally, colleges and vocational schools will be encouraged to establish child care-related programs to nurture professional talent in the field.

To address declining birth rates, the Shanghai document proposes implementing differentiated housing policies for families with two or more children and fostering fertility-friendly employment models. Eligible families will be prioritized in the city's housing support system and receive support for affordable rental homes.

In December, Shanghai introduced a policy encouraging employers to create "parent-friendly job posts" with flexible working hours and arrangements. Sectors such as manufacturing, hospitality, and emerging industries are receiving support to pilot these initiatives.

Some parents believe more accessible child-related services in education and healthcare could alleviate concerns about having children. They call for more government-run child care facilities and accessible pediatric services.