Taichung City’s East and South Districts have insufficient social welfare resources. City Councilor Chen Yahui and others have asked for improvements.

City Councilors Xiao Longze (from right), Zhang Fenyu, Chen Yahui, Xie Jiayi, Chen Shuhua, and Chen Yurong jointly asked the question. (Photo by reporter Zhang Xuanzhe)

Taichung City’s East and South Districts have insufficient social welfare resources! City Councilor Chen Yahui pointed out in a general inquiry today (1st) that the Eastern District Parent-child Center has not been opened for more than a year, the construction rate of the Eastern District long-term care base is only 76.47%, and there is a shortage of 44 social workers. She asked the city government to propose improvements to the schedule and replenish the manpower for childcare, long-term care and social workers as soon as possible, so as not to keep people in need waiting.

Today, city councilors Chen Yahui, Xie Jiayi, Xiao Longze, Zhang Fenyu, Chen Shuhua, Chen Yurong and others jointly asked questions about the deployment of social welfare resources. Chen Yahui said that the Eastern District Parent-Child Center was originally scheduled to be completed in October 2020. After changes in design, engineering coordination and fire protection improvements, it has not yet opened. Although the Social Affairs Bureau said it will be operational in December, it cannot specify the exact date. She asked the city to give parents a clear commitment.

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Chen Yahui pointed out that there are 685 children under the age of 2 in the Eastern District, and the overall care capacity is 53.87%. Currently, there are only 2 public care centers. The first phase of public care in Taichung Park will add 32 places. Many dual-income families are still most concerned about whether public care will be available. The city government encourages childbirth and should continue to increase affordable child care resources.

In terms of long-term care, there are currently 18 community care centers in the Eastern District, with a construction rate of 76.47%, and there are 29 in the Southern District. Chen Yahui requested to continue to increase the number of bases and encouraged local offices to participate so that elders can use services nearby in familiar communities.

Chen Yahui pointed out that the central government has approved 420 social workers in the Social Affairs Bureau, but there is still a shortage of 44 people. She asked the city government to speed up the replenishment of manpower to avoid increasing the burden on front-line work.

Social Affairs Director Liao Jingzhi said that the Eastern District Parent-Child Center is scheduled to open in December, and the exact date still needs to be coordinated; the public construction will not stop, and in addition to the established goals, 16 more places are continuing to prepare. There are currently 541 long-term care centers in the city, and the number will continue to increase. The recruitment rate of social workers is nearly 90%, and the city government will continue to recruit them.