High Demand, Low Capacity: Taiwan's Parents Face Public Daycare Shortage

Despite major government subsidies aimed at reversing Taiwan's record low birth rate, dual-income parents face an acute shortage of public daycare slots. According to official data, out-of-home childcare demand for infants under the age of two has reached over 36%, yet high-demand regions report dozens of children competing for a single opening. NGO the Childcare Policy Alliance highlights that public centers, which cost parents roughly US$45 per month after subsidies, are forced to run below full capacity due to severe staff shortages brought on by low wages and long working hours. Furthermore, strict safety standards and urban land scarcity stall construction. The health ministry has promised targeted central funding to assist local governments in securing public land and building centers.