Child care and elder care arrangements in Taiwan

Abstract

This paper begins with an analysis of Taiwanese attitudes towards traditional gender roles and filial piety. The effects of the feminist movement and of advocacy groups for the elderly on caregiving policies are then examined. Care arrangements for preschool children and the elderly in Taiwan are described, as well as the role of the government in these arrangements. Our findings show similarities in child care and elder care trends: many of the caregiving responsibilities of the family have been taken up by the state, the market, and non-profit agencies, although the family still plays a dominant role. The marketplace has assumed an increasing share of child care provision for preschoolers. Care for seniors is often provided by migrant domestic workers who are hired by the family. The expansion of the government's role in these matters in recent years has led to pressing policy issues, which this paper will address.