Enforcing Family Care Obligations for the Elderly in China Through Mediation

Abstract

Demographic and social changes are challenging the capacity and willingness of the Chinese traditional virtue of adult children providing financial and social support for their aged parents. Because of the underdevelopment of formal social services in China, the Chinese Government has to rely on legislation and a neighbourhood-based mediation service to enforce family care obligations. This paper describes the operation of the mediation service and assesses its effectiveness in practice.