Cabinet approves draft bill to strengthen childcare personnel oversight

Taipei, May 8 (CNA) The Executive Yuan on Thursday approved a draft bill that will increase oversight of childcare providers and introduce penalties for misconduct, following public outcry over an ongoing trial in which two nanny sisters are accused of abusing a one-year-old to death.

The draft bill, "Childcare Services Act" (兒童托育服務法), was passed during a Cabinet meeting earlier the same day to specifically address those who are entrusted with caring for toddlers under 2 years old.

Under the bill, only certified nannies or childcare workers, or individuals with a high school or higher degree in childcare, nursing or related fields can apply for permission to provide home-based childcare services, Chou Tao-chun (周道君), a senior official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), told a Cabinet press briefing.

The bill will phase out eligibility for those who have only completed short-term childcare training, thereby tightening requirements for childcare providers, Chou said.

In addition, the bill requires childcare providers and facilities to upload CCTV footage to data storage sites designated by local governments, where it must be retained for up to 30 days, as part of efforts to strengthen monitoring of their services, he said.

According to Chou, the proposed off-site backup measure will "deter" potentially unscrupulous behavior by childcare services and "ensure the preservation of evidence" in future investigations of child abuse by law enforcement or prosecutors.

Speaking with local media on Wednesday, Minister Without Portfolio Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said while there are privacy concerns over such measures, the government regards it as necessary, citing past cases where CCTV footage that might have served as evidence in child abuse probes was unavailable.

Chen, who served as health minister from 2017-2022, added that the draft bill aims to provide clearer regulations for childcare services, better prevent abuse, and ensure accountability when unfortunate cases occur.

Citing Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) also said at Thursday's briefing that it is "the government's responsibility" to rigorously oversee childcare providers and facilities and ensure the safety of the children in their care.

The proposed bill also includes penalties of up to NT$600,000 (US$19,630) for childcare personnel found guilty of physically or psychologically abusing children.

The draft bill, pending legislative approval, was introduced as certified nanny sisters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Juo-lin (劉若琳) stand trial on multiple charges, including the abuse of a one-year-old toddler nicknamed "Kai Kai" (剴剴), which resulted in his death, under the Criminal Code.

The Taipei District Court is scheduled to render its ruling on the case on May 13.