TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it will introduce major amendments to the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act.
Social and Family Affairs Administration Director Chou Tao-chun (周道君) said some provisions of the act do not reflect social conditions. He said the proposed amendments will be guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, per CNA.
The number of articles in the act will increase from 118 to 165. The law covers the protection of the physical and mental development, welfare and rights of children and adolescents under 18, as well as penalties for offenses against them.
Deputy Health Minister Lue Jen-der (呂建德) said the amendments aim to strengthen oversight of individuals and institutions caring for placed children and adolescents. Protecting children’s online safety is also a key focus of the amendments.
Additionally, the amendments will set clear requirements for local governments when placing children and adolescents in care. The revised act will also define types of child mistreatment, including physical, psychological, neglect, and sexual abuse, to provide a clearer legal basis for investigations and rulings.
Chou noted the revised act will include qualification standards for suitable families or individuals caring for placed children and adolescents. This will draw on Australia’s working-with-children check system, which requires people who interact with those under 18 through their work to obtain clearance to ensure they have no prior records of child maltreatment.
Taiwan is moving to overhaul its child protection protocols following the 2023 death of a 1-year-old boy, Kai Kai (剴剴), who died after being severely abused by a babysitter surnamed Liu (劉) and her sister. The case highlighted issues including inadequate visits by child welfare agencies, a shortage of social workers, and gaps in the management and training of caregivers.
In January, Taipei District Court, in its second ruling, sentenced the babysitter to life imprisonment and her sister to 18 years in prison. The ruling can still be appealed.
Chen Shang-chieh (陳尚潔), the social worker assigned to visit Kai Kai, has been accused of falsifying visit records three times and claiming she saw no signs of abuse. Earlier this month, the court sentenced Chen to two years in prison in its first ruling. She pleaded not guilty in court, saying her role was to find adoptive families for placed children rather than supervise caregivers.
