news

한어Русский языкEnglishFrançaisIndonesianSanskrit日本語DeutschPortuguêsΕλληνικάespañolItalianoSuomalainenLatina

Hubei Daily Omnimedia Reporter Xiao Yang

On August 14, Li Fangmin, a resident of Zoumaling Community, Jingling Street, Tianmen City, left work early and took a family photo with his wife and three children.

The family of five was in the same photo for the first time, all smiling. More than two months after the birth of "Sanbao", Li Fangmin went out early and came back late, always working with endless energy.

But what Li Fangmin didn't expect was that along with the arrival of the "three treasures", the government brought them "multiple surprises" one after another:

Genetic screening fee reduction of 1,000 yuan, delivery allowance of 300 yuan, one-time birth reward of 3,000 yuan, maternity leave subsidy of 4,800 yuan, childcare subsidy of 1,000 yuan per month, housing purchase reward to encourage childbirth of 120,000 yuan, housing subsidy of 60,000 yuan for industrial workers... "Childcare subsidies are paid until the age of 3, and we can receive 36,000 yuan. If we buy a house, this 180,000 yuan housing purchase reward and subsidy will come in handy." Li Fangmin calculated carefully and found that these seven items added up to a whopping 225,100 yuan.

Tianmen City has made every effort to improve the policy system and incentive mechanism for supporting childbirth and promote the construction of a child-friendly society. After conducting a survey on the childbearing intentions of 163,000 married women of childbearing age in the city, five measures to encourage childbirth were introduced in September last year.

After a six-month trial, the city upgraded the five measures into "seven opinions", aiming to increase residents' willingness to have children by issuing childcare subsidies, reducing pregnancy and childbirth costs, guaranteeing maternity leave benefits, strengthening housing security, and providing childcare services.

"According to the policy of encouraging childbirth, families with two and three children can enjoy subsidies of 96,300 yuan and 165,100 yuan respectively." The person in charge of the Tianmen Municipal Health Commission introduced that the city has also introduced a number of comprehensive people's livelihood support policies to provide housing purchase subsidies to specific groups such as teachers, medical staff, migrant farmers, industrial workers, and introduced talents, which can be used in conjunction with the housing purchase rewards to encourage childbirth.

Migrant farmers, industrial workers and introduced talents can enjoy a housing subsidy of 60,000 yuan. If they give birth to three children, they can get a maximum of 225,100 yuan after adding the rewards and subsidies of the policy to encourage childbirth. Teachers and medical staff who are both employed can enjoy a housing subsidy of 120,000 yuan. If they give birth to three children, they can get a maximum of 285,100 yuan after adding the rewards and subsidies of the policy to encourage childbirth.

Statistics show that in 2016, the city had 18,528 births, which has since decreased year by year, reaching only 6,004 in 2023. Incentives from the policy have helped to boost the number of births in the city from January 1 to August 14 this year, reaching 4,232, 431 more than the same period last year, marking the first time that the city has “turned from decline to increase”.

"The incentive effect has not yet fully manifested. There will be a small peak in population births at the end of this year and the beginning of next year, and the number of births this year is expected to reach 6,800," said the official.

In addition to encouraging childbirth, Tianmen also coordinates childcare service resources, promotes the renovation and expansion of kindergartens, increases the supply of childcare services through multiple channels, and reduces the burden of childbirth, raising children, and educating children.

Recently, Luo Yan, the principal of Jingling Xiguan Kindergarten, has been busy renovating the childcare facilities. Two sets of indoor soft slides are about to be installed. In the autumn semester, this public kindergarten will open two new childcare classes, which will enroll 30 children aged 2-3 years old.

"During the summer vacation, we tried it first, enrolling more than 10 children under the age of 3 and providing full-day childcare services to help solve the childcare problem. It was very popular among parents," said Luo Yan.

At present, all public kindergartens in the city are carrying out integrated childcare construction, and are expected to launch 80 childcare classes and provide more than 1,200 childcare places, which can effectively meet the childcare needs of the people.

An official from the Tianmen Municipal Education Bureau introduced that, in accordance with the requirements of the “Seven Opinions” to encourage childbirth, the tuition and education fees of each public kindergarten shall not exceed 1,400 yuan per student per semester, and the fees for childcare classes shall be implemented accordingly.

Li Fangmin was overjoyed to hear the good news. Previously, he and his wife ran a noodle shop, which was doing well. But because his wife had to take care of the baby, he had to close the noodle shop and work in a garment factory in the city, earning several thousand yuan less per month. "When the child is two years old, he can be sent to a daycare center, and then we will open the noodle shop again," said Li Fangmin.