Xinhua News Agency, Hangzhou, March 22. Question: Many places have introduced childcare subsidy policies to encourage the birth of babies
Xinhua News Agency "Xinhua Viewpoint" reporter Huang Xiao
This year's National Two Sessions, the topic of improving the supporting measures for the three-child birth policy has attracted much attention.
The government work report clearly proposes to improve the supporting measures for the three-child birth policy, include the care expenses of infants and young children under the age of 3 as a special additional deduction for individual income tax, and develop inclusive childcare services through multiple channels to reduce the burden of family birth, parenting, and education.
"Xinhua Viewpoint" reporter learned that Beijing, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Hunan, Jilin, Heilongjiang and other provinces have issued documents proposing to establish a childcare subsidy system, and some places have also proposed preferential policies in terms of housing and other aspects.
Many places have clearly proposed the establishment of a childcare subsidy system
Since last year, a number of provinces have explicitly proposed the establishment of a childcare subsidy system.
In November last year, Guangdong Province issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for Public Services in Guangdong Province", which proposed to actively absorb the beneficial experience of the international community and explore the granting of inclusive economic subsidies for the birth and adoption of children.
In January this year, the "Implementation Plan on Optimizing the Birth Policy to Promote Long-term Balanced Population Development" issued by Beijing proposed to gradually establish and improve the family-raising subsidy system.
Zhejiang, Hunan, Jilin, Heilongjiang and other places proposed the establishment of a childcare subsidy system in the newly revised population and family planning regulations.
For example, Zhejiang Province stipulates that the county (city, district) people's government can provide childcare allowances and childcare expenses subsidies to families with infants and young children under the age of three according to local conditions.
Hunan Province encourages people's governments at or above the county level to establish a childcare subsidy system for families that legally give birth to a second or more child.
Jilin Province stipulates that the people's governments at or above the county level shall establish a child-raising subsidy system and continuously improve the supporting measures to promote childbirth; the provincial finance shall provide appropriate subsidies according to the implementation of the local system.
Heilongjiang Province stipulates that the municipal and county-level people's governments shall establish a child-raising subsidy system for families that give birth to a second or more child according to law, and the child-raising subsidies in border areas and old revolutionary base areas can be higher than the provincial average.
Some prefecture-level cities and districts and counties have more detailed measures:
Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province announced the "Sixteen Policies and Measures for Promoting Human Resource Aggregation". For families with Panzhihua household registration who have two or three children according to the policy, a monthly childcare subsidy of 500 yuan per child will be issued until the child is 3 years old.
Linze County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province issued a document stipulating that for Linze households who have two or three children in public medical institutions in the county, a childcare subsidy of 5,000 yuan per year for the second child and 10,000 yuan per year for the third child until the child 3 years.
The "2021 Maternal and Child Industry Insights Report" released by Nielsen IQ, a market monitoring and data analysis company, shows that more than 60% of people of child-bearing age believe that supporting benefits such as maternity incentives and subsidies, and joint maternity leave for couples can increase their willingness to give birth, and more than half of them want to get More maternity incentives, childcare and maternity medical subsidies.
Some subsidies have been implemented, and more "big moves" have been released one after another
The Yang Jun family from Panzhihua City is the first family to successfully apply after the city introduced the childcare subsidy policy.
"I think this subsidy is very good. Although 500 yuan per month is not much, it can subsidize the little daughter's milk powder, diapers and other daily consumables. I hope more measures will be introduced in the future to dispel more families. Realistic concerns about having a second or third child." Yang Jun said.
Many interviewees mentioned that families who have the ability and the will to have a second or third child are often not because they value subsidies, but because they see a positive signal from the state to encourage childbirth, "I feel that the state will Pay more attention to and support multi-child families, and effectively reduce the burden of fertility and parenting, and the overall atmosphere will develop towards a fertility-friendly society." said Meng Jiajia, a white-collar worker from an enterprise in Hangzhou.
In addition to the implementation of some childcare subsidy policies, more incentive "big moves" are also being released one after another.
The newly revised "Regulations on Population and Family Planning in Anhui Province" stipulates that if a citizen requests to have another child after undergoing sterilization, the cost of the reinstatement operation shall be subsidized by the recipient's unit or by the township (town) people's government or sub-district office.
In February of this year, Beijing issued the "Notice on Regulating the Adjustment of Some Medical Service Price Items", which included 16 assisted reproductive technology projects involving a wide range of people, necessary for diagnosis and treatment, mature technology, safe and reliable, into the scope of medical insurance Category A reimbursement, including uterine cavity Internal artificial insemination, embryo transfer, sperm optimization, etc.
Jiangsu Province proposed that for the social insurance fees paid by enterprises during the maternity leave of female employees, 50% of the subsidy will be given to those who have two children, and 80% of the subsidies to those who have three children; Conditional regions can reduce the burden of family care by issuing consumer vouchers for infant care services.
Some localities also stipulate preferential policies on housing.
Beijing proposes that if families with a large number of minor children apply for public rental housing, they can be included in the priority range of rent allocation, and appropriate care will be given in terms of house type selection.
Jiangsu Province and Anhui Province proposed that when allocating public rental housing, families that meet the local housing security conditions and have minor children can be given appropriate care in terms of house type selection and other aspects according to the number of minor children.
Linze County clearly stipulates that 40,000 yuan of government subsidies will be given to resident families with Linze household registration who have two or three children when they purchase commercial housing in the urban area of the county, and 30,000 yuan will be given to the government when purchasing commercial housing in concentrated residential areas such as central market towns. grant.
The implementation of the state's deployment of optimizing the fertility policy has also received support and response from some enterprises.
A listed agricultural and animal husbandry company proposed that from this year, employees will be rewarded 30,000 yuan for the first child, 60,000 yuan for the second child, and 90,000 yuan for the third child.
An Internet company has newly added maternity gifts, which are divided into three levels: 1,000 yuan, 2,000 yuan and 3,000 yuan.
Experts suggest to play a good combination of punches and refine the landing policy
There are different views and expectations from all walks of life on how much and how to pay childcare subsidies.
Yang Jianhua, president of the Zhejiang Provincial Society of Sociology, said that families in different regions and incomes have different requirements and standards for childcare. The specific amount of childcare subsidies and the appropriate way to pay them need to be accurately calculated by considering various factors.
In January of this year, the Zhejiang Provincial Health and Health Commission launched a survey among some people of childbearing age - the "Questionnaire on the Cost of Raising Infants and Young Children Under 3 Years Old in Zhejiang Province".
One of the questions is, "Assuming the government subsidizes 1,000 yuan per month for the birth of a second/third child (from birth to age 3), are you willing to have a second/third child?"
Yang Jianhua said that for groups with different economic conditions, subsidies have different meanings.
"For high-income groups, a monthly childcare subsidy of 1,000 yuan has a relatively limited incentive effect; for low-income groups, a monthly childcare subsidy of 1,000 yuan may be an important economic support."
A number of interviewed experts said that under the severe situation of the current low fertility rate, it is necessary to introduce a childcare subsidy policy. It is necessary to make a good combination of punches, further refine the policy, and ensure that the policy is effectively implemented.
Chen Jianfen, director of the Hangzhou Women's and Children's Health Service Center, believes that it is necessary to further reduce the cost of childbirth, education and parenting, and reduce the pressure and burden on young people; build a safe, convenient and humane support environment for childbirth and child-rearing, and improve inclusive public services. The development of childcare undertakings, and encouraging employers to provide childcare services for employees, etc.
The person in charge of the Hangzhou Family Planning Association said that parenting involves all aspects of life, and it is difficult for a single policy to play the biggest role, requiring a multi-pronged combination of policies; at the same time, incentives can be used to strengthen the positive guidance of local governments , further research to explore the effective way to encourage fertility.
Huang Meimei, deputy to the National People's Congress and personnel commissioner of Yongkang Daoming Optical Co., Ltd. in Zhejiang Province, suggested that a cost-sharing mechanism for female maternity leave should be established and improved, such as giving tax and financial subsidies to enterprises with a certain percentage of female employees. The source and payment standard of the maternity allowance during the period will be paid by the maternity insurance fund to reduce costs for the enterprise.
Many interviewees suggested that the family development plan should be fully implemented, and the employment, pension, housing, taxation and insurance systems should be explored and developed based on the family, so as to effectively improve the family development ability.