Shanghai to open more nursery schools and child-care centers

Shanghai will add 3,200 nursing facilities in the community and admit more children in local public kindergartens this year, to encourage couples to have more children and relieve their child-raising pressure, officials from the Shanghai Health Commission said on Monday, the International Day of Families.

The city is building a "baby room" project, which means a 15-minute nursing service circle for children below 3 years old in the community. By the end of 2025, at least 85 percent of the some 200 subdistricts in Shanghai will offer the "baby room" service.

Mao Hongmei, director of the Shanghai Nursing Service Direction Center, said local families have a strong demand for nursing services and direction for infants.

"In addition to opening more babysitting spots, we will provide infant education services in the community, office buildings and plants to promote a scientific child-raising theory. The online education service has also been introduced with over 500,000 registered members so far, who are parents with young children," Mao said.

Moreover, the nursing facilities in public venues have also been expanded from 562 in 2017 to the current 1,634, convenient families with young children, officials said.