Community-based childcare services in Yichun, Jiangxi Province. Photo: IC PHOTO

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In recent years, China has placed great emphasis on the development of community-based childcare services, issuing a series of important policy documents. However, in practice, there remains a lack of consensus—and even significant disagreement—among government agencies and researchers regarding the conceptual definition and core characteristics of community-based childcare. Furthermore, while community-based childcare is considered a crucial component of China’s universal childcare service system, the best approaches for integrating childcare services into communities and leveraging community resources to reduce costs remain unclear, with in-depth exploration of these issues still lacking.

 

Types of childcare services 

Childcare services refer to organized or systematic caregiving activities provided for children under the age of three by individuals or institutions other than their legal guardians. From 2005 to 2009, the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) conducted a study titled “The Political and Social Economy of Care.” This project applied the theoretical framework of welfare pluralism to caregiving, identifying four main providers of care: the government, the market, families (relatives), and the nonprofit sector (communities). Collectively, these four pillars form what is known as the “care diamond” (alternatively translated as the “care quadrangle”). This framework has since become a key reference point for countries worldwide in shaping caregiving policies.

Under the “care diamond” theoretical framework, the provision of childcare services has shifted beyond a single-entity-led model, establishing a clearer and more balanced approach involving multiple providers.

In practice, childcare service provision can be broadly categorized into four types: market-based, government-provided, family-based, and community-based. While the “care quadrangle” theoretical framework advocates that the regulation, financing, and provision of social welfare and public services should be jointly undertaken by the government, market, family, and community, the specific division of labor and collaboration among these welfare providers—particularly the weight and roles of each entity—remains a topic of ongoing debate. 

Among these providers, the community has received special attention in the development of childcare services. From the perspective provider status, a shift toward the “communitization” of childcare services can be observed. Although this trend manifests in various forms across different countries and regions—often blended with government, market, and family-based childcare—it generally exhibits several defining characteristics: deinstitutionalization, informalization, sharing, and localization.

Status quo of community-based childcare

In recent years, a series of policy documents promoting the development of affordable childcare services in China have primarily focused on the construction of exemplary childcare service institutions and community-based childcare facilities, with an emphasis on the latter. However, compared to institutional childcare or childcare agencies, community-based childcare has received relatively little attention, and its underlying logic and operational mechanisms remain unclear.

Therefore, within the broader context of building an effective, affordable childcare service system, it is necessary to examine this issue in greater detail. To truly understand the logic behind China’s shift toward the “communitization” of childcare services, one must also consider both the content and background of China’s affordable childcare policies, as well as the interaction between the state, market, and family in the country’s social welfare policies. This shift reflects several key objectives. It aligns with the broader goal of improving social governance, facilitates internal coordination within the childcare service system, and supports the implementation of the “best interests of the child” principle.

In practice, the shift toward the communitization of affordable childcare services in China primarily follows three paths. The first is the externally supported model, where communities introduce external resources such as formal childcare institutions or volunteer service teams to meet residents’ childcare needs, with residents bearing the associated costs. In this model, the community acts as an intermediary or a guarantor of credibility. The second is the independent operation model, where communities repurpose idle spaces into childcare facilities or add childcare functions to existing infrastructure, actively participating as practitioners. The third is the service procurement model, where communities either provide venues to childcare institutions at little or no cost or subsidize these providers through service procurement, enabling residents to access affordable childcare services.

Despite progress achieved through national policies and local initiatives, the affordable childcare service system is still in its early stages, and public awareness of community-based childcare remains limited. Several challenges persist, including path dependency, where traditional patterns constrain social perceptions; dual leadership within the administrative system, leading to overlapping jurisdictions; fragmented operations due to siloed practices; limited outcomes in terms of practical experiences; and space constraints that hinder development. It is therefore crucial to systemically and practically address these issues to advance the communitization of childcare services.

In July 2024, the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization emphasized strengthening the development of an affordable childcare service system. It advocated for various models, including employer-sponsored childcare, community-embedded childcare, and family childcare facilities. Among these, community-embedded childcare has emerged as a new form of community-based childcare and a key focus for the current stage of childcare service development in China. This model combines public welfare and market mechanisms, emphasizing the role of market entities while operating under a framework of government leadership, social participation, and market collaboration.

Community-embedded childcare integrates childcare services into communities through structural and relational approaches. It incorporates external childcare resources, functions, and operational methods into the community while effectively aligning them with internal childcare demand. This integration forms a seamless resource exchange loop within the community. 

More broadly, community-embedded childcare relies on the community as a platform for resource exchange and connection, embedding not only personnel, facilities, and operations but also concepts, functions, and management practices. This approach ensures a systematic and scientific integration of external childcare resources with community-specific needs, creating a holistic and efficient service framework.

As a priority direction for childcare service development in China, community-based childcare, particularly community-embedded childcare, plays an essential role in the affordable childcare service system. To achieve high-quality development in this area, the government, market, families, and communities must further clarify their respective roles and responsibilities, leveraging their unique resources to collectively advance community-based childcare.

  

Moving forward

Moving forward, transforming the government’s role in the development of the childcare service system is essential for advancing the communitization of childcare services. This transformation requires the government to shift its functions, delegate more authority to communities, and enhance their independence to unleash the creative potential of community-based childcare. A key step in this process is setting reasonable conditions for establishing community childcare services, addressing both site requirements and operational standards to facilitate rapid development. In addition, the government should increase financial investment in community childcare facilities, ensuring a balanced distribution of financial authority and responsibilities. This approach will help direct public childcare resources effectively to the grassroots level. Furthermore, childcare policies must emphasize the central role of communities, solidifying their importance in the provision and development of childcare services within the broader system.

Promoting the coordinated development of various types of childcare services is vital as China’s childcare services continue to evolve, with an increasing tendency toward “welfare pluralism.” To address this trend, several initiatives should be prioritized. First, communities should leverage their diverse internal resources and explore collaborative models such as “community + childcare institutions” to support and encourage local providers to offer a range of services. Efforts can also be made to provide free or low-cost outdoor activity facilities for children within the community or offer temporary childcare assistance to families relying on grandparents or nannies. Second, the significant role of government-sponsored childcare should be emphasized and strengthened. Finally, attention should be given to providing resource allocation and policy support for family-based childcare, ensuring its development aligns with broader childcare service goals.

Establishing a comprehensive mechanism for expressing community childcare needs is crucial for fostering effective and inclusive childcare services. First, it is essential to understand the core needs of families from various socioeconomic backgrounds within the community. By acting as a resource integrator and connector, communities can assist families in selecting childcare solutions that are both suitable and cost-effective. Second, attention should be paid to the opinions and needs of other community residents to ensure a broad consensus. Third, the establishment and improvement of non-institutional platforms for community expression should be prioritized, mitigating potential “not-in-my-backyard” reactions and promoting harmony within the community.

Finally, promoting the shared responsibility, governance, and construction of community-based childcare involves engaging multiple stakeholders. First, it is important to cultivate community volunteer groups and organizations, leveraging the leadership role of community childcare organizations or volunteer groups to integrate internal volunteer resources. Second, mechanisms such as “time banks” can be used to encourage older community members with relevant work experience to provide low-cost or volunteer-based childcare services. Third, market-based operations can maximize efficiency and promote the integration of social resources into community childcare services.

Furthermore, enhancing community childcare satisfaction through technological empowerment is vital. First, electronic records and basic information databases should be established for infants, young children, and their families within the community to monitor their real needs, enabling timely adjustments to the supply and delivery of childcare services. Second, leveraging data service platforms, community childcare institutions should collaborate with public service stations, social organizations, and volunteers to create a “multi-destination” service network, facilitating seamless coordination. Lastly, remote monitoring systems can be used to enable real-time connectivity with mobile devices, allowing parents to monitor their children’s activities and safety status.

 

Liu Zhongyi is a research fellow from the China Population and Development Research Center. 

Edited by WANG YOURAN