Should it be a hybrid? analysis of a Taiwanese child development account scheme

ABSTRACT

In June 2017, Taiwan implemented the Children’s Future Education and Development Account (CFEDA) program. However, the performance of and engagement with the program has been much lower than expected, implying the necessity of reviewing the program. The present study analyzes this program by adopting a value-critical approach and comparing its elements with 10 core elements by Sherraden et al.. Through this analysis, several limitations were identified. The most important are that relatively few children are eligible for the CFEDA and, of those, few apply for the program; this is due to the restrictive and parsimonious nature of the program and low incentives for engagement. Similar to child development accounts, the CFEDA represents a program with right-wing characteristics implemented in leftist political circumstances. The authors suggest that the government eliminate the selective and parsimonious nature of the program, and develop a program that more closely accords with the core values.

KEYWORDS:

• Child development accounts
• value-critical approach
• inclusive social policy
• Taiwan
• Children’s Future Education and Development Account

Data availability statement

As this study concerned a secondary analysis of existing data, no novel datasets were generated in this research. (https://dep.mohw.gov.tw/DOSAASW/cp-3841-50678-103.html)

Notes

1. Abbreviations: CDA: child development account; CFEDA: children’s future education and development account; CSA: children’s savings account; CSD: Center for Social Development; DPP: Democratic Progressive Party; KMT: Chinese National Party; SEED: Saving for Education, Entrepreneurship, and Down payment; SEED OK: Saving for Education, Entrepreneurship, and Down payment for Oklahoma Kids; TFDA: Taipei Family Development Account.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yih-Jiunn Lee

Yih-Jiunn Lee is a professor at Department of Senior Citizen Service, National Tainan Junior College of Nursing,Taiwan. His research focuses on social work practice, poverty and family policies policy and social welfare development in Taiwan and Asia.

Fen-Zhi Yao

Fen-Zhi Yao is an assistant professor at Department of Senior Citizen Service, National Tainan Junior College of Nursing, Taiwan. His research focuses on disabilities, aging and family policies in Taiwan.

Hung-Sheng Lai

Hung-Sheng Lai is an assistant professor at Graduate Institute of Sun Yat-sen Thought and Mainland China Studies, Chinese Culture University, Taiwan. His research focuses on social assistance and children welfare in Taiwan.