Kids and parents throng to a child-friendly park in Lishui. [Photo/Tide News]

Lishui – located in East China's Zhejiang province – was recently listed in the fourth batch of National Child-Friendly Cities by national authorities.

That's widely being seen as a big feather in its cap, in terms of its bid to  create a really great and user-friendly place for kids of all shapes and sizes to call home.

In recent years, Lishui has been promoting the integration of child-friendly concepts into its economic development, land use, and urban planning.

Since 2022, the city has constructed 87 child-friendly facilities, including 15 child-friendly parks such as Xiushan Children's Park and Flower Park, 352 women and children's service stations, 347 children's service centers, and 128 standardized mother-and-baby rooms.

Moreover, Lishui has implemented policies to enhance its care services for children under three, expanding public services for them. The city has also extended quality services to economically weaker and remote areas, aiming to provide nurturing environments for all children.

By the end of 2024, 78.88 percent of childcare services were being publicly funded, and 94.7 percent of migrant children attended public schools.

Lishui has also improved its welfare and support systems for children with disabilities and those in difficult situations, with the Wandi Love Children’s Welfare Institute extending its care beyond its walls.

Currently, the enrollment rates for special education at the preschool, compulsory, and high school levels in the metropolis are 99.01 percent, 100 percent, and 95.94 percent, respectively.

Additionally, Lishui's wonderful cultural offerings and specialty industry resources have also been leveraged to enrich study tours and create educational programs, enabling children to better enjoy their childhood.

Editor: Zhong Xinyi