Suzhou is earnestly implementing the national directives on piloting child-friendly city initiatives, focusing on the vision of building a “Child-friendly Suzhou, United in Kindness.” Centered on five key aspects of being child-friendly, the city is making dedicated efforts to enhance its character and highlight its unique qualities through the ongoing development of a child-friendly city. In 2023, Suzhou was selected as part of the second batch of national child-friendly cities, and in 2024, Kunshan, a city under Suzhou’s administration, was included in the third batch. The concept of being child-friendly is rapidly becoming a new hallmark of Suzhou’s comprehensive urban development.

1. From Determination to Policy: Small Measures with Big Impact

The Party committees and governments at all levels in Suzhou place great emphasis on the development of a child-friendly city, viewing it as a key driver of the city’s high-quality development. With a focus on integrating urban and rural areas, Suzhou is advancing this initiative citywide, adhering to a unified blueprint.

Prioritizing Leadership through Mechanisms. Suzhou’s municipal leaders have repeatedly issued directives concerning the construction of a child-friendly city, laying out clear requirements. The city has convened several special meetings to address key issues affecting children. Leading city officials regularly chair meetings to promote the child-friendly city initiative and conduct specialized planning. The primary leaders of both the Party and municipal government frequently participate in events such as International Children’s Day (June 1) and World Children’s Day (November 20), as well as other child-friendly celebrations. The city government also allocates regular budget funds to support this effort. Additionally, Suzhou’s ten county-level cities and districts are following suit with comprehensive, synchronized actions.

Guidance Through Institutionalization. Suzhou has taken the lead in Jiangsu Province by issuing the Strategic Plan for Building a Child-Friendly City (2021-2035) and the Three-Year Action Plan for Building a Child-Friendly City (2021-2023). These plans combine long-term strategies with short-term goals, outlining 12 key areas with 40 specific tasks. These are supported by regulatory planning indicators, spatial development goals, and pilot project recommendations, creating a comprehensive framework for child-friendly city development. This initiative has been integrated into Suzhou’s key policy documents, such as the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, the Comprehensive Solution for the Elderly and Children, the Three-Year Action Plan for Building a National Civilized City, and other relevant plans for public service equality, community governance, and child development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. All plans are coordinated and implemented in tandem.

Standardized Construction as a Foundation. Suzhou has published guidelines for five key child-friendly spaces: child-friendly communities, transportation systems, schools, hospitals, and venues. It has also released the Guidelines for the Installation of Child-Friendly Transportation Facilities and established evaluation systems for child-friendly schools and hospitals, providing clear standards and detailed requirements for the development of child-friendly spaces across the city. Furthermore, the indicators for building child-friendly communities and transportation systems have been incorporated into the city’s public building design review process, ensuring that urban development aligns with the physical and psychological needs of children and fulfills the demand for services and activities catering to them.

2. Strength with Warmth: Building a Better Livelihood through Small Actions

All levels of government in Suzhou adhere to a strategy of project leadership, pilot exploration, and comprehensive implementation, striving to integrate the concept of “child-friendliness” into all aspects of urban development.

Making Friendliness Accessible in Everyday Life. Suzhou focuses on transforming spaces for children, promoting the construction of child-friendly communities, schools, hospitals, parks, and transportation systems across the city. Child-friendly facilities are becoming ubiquitous throughout Suzhou, enhancing the cityscape everywhere. Notable projects include the ¥1.563 billion investment in Suzhou Women and Children’s Health Hospital, the construction of 37 schools, and the governance of 36 schools for children of migrant workers. Additionally, 38752 air conditioners were installed in 560 primary and secondary schools, with power upgrades and wiring modifications completed. Seventy schools have improved classroom lighting, and traffic safety facilities around 1,673 schools and kindergartens were optimized. A total of 54 dedicated school bus routes were established under the “one school, one plan” initiative, ensuring safe, efficient passage from home to school. Child-friendly signage and markings were installed around public transportation and metro stations, incorporating child-friendly elements into the city’s traffic system. Other enhancements include the renovation of 30 exemplary Children’s Care Homes and the creation of a mental health education center for minors. As of now, Suzhou has built 83 city-level child-friendly communities (villages), 48 child-friendly parks, 29 child-friendly schools, 24 child-friendly hospitals, 12 child-friendly streets, 28 child-friendly venues, and 145 child-friendly transportation systems, greatly meeting the daily needs of children across the city.

Providing a Sense of Happiness Through Practical Projects. By using model projects to lead the way, the government is gathering successful experiences from various livelihood initiatives to inform and guide subsequent efforts, creating a replicable, scalable, and sustainable model for child-friendly development. Suzhou announced its “Top 10 Child-Friendly Projects,” which include the free HPV vaccination program for eligible girls, summer care services for teenagers, the support program for children with autism, and the “Colorful Big Recess” volunteer service project, among others. Child-friendly construction projects have been included in Suzhou’s government livelihood projects for two consecutive years. Suzhou was also selected as one of the first national demonstration cities for infant and toddler care services, implementing the Suzhou Inclusive Childcare Service Development Demonstration Project. The city now has 733 childcare institutions, offering 40,319 childcare slots, ensuring that each street and township has at least one inclusive childcare service center. Thanks to the care and support of various levels of government, the construction of new and renovated schools and kindergartens, summer care programs, and child-friendly communities have been included in local government livelihood projects. These tangible actions reflect the city’s warmth and commitment to nurturing children’s healthy growth.

Ensuring Comprehensive Care Through Thoughtful Services. With a focus on children’s needs, local governments and departments are introducing policies and practical solutions, offering high-quality services in education, healthcare, culture, and sports for different age groups. Efforts continue to promote the balanced development of quality educational resources, with 90% of provincial and municipal-level kindergartens meeting high standards, and a 89.1% coverage rate for inclusive kindergartens. All public primary and secondary schools in Suzhou are fully equipped with health and psychological professionals. A four-tier legal aid network for children has been established, covering city, district, street, and community levels. In addition, 14 “one-stop” case-handling centers have been set up, and the “Suzhou Minors Protection Public Interest Lawyers Group” was formed. The appointment rate for vice principals (or counselors) specializing in legal education in schools remains at 100%, ensuring comprehensive judicial protection for children. Suzhou also implemented a free HPV vaccination program for 52,000 eligible girls, and 1,661 summer care programs were established for adolescents. Special attention is given to children with special needs, with targeted support provided to impoverished families and dynamic management to ensure all eligible children receive necessary aid. The city’s standard for supporting orphans raised in institutions or foster homes has been raised to ¥3,000 per month, placing it among the highest in the country. A comprehensive rehabilitation assistance system has been established, covering basic medical insurance, major illness insurance, and temporary assistance. Rehabilitation services for children with hearing and speech disabilities, as well as subsidies for cochlear implants and hearing aids, have been extended from age six to 14. The rate of basic rehabilitation services for eligible disabled children in the city has reached 100%. Additionally, Suzhou has increased its efforts to crack down on violations related to children’s toys and other products. The city boasts a 100% pass rate for inspections of infant food, children’s medications, and children’s cosmetics. Suzhou has also pioneered the establishment of a child-friendly emergency medical system in the province, providing integrated, high-quality medical services for children in urban areas and surrounding counties, thereby continually enhancing children’s sense of well-being, happiness, and security.

3. Engagement and Empowerment: Amplifying Children’s Voices to Unleash Great Potential

Suzhou is mobilizing all sectors of society, including children, to collectively promote the concept of a child-friendly city, making it a shared vision, action, responsibility, and endeavor for the entire community.

Sharing Joy: Strengthening the Child-Friendly Atmosphere. For three consecutive years, Suzhou has organized a series of child-friendly themed activities, attracting widespread participation from children and families across the city. Over 13,000 submissions of drawings, videos, and essays have been collected. Using International Children’s Day on June 1 and World Children’s Day on November 20 as key occasions, Suzhou has hosted a variety of celebrations to promote the “Children First” principle throughout society. The city conducted an online campaign to crowdsource its child-friendly mascots, “Su Xiaotong” and “Su Xiaohao,” along with a child-friendly city logo and the theme song Starlight. These symbols have been widely promoted through various media outlets. Selected children’s drawings were turned into bookmarks and postcards, while child-friendly subway lightbox ads have appeared at major city stations. Suzhou also launched a themed subway train, “Child-Friendly, Lighting Up Suzhou’s Future,” a first in the province. On World Children’s Day, landmark buildings across the city were illuminated in blue, symbolizing child-friendliness, showcasing Suzhou’s progress in children’s affairs, and creating a citywide atmosphere of “Child-Friendly Suzhou, Better Suzhou.”

Children’s Voices: Amplifying Participation in Public Affairs. Suzhou continues to expand avenues for children’s participation in public affairs, recognizing their unique role in the development of a child-friendly city. Activities like “I Am a Little City Spokesperson,” “Little Social Practice Group,” and “Little City Planners” allow children to voice their opinions and grow alongside the city’s development. The “Children’s Hearts and Dreams – Young Observers’ Competition” was held, where participants delivered speeches and vied for positions in the Suzhou Children’s Friendly Observers Group. These young observers were given the opportunity to engage in dialogue with representatives from the city’s “Two Sessions” (People’s Congress and Political Consultative Conference) and participate in research-based learning activities. At various levels, child advisory groups and councils have been established, encouraging children to offer age-appropriate suggestions for urban development. Their input from a child’s perspective is increasingly being incorporated into city planning and decision-making.

Building Together: Expanding Suzhou’s Reputation as a Child-Friendly City. Focusing on enhancing its image and positioning, Suzhou promotes the achievements of its child-friendly city initiatives through multiple channels and formats, making it a new “calling card” for the city. In 2023, Suzhou hosted the Suzhou-Zhejiang Child-Friendly City Dialogue and World Children’s Day event, co-founding the Suzhou-Zhejiang Child-Friendly City Alliance alongside cities like Hangzhou and Wuxi, deepening collaboration in this field. Suzhou also participated in the inaugural Child-Friendly Expo in Shenzhen, showcasing its achievements and image as a child-friendly city. At the World Urban Planning Conference, Suzhou’s child-friendly urban planning received an “Excellence Award” for Outstanding Design. Media outlets such as People’s Daily have reported on Suzhou’s child-friendly city initiative, with features like “Many Cities Are Actively Exploring Child-Friendly Transformations—Accelerating the Development of Child-Friendly Cities,” while central, provincial, and local media, including China Women’s News, have frequently highlighted Suzhou’s successes, further enhancing the city’s reputation.

The vision for building a child-friendly city in Suzhou is promising, but the road ahead remains challenging. Moving forward, Suzhou will continue to focus on the construction of “child-friendly spaces,” advancing pilot projects across nine key areas, including child-friendly communities, streets, hospitals, and venues. The city will emphasize both “soft” and “hard” aspects of development, continuously improving service quality in education, healthcare, culture, and sports. Suzhou aims to establish a distinct image for its child-friendly city, characterized by prominent branding, a strong cultural identity, innovative governance, a comprehensive system, and exceptional quality. By striving for the mutual achievement of high-quality urban-rural development and child-friendliness, Suzhou seeks to offer a “Suzhou model” for the path toward building child-friendly cities in the context of Chinese modernization.