Soundbites

Editor's note: The State Council Information Office, on Wednesday, hosted a group interview under the theme "Forging Ahead on the New Journey", inviting representatives from the civil affairs system to share their views on delivering better services for people's well-being.

Looking ahead, we must double down on delivering care that is both precise and compassionate. To achieve this, we will further refine our tiered care standards and develop individualized plans tailored to each senior's specific needs. At the same time, we will boost our caregivers' competence through systematic training and hands-on drills — equipping them to handle challenging situations with skill and to offer genuine psychological support when it matters most. Ultimately, we must place humanistic values at the core of everything we do: fully respecting each senior's unique traits, daily routines, and personal preferences, while steadfastly preserving their dignity and self-esteem.

Zhao Qiongqiong, deputy director of the Residential Care Division of the Shanghai No 1 Social Welfare Institute

Today, people stranded away from home without work need more than just traditional aid like temporary shelter or travel assistance to return home; they also require a broader range of support, including skills training, employment guidance, and legal counseling. This shift places greater demands on our relief system. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), we will prioritize developing regional relief management hubs and harness new technologies — such as big data and artificial intelligence — to help individuals in distress overcome obstacles, regain stability, and reintegrate into normal life.

Yu Zhen, director of the Hangzhou Salvation Management Station, Zhejiang province

In the future, children's welfare institutions will need to expand their mission — from caring for children within their facilities to supporting vulnerable children across the broader community. We will continue advancing our "open-door" approach, extending our quality resources — including care, rehabilitation, and special education — to children in need outside our walls. We will collaborate with hospitals and social organizations to establish a joint rehabilitation consortium, and offer psychological counseling and caregiving skills training to the parents of these children.

Yang Shouwei, deputy director of the Weifang Children's Welfare Institute, Shandong province

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), we will continue advancing our psychiatric rehabilitation integration initiative. We will strengthen the full service continuum — covering post-discharge follow-up, home care guidance, and community-based rehabilitation — and implement comprehensive support measures to help patients return to their families and reintegrate into society more effectively. At the same time, we will more actively reach out to villages and communities to deliver mental health awareness campaigns, moving our services earlier into the prevention stage and closing critical gaps in health security for people with mental health conditions.

Zhang Sijin, director of the Nutrition and Dietary Services Department of the Chongqing Jiangjin Mental Health Rehabilitation Center

In our work, we will bring together relief resources from departments such as civil affairs, healthcare, education, and human resources and social security. Based on the specific difficulties faced by different individuals, we will provide classified and targeted assistance — matching support to each person's unique needs. We will streamline the process to ensure that all social assistance applications can be handled efficiently as a single integrated service, so that people can complete their applications at one stop without having to run between multiple offices.

Guo Shanshan, deputy director of the Xingzhe Subdistrict Office, Xi'an city, Shaanxi province