Every year on November 20, World Children’s Day serves as a global reminder to truly listen to children’s voices. Yet in Taiwan, children and adolescents are facing unprecedented pressures that are quietly undermining their well-being—from heavy academic demands and appearance anxiety to social isolation. These invisible burdens are gradually eroding their mental health and overall life satisfaction.

According to the latest survey by the Child Welfare League Foundation (CWLF), the 2025 Child Well-Being Survey Report [1], the subjective life satisfaction of school-age children in Taiwan has risen to 72 out of 100. However, this still falls short of the average reported in the 2021/2022 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) international study [2]. Even more concerning, the happiness score of 13-year-old girls has dropped below the passing threshold to just 48.9, marking a stark gap from the international average. Nearly 40% of children and adolescents also reported that “it wouldn’t matter if I weren’t in this world,” indicating the highest level of psychological alienation seen in the past three years. While Taiwanese children fare slightly better than the international average in sleep patterns, they continue to face insufficient physical activity and limited parent-child communication—signs of an overall imbalance in physical and mental health.

On the eve of World Children’s Day, CWLF calls on all sectors of society to recognize the increasingly heavy physical and psychological pressures faced by children and adolescents. With the upcoming establishment of the Child and Family Affairs Administration under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, this moment presents an important opportunity to strengthen early prevention and support for children’s mental health. At the same time, families can help boost children’s physical activity by setting aside time for weekend exercise, and make use of CWLF’s free resources—such as the Child Hotline, the Youth Hotline and the Heart Pass—to create an environment where children feel understood, are not afraid to seek help, and are empowered to cope with stress.

[1] This study surveyed students in grades 5 to 9 in Taiwan using a stratified cluster random sampling method. Taiwan was first divided into four regions—north, central, south, and east—and sample sizes were planned based on the population proportion of children aged 11 to 15 in each region. Schools were then randomly selected to administer the questionnaire until the target sample size for each region was reached. The survey was conducted from November 20 to December 20, 2024, and a total of 1,410 questionnaires were collected. Among the respondents, 51.0% were boys, 48.4% were girls, and 0.6% identified as other; 48.5% were elementary school students and 51.5% were junior high school students.

[2] Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children International Report from the 2021/2022 Survey (Cosma A, Abdrakhmanova S, Taut D, Schrijvers K, Catunda C, Schnohr C.)

The mental well-being of children and adolescents in Taiwan continues to fall below international averages. Data show that both 11- and 13-year-olds in Taiwan score lower than their international peers on well-being indicators [1]. Particularly concerning is the decline among 13-year-old girls, whose score dropped from 60 to 48.9, falling well below the passing threshold and reflecting a significant deficit in psychological well-being.

In addition, 39.1% of children and adolescents agreed with the statement, “It wouldn’t matter if I weren’t in this world”—the highest proportion recorded in the past three years. This rising sense of psychological alienation signals a critical need for immediate attention and support.

[1] The WHO-5 Well-Being Index is a tool used to assess adolescents’ recent mental health and positive emotions. Through five questions, it measures feelings such as cheerfulness, relaxation, energy, and interest in daily life. The total score ranges from 0 to 100 and can serve as a reference indicator for mental health and depression risk.

In 2025, the average subjective life satisfaction score [1] among children and adolescents in Taiwan reached 72 out of 100, a 4-point increase from last year, though still slightly lower than the 73.5 recorded in 2023. Overall, 71.6% of children reported being satisfied with their lives [2], indicating a modest upward trend in well-being. However, compared with international averages, Taiwan’s children—regardless of age or gender—continue to report lower satisfaction levels. The decline is particularly notable among 13-year-old girls, whose satisfaction scores have dropped significantly and fall far below the international norm for their age group.

A closer look at different domains of life satisfaction shows that children feel most satisfied with their home environment and generally view their friendships positively, even more so than their relationships with family members. In contrast, they are least satisfied with their appearance, followed by dissatisfaction with their free time and life choices. These patterns suggest that while children’s daily lives and social interactions appear relatively stable, challenges persist in areas related to self-identity and sense of personal control.

[1] Life satisfaction was assessed by asking children and adolescents to rate their current life situation on a scale from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction. For ease of interpretation, the scores were converted to a 100-point scale.

[2] In Taiwan, 71.6% of children and adolescents reported a subjective life satisfaction score of 60 or above.

Survey results show that 27% of children and adolescents in Taiwan consider themselves “very healthy,” a slight improvement from previous years but still noticeably lower than the international average. As children grow older, their self-assessed health declines, with only 15.8% of 13-year-old girls saying they feel very healthy. This highlights how adolescents, faced with rapid physical and emotional changes, tend to view their own well-being more negatively.

Children’s perceptions of their appearance are also predominantly negative. Across all ages and genders, the proportion of those who feel they are “a bit overweight or too overweight” is higher than the international average [1]. Nearly half (46.3%) of 13-year-old girls report dissatisfaction with their body shape, underscoring the widespread prevalence of appearance-related anxiety and low self-confidence.

In terms of daily habits, although Taiwanese children have better sleep quality than the international average [2], their levels of physical activity fall far short of global standards across both boys and girls [3]. Among 13-year-old girls, only 24.5% maintain regular exercise habits—a sharp 15.9-point drop from age 11 and less than half the international average. Overall, children continue to struggle to maintain a healthy balance among physical well-being, self-image, and daily routines.

[1] Among 11-year-olds, the average was 30.4%, and among 13-year-olds, the average was 40.4%, both higher than the international averages (23% and 30%, respectively).

[2] Among 11-year-olds, about 10% of both boys and girls reported this issue, while among 13-year-old girls the rate rose to 23.2%, an increase of about 10 percentage points from age 11. Compared with the international average, children and adolescents in Taiwan show better sleep outcomes.

[3] This study examined how often children and adolescents exercise during their free time (outside of school hours) each week. The results indicate the proportion of participants who engage in vigorous physical activity (VPA) three or more times per week.

Family remains the most essential source of support in children’s lives. The survey found that 64.7% of children and adolescents in Taiwan share a meal with their family every day—slightly higher than last year and above the international average. However, further analysis shows that the frequency of shared meals drops significantly with age. Among 13-year-old girls, the proportion who eat with their family daily falls by more than 20 percentage points compared to age 11, reflecting the sharp decline in parent-child interaction as academic pressures increase in junior high school.

When it comes to communication quality, about 68.6% of children said they can easily share their worries with their mothers, a rate similar to last year. In contrast, only 51.4% said the same about their fathers, marking a slight decline. The situation is more pronounced among 13-year-old girls, with only 33.3% reporting that they can comfortably talk to their fathers. Compared with international averages, Taiwanese children generally find it more difficult to communicate with their parents.

Although families in Taiwan have more opportunities to eat together, these shared meals may not always translate into meaningful interaction or emotional connection—possibly due to parents’ busy schedules or limited conversation at the table.

Data show that Taiwanese children and adolescents generally report low levels of peer support. Only 46.7% feel that their classmates are friendly, helpful, or accepting—below the international average. Further analysis indicates that 11-year-olds and boys score about 10 percentage points lower than their international peers in perceived peer support. This suggests that nearly half of children continue to feel isolated or struggle to fit in within their classrooms, potentially affecting their mental health.

Academic pressure in Taiwan also emerges earlier than in many other countries. Among 11-year-old boys, 40.8% already feel stressed about schoolwork, significantly higher than the international average. For girls, the sense of academic pressure rises sharply from age 11 (34.5%) to 13 (46%). Notably, when it comes to school satisfaction, only 29.5% of students say they “really like school.” The proportion drops to a mere 10.2% among 13-year-old girls—less than half the international average.

These results reveal that although children are surrounded by peers at school, they may not necessarily feel supported. Heavy academic workloads further make it difficult for them to find enjoyment or a sense of accomplishment in learning. When school becomes a major source of stress, it is naturally challenging for children’s overall well-being to improve.

In light of the survey findings—showing declining mental health, insufficient physical activity, and widening communication gaps between parents and children—CWLF emphasizes that children’s well-being must be strengthened both at the systemic and everyday levels. With the government’s recent announcement that the Child and Family Affairs Administration will be established under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, CWLF welcomes this commitment and hopes that future child-related policies will more effectively respond to children’s real needs. To support more stable and balanced physical and emotional development among children and adolescents, CWLF issues the following three calls to action:

1. Strengthen Early Prevention and Support Services for Children’s Mental Health:
CWLF welcomes the government’s plan to establish the Child and Family Affairs Administration to enhance child and family services and emphasize the importance of mental health and psychiatric care. However, CWLF’s survey shows that most stress experienced by children and adolescents arises from school and everyday life. If government intervention occurs only at the medical or clinical stage, it is often too late.

CWLF therefore recommends that the Ministry of Health and Welfare designate tiered mental health prevention and promotion programs as a core responsibility of the Child and Family Affairs Administration. This should include establishing interdepartmental coordination mechanisms and allocating dedicated funding for local governments and civil society organizations to provide preventive and promotional programs. Such measures would ensure that children experiencing psychological distress are identified early and connected promptly to appropriate mental health support and services.

2. Encourage Weekend Family Exercise to Bring Physical Activity Back into Children’s Lives:
CWLF urges families to make regular weekend exercise a part of their routine, encouraging parents to accompany their children outdoors and to use shared physical activities as a way to reduce excessive screen use. Setting aside fixed time for movement not only strengthens physical health and emotional stability but also enhances parent-child interaction and stress relief, allowing exercise to become a natural part of children’s daily lives.

3. Make Use of CWLF’s Support Services to Seek Help Anytime and Protect Mental Health Continuously:
CWLF offers multiple accessible channels for support, including the Child Hotline, Youth Hotline, and LINE@ online chat, enabling children and adolescents across Taiwan to find someone to talk to whenever they need assistance. In addition, the “Heart Pass” is a mental health tool designed specifically for students. Through simple self-check questions and emotion-tracking pages, it helps children better understand their feelings, identify early signs of distress, and communicate more effectively with family members and teachers.

• CWLF LINE chat: Search @youthplus_cwlf
• Child Hotline: 0800-003-123 (Monday to Friday, 16:30-19:30)
• Youth Hotline: 0800-001-769 (Tuesday to Saturday, 16:30-19:30)
• Heart Pass: Download here: https://reurl.cc/dq58qD