Postnatal Care Worker Fined for Child Abuse 產後護理之家涉虐嬰 換尿布時不當對待

A Hsinchu County councilor and lawmaker are calling for an investigation and legal revisions after a care center worker was fined for child abuse.

The caregiver picks the infant up by one leg to change its diaper.

Chen Chih-ning, Lawyer Representing Victim's Family: “The child was suspended upside down. (The caregiver) told the parents their kid probably had jaundice. A doctor at another clinic told them in no uncertain terms that this was not livedo but rather a bruise.”

The infant was only a few days old when the incident happened at the end of last year. The caregiver told the parents the discoloration was probably newborn jaundice. One Hsinchu County councilor wants to know why only the worker in question was fined and the postnatal center faced no consequences.

Lien Yu-ting, Hsinchu County Councilor (NPP): “Only the worker in question was fined. No one else at the care facility had to face any consequences.”

A lawmaker, meanwhile, is calling on the Ministry of Health and Welfare to make changes to relevant laws and the current postnatal care center evaluation system for better transparency and to establish fines for child abuse.

Chen Jiau-hua, Legislator (NPP): “Shouldn't the care facility's violations and evaluation results be published online? The Ministry of Health and Welfare also needs to amend Article 49 and 97 of the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act to address harm to children and establish fines.”

Tseng Shu-fen, Section Chief, Nursing and Health Care Division, MOHW: “The central government performs evaluations every year and institutions are evaluated at least once every four years. Information on whether this facility was operating legally or illegally is publicly available.”

The ministry says the results of its evaluations are publicly available and any violations or negligence discovered can result in operating licenses being revoked.

照護人員要幫小嬰兒換尿布，結果是從腳開始抓，整個流程看來有些粗魯。

家屬委任律師陳志寧表示：「呈現一個頭下腳上的一個情況，（照護人員）告知父母說，這個青斑可能是因為黃疸指數過高所導致的，另外一位診所的醫生明確告知說，這不是所謂的青斑，這個就是所謂的瘀青。」

剛出生沒幾天的小嬰兒被粗魯對待造成瘀青，照護人員還說是黃疸，讓家長很難受，這是去年12月發生在新竹某產後護理之家的案件。有新竹縣議員質疑，只有照護員被裁罰，護理之家難道沒有責任嗎？

時代力量新竹縣議員連郁婷表示：「起訴之後，才會發現天啊，為什麼只有這個工作人員、嬰兒照顧員被罰錢，為什麼這個產後護理之家一點責任都沒有？」

立委指出，現行產後護理之家評鑑制度其實並不完善，還需要檢討，呼籲衛福部修正相關法規，讓中央評鑑制度和地方的督導考核可以更透明，還要把兒虐機構督導不周的問題，一併納入裁罰。

時代力量立委陳椒華表示：「是不是應該將護理機構不合格的違規樣態還有事實，還有評鑑結果應該公開在網路，請衛福部要修正《兒少法》在49條、97條，對於兒虐機構督導不周的問題，也應該納入裁罰的範圍。」

衛福部照護司科長曾淑芬表示：「中央每年都要辦理評鑑，那機構每至少4年一定要接受中央的評鑑，包含這家機構它是合格跟不合格，這個都會公布。」

衛福部也說明，每回的評鑑結果都會進行公布，如果在評鑑結束之後，業者在合格期間有違反標準或者是出現重大違失，衛生局也可以提報中央來撤銷、廢止合格處分。