To address the concern of dual-income families whose children are left unsupervised and homework-unassisted after school, Gaoxin Community in Linjiang Subdistrict, Qiantang District, recently launched a public-spirited “Shared Mums: 16:30” after-school care programme. This initiative has not only eased a significant burden on local families but warmed the entire community through neighbourly care.

As Gaoxin Community’s residential population continues to grow, the proportion of dual-income households keeps rising. With parents tied up at work and unable to pick up and look after their children on time, the problems of “no one to pick up after school, no one to supervise at home, and no one to help with homework” have become a widely expressed pain point for residents.

Responding to the needs and expectations of the public, Gaoxin Community has carried out in-depth door-to-door visits, neighbourhood discussion meetings, and online surveys to accurately assess the demand for childcare support. At the same time, the community has actively tapped into local resources, inviting enthusiastic residents and stay-at-home mums to join the programme.

“My own child is now in senior high school and boards at school, so I have some free time after work and can volunteer here,” said Zhou Hongjie, one of the “Shared Mums.”

The “Shared Mums” service team upholds the spirit of voluntary service and works on a rotating shift basis, sharing responsibilities for picking up children, maintaining order, helping with homework, and ensuring safety—all to nurture the neighbourhood’s children with warmth and care. The community has also optimized the use of its Party-masses service centre space, setting up dedicated homework and reading areas, and equipping them with extracurricular books and sports goods, transforming the venue into a “second classroom” for children. Since the programme began its trial run, it has provided regular services to 27 primary school students in the area, truly bringing convenient public services right to residents’ doorsteps.