关键词: 家庭照料, 义务教育, 性别结构, 留守儿童, 少数民族儿童

Abstract: Using data from China??s population census and one-percent national population sample survey since 2000,this paper analyses the changing patterns and challenges of child population in China. Results indicate that the child population has stopped decreasing and shows a sign of stabilization.Meanwhile,the number of children who grow up in urban areas is increasing while the rural number continues dropping. The proportion of ethnic minority children maintains a continuous growth. The proportion of families that have no children is also increasing. In contrast,the proportion of multi-child families keeps reducing. The living conditions and development chances of children are facing several challenges,including a large number of floating and left-behind children,especially the urban left-behind children,which have been gradually expanding. The imbalance of children??s sexual structure is also striking. Family care becomes an emerging problem and the compulsory education of children still faces severe challenges. Finally this paper discusses policy implications regarding poverty relief,market-driven family care system,and the educational problem of children.

Keywords: Family Care, Compulsory Education, Sex Structure, Left-behind Children, Ethnic Minority Children