Music therapy, employed since the 1940s as a key intervention for autism, has shown benefits in improving children’s social and communication skills. Musical activities have been proven to enhance various cognitive functions crucial for learning, including memory retention, attention span, language acquisition, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control.

On a recent Friday afternoon at the Dongwan Primary School in Nanshan District, a group of primary school students stood in a circle, their voices filling the classroom as they rehearsed English lines from “The Wizard of Oz.”

Shenzhen is a young city, with residents averaging 32.5 years old. To help eligible families turn “wanting to have a baby” into “daring to have one,” Shenzhen is shifting its childcare support from a long-running family-based effort to a more systematic approach — one built on government support, social participation, and professional services.

The first public welfare sharing session of Yangmei Talk·Beyond the Summit was held April 18 at the Vanke Mall in Bantian, Longgang District, attracting more than 60 local residents and outdoor enthusiasts.