【Celebration】Florence’s proposals for multifunctional nursery schools, digital-based consultation support, and child well-being indicators are include
【Introduction】
On June 21, the Cabinet approved the “Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform (the “big-boned policy”) 2024”.
?* “Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2024”
The “big-boned policy” outlines the direction of budgeting and important policies, and summarizes the measures that the government considers important. It truly is a document that represents the government's strategy.?
Furthermore, as for child-related policies, the “Child-Related Action Plan 2024” was finalized on May 31.
?*? “Child-Related Action Plan 2024”
Also referred to as the “big-boned policy for children”, this outlines the specific measures that the government will take each year for child-related and child-rearing policies, and FY2024 is the commemorable first time!?
We at Florence have been making many policy proposals under the slogan “Change Japan for the Children,” so we were very interested in what the “big-boned policy” and the “big-boned policy for children” would say.
So, how was the “big-boned policy” this year…?
We did it!
There were multiple items that we, along with many of you, have been involved in proposing!
First are the “multifunctionalization of nursery schools,” “digital-based consultation support,” and “children’s well-being indicators”!
In addition, the “improvement of the environment of accompanied hospitalization,” which we have been proposing as “a system to reduce the burden on parents,” has also been included.
We are also happy to see the inclusion of the “Japanese version of DBS,” “childcare access for all system,” “meals on wheels for children,” “children with medical care,” and the “promotion of childcare leave for men,” which were included in last year's policy too!
To those involved in child-rearing who shared their true voices with us,
To the related organizations who made proposals with us,
To all the determined legislators who took our stories seriously and emphasized the need for these projects with passion,
Thank you very much!!
【Multifunctionalization of nursery schools】(Big-boned policy p.46)
While reducing the burden on the childcare field, we shall promptly present the ideal childcare provision system after the "new childcare security plan," including maintaining childcare functions through multifunctional facilities in areas with declining populations.
The? “multifunctionalization of nursery schools,” which Florence has long been proposing,?
has finally been included in the “big-boned policy”!
A nursery school
is a safe environment where children are unlikely to be injured or otherwise harmed.
Nursery schools are physically and psychologically accessible for local parents and children.
Professional childcare workers are available during the day.
Despite such a privileged environment, they are not open during the night or on Sundays…
This is so wasteful!
If nursery schools are transformed into multifunctional “comprehensive welfare centers for children and their parents” that can be used for various purposes by all local residents…
I believe they can be “community hubs” bringing families raising children and local residents together!?
For instance, we could use the skills of childcare workers and fill open spots with local children who are not enrolled there.?
Another example is renting out the facility itself to local nonprofit organizations and residents’ groups on evenings and Sundays.?
There should be many ways we can utilize these facilities!?
?To give an example, we at Florence have been implementing “children’s cafeteria at nursery schools” in our own nursery schools as one of our multifunctionalization efforts.
We are also working to expand this nationwide.
Nursery schools are no longer just there to “take care of children”.
They will play a new role, taking advantage of their potential!
【Digital-based consultation support】(Child-Related Action Plan (big-boned policy for children) 2024 p.20)
We shall actively use digital technology, such as applications and social media, to spread information regarding accompanied consultation support for childbirth and child-rearing grants. In addition, we shall move ahead with the consideration of establishing a system using digital technology for sharing information such as interview and consultation records and grant payment records among local governments.
The digitalization of “consultation support” has finally been included!!
“Accompanied consultation support” allows pregnant women and families raising children to consult with midwives and other professionals 3 times during pregnancy and after childbirth. This is to prevent pregnant women and families raising children from feeling isolated.?
Until now, the use of digital technology in accompanied consultation support has been limited to “streamlining procedures.”
* Please see the past article below for details on accompanied consultation support.
* Yamagata City has entrusted us with part of their childbirth and child-rearing support project! We shall provide seamless support from pregnancy to childbirth and child-rearing using online interviews and chat consultations.
Needless to say, that is important, but the consultation support itself must be digitized in order to deliver support to those who are truly in need of it…!!
This is what we realize on a daily basis as we actually provide accompanied consultation support using the LINE application.?
First, if we use digital technology, we can establish a system available for consultation at any time!
Consultation is available as soon as any worries or problems arise.
Pregnant women who are subjected to violence by their partners can seek help immediately.
This “real-time basis” is crucial because making quick responses could be the key in some cases.?
Moreover, digitization allows us to overcome the barrier of local human resource shortages!?
Consultation support is operated by various professionals working together, but some regions are severely understaffed. It is unrealistic to have all the necessary professionals as actual consultation support staff in all regions…
However, using digital technology allows you to hire professionals regardless of their place of residence!
For example, you could hire professionals who live overseas due to their partner’s job transfer and are currently out of work, taking advantage of the time difference to allow consultation during late-night hours in Japan.????
Florence has explained the benefits based on this kind of experience in the field and has engaged in policy proposals calling for the promotion of digitizing not only the procedures but the consultation support part too!
【The well-being of children】(Child-Related Action Plan (big-boned policy for children) 2024 p.95)
Based on the precedents of well-being indicators focusing on children and youth collected in FY2023 from other countries and international organizations, we shall conduct research and studies in FY2024 to understand and organize the status of related data and indicators in Japan, from the viewpoint of developing data and indicators to be collected by the government as a whole in promoting children's policies, while utilizing the knowledge of outside experts.?
【Children and Families Agency】
The children’s well-being indicators, which have been proposed by Florence, Well-being for Planet Earth Foundation (Representative Director: Mr. Yoshiki Ishikawa), and Professor Kan Hiroshi Suzuki of the University of Tokyo, have been included in this year’s big-boned policy too!?
* Please see the past article below for details on children’s well-being.
* Creating a new standard for measuring children’s happiness. Report from the first ever “International Conference on the Well-Being of Children and Youth”!?
The government has been studying indicators of children's well-being since last fiscal year. This fiscal year, research and study on precedents in Japan are expected to be carried out.
So how do things stand at the moment? Unfortunately, the figures used by the Children and Families Agency to measure children's well-being are for “ages 15 and over”.???
If we are going to promote a “children-centered society,” we need to conduct surveys of children under the age of 15 so that the well-being of all children can be measured.
Since tablet computers are now being introduced in elementary and junior high schools, we hope that using such tools to survey children about their well-being will be considered!
If that can be done, the national and local governments will be able to evaluate and plan measures by looking at the figures of children’s well-being!
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【Improvement of the environment of accompanied hospitalization】(Child-Related Action Plan (big-boned policy for children) 2024 p.52)
We shall promote efforts to improve the environment for accompanied hospitalization so that hospitalized children and their families can spend their hospital stay with peace of mind.
【Children and Families Agency, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare】
In Japan today, young children who are hospitalized are required “accompanied hospitalization,” in which a parent stays with them and looks after them around the clock.?
As a result, many parents are left to watch over their children, assist with toileting, feeding, putting them to bed, and playing with them while being unable to eat or sleep.?
The actual conditions are extremely tough, with many cases of parents falling ill or being forced to quit their jobs due to long-term accompanied hospitalization.?
At the request of Florence, Approved Specified Nonprofit Corporation Keep Moms Smiling!, and others, the Children and Families Agency has stated that it will work to improve the situation!
【Japanese version of DBS (Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Law)】(Big-boned policy p.46)
We shall promote comprehensive measures to prevent child sexual abuse, including a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Law, “Life Safety Education”, efforts to rehabilitate perpetrators, and treatment for paraphilia, as well as child safety measures, postpartum care services, newborn mass screenings, newborn hearing tests, and infant health checkups.
The “Japanese version of DBS” requires child-related facilities and businesses to check the sexual offense history of applicants for employment.
Following the big-boned policy of the previous year, it is stated in this year’s policy that the Children and Families Agency will play a central role in promoting this system!?
In fact, the proposals that we have been making for so long finally bore fruit, and the bill was just recently passed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
We will continue to watch over it closely so that the system can protect more children!
* Please see the past article below for details on the “Japanese version of DBS”.
* An in-depth explanation of the soon-to-be enacted “Japanese version of DBS”! Florence's policy proposals are finally coming to fruition #STOPChildSexualAbuse
【Childcare access for all system】(Big-boned policy p.46)
We shall expand support for all children and families raising children (accompanied consultation support, better compensation for childcare workers and kindergarten teachers, improvement of standards for staffing ratio of childcare workers, childcare access for all system, measures for children after school hours, response to diverse support needs, etc.). We shall also encourage both parents to work and raise children together (establishment of post-natal leave support benefits and childcare reduced working hours benefits from FY2025, etc.).?
The “childcare access for all system” was enacted on June 5, 2024.
The words “childcare access for all system” were included in the big-boned policy too!
Nursery schools, which were previously open only to working parents and their children, will now be open to “all children.”
This is of great historical significance.
However, the system still has many issues to be addressed.
I believe that we must continue discussions on it and improve it.
Laws are like plants.
You don’t call it a day after only planting the seeds. You need to nurture them until the flowers bloom.
We aim to improve this “childcare access for all system” and to create a society in which all children can receive high-quality childcare.
Florence will continue to raise our voices!
* Please see the past article below for details on the childcare access for all system.
* 【A Policy Has Been Realized! 】The “Childcare Access for All System” Bill has Finally Been Enacted! What Progress Have We Made with Our Proposal and What Are the Challenges for the Future???
【Meals on wheels for children, outreach】(Big-boned policy p.46)
We shall eliminate poverty and inequality and provide meticulous support for children, youth and families in difficult circumstances. To this end, we shall support children's cafeterias, meals on wheels for children, outreach support, etc., and provide learning support and experience opportunities to eliminate child poverty and strengthen monitoring.
“Meals on wheels for children,” which Florence has been expanding nationwide, is in the framework of this year's policy, along with the word “outreach” (delivery-style welfare), which is its hallmark!
We thank the Diet Members’ League for the Promotion of Meals on Wheels for Children!
* Please see the past article below for details of meals on wheels for children and outreach.
* The Diet Members’ League for the Promotion of Meals on Wheels for Children Has Been Established!!
【Promotion of accepting children with medical care at nursery schools】(Child-Related Action Plan (big-boned policy for children) 2024 p.29, 55)
We shall improve the system of nursery schools, etc. so that children with medical care can be accepted when they wish to use their services and provide comprehensive support for the upbringing and daily lives of children with medical care. 【Children and Families Agency】
We shall establish a system enabling nursery schools to accept children with medical care, thereby improving community life support for children with medical care. In addition, we shall establish stable and continuous support system for children with medical care by assigning nursery school teachers and nurses with skills and experience in medical care, providing support and advice to daycare centers in the region, encouraging training in sputum suction, etc., and establishing guidelines for the acceptance of children with medical care in municipalities, etc.【Children and Families Agency】
Since the enactment of the Supporting Children with Medical Care Act in June 2021, a lot of support for children with medical care have been established!
This fiscal year, the Diet members’ league regarding medical care (“Cross-party Diet Members’ League for Supporting Children with Medical Care”) was also established. We are truly grateful for this cross-party discussion on the issue of children with medical care.?
To realize “a society in which children with disabilities can have a positive sense of self and hope for the future” and “a society in which parents of children with disabilities can enjoy both child-rearing and work”.
Florence will continue its activities too!
【Promotion of childcare leave for men】(Big-boned policy for women p.12, 13)
We shall consider the ideal form of overtime work and extra wages, including further overtime caps and work-interval systems, and take the necessary measures while taking into account the actual working hours, from the perspective of ensuring workers' health and balancing life events and career development.【Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare】
We aim to further increase the rate of male employees taking childcare leave by strengthening both the system and the benefits. In doing so, we shall make efforts to ensure that the importance of both men and women taking on childcare responsibilities and the significance of “both parties participating in work and raising children” are widely recognized so that men taking of childcare leave matches reality.【Cabinet Office, Children and Families Agency, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare】
We have continued to propose “promoting childcare leave for men in the “Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s Ikumen Project”, which Florence and I chair.??
Although the system is in the process of being gradually put in place, the current big-boned policy also mentions that efforts will be made to further increase the rate of childcare leave taken and to ensure that childcare leave for men matches reality.
In addition, it was stated that the government would also consider overtime caps, extra wages, and work-interval systems, which we proposed in the Ikumen Project!
* Please see the past article below for our past activities and proposals.
* The take-up rate of male employees who take childcare leave has increased from 52.0% to 76.9%! What are the initiatives of companies with a rapid growth in the rate?【Press Conference Announcing the Results of “Companies that Promote Male Childcare Leave” Status Survey 2022 】
【Summary】
I am sincerely pleased that the "big-boned policy," which outlines the direction of important policies for the year, includes a lot of words regarding support for children and child-rearing.
For a future where all parents and children in Japan can live safely and with smiles on their faces.
Florence will continue to do its best!
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