Purpose: This study has two purposes. The first is to understand the actual usage situation of foreign parents and children who use the services at “Local Childrearing Support Center Services”. The second is to understand the support methods implemented by the staff of “Local Childrearing Support Center Services”. Methods: From August 2024, interviews were conducted with childcare support workers from “Local Childrearing Support Center Services” and the content was analyzed. Results: The following responses were obtained from the interviews. · Children and parents are not given special treatment just because they are foreign nationals living in Japan, just like other users. · There are cultural differences regarding "childcare support." · We provide easy-to-understand introductions to Japanese culture, customs, systems, etc. to help you understand life in Japan. · There are also challenges, such as language barriers making it difficult to convey necessary information. · We need to create many places where people from the same country or region can gather. The interviews revealed that when supporting foreign parents and children, it is important to (1) know that the concerns about raising children are the same regardless of nationality, (2) provide information about the country in which they live, and (3) provide ongoing support to help them adapt to the culture and lifestyle. In recent years, as the number of foreigners living in Japan has increased, the number of parents and children with foreign nationality has also increased. Living in an environment with a different language and culture can cause great confusion and anxiety. In order for foreign parents and children to connect with the local community, it is important for them to use services from an early stage. The term “Local Childrearing Support Center Services” refers to services that provide a place where infants and their guardians can interact and receive consultation, information, advice and other assistance regarding child-rearing. The purpose is to reduce the anxiety of raising children and support their healthy growth. The project is implemented by municipalities, and the number of base project locations in 2023 is 8,016. It is being implemented in all 47 prefectures across Japan. (Department for Children and Families, 2024) “Local Childrearing Support Center Services” implements many initiatives aimed at preschool children and their parents, but there is little participation from foreign parents and children. The reason for this seems to be language and cultural barriers. Rather than waiting for foreign parents and children to participate, supporters need to approach them by disseminating information via social media and the internet. Furthermore, by supporting foreign parents and children in raising their children, we also play a role in supporting families. We believe that an important role is not only to expand connections between parents and make friends, but also to create connections with childcare facilities.
