In Japan, childcare in society had tended to focus on long-term facility care, but in 2011 the Japanese government changed its policy, at which time it began to promote family-based care and family-like care with an emphasis... [ view full abstract ]
In Japan, childcare in society had tended to focus on long-term facility care, but in 2011 the Japanese government changed its policy, at which time it began to promote family-based care and family-like care with an emphasis on foster care and family homes. However, even at present, there are some 30,000 children living in childcare institutions for reasons such as divorce or disappearance of their parents, or who were the victims of abuse by their parents. In light of this fact, the emotional state, opinions, and independence of these individuals after leaving the institution are collectively considered key issues in children's rights.
The objective of this research--through interviews with 17 adult men and women who experienced living in child care institutions as children but who currently live relatively stable lives--is to explore the social networks required to facilitate independence of care leavers and their function.
My analyses show that there are commonalities and differences between the men and women studied. What was common between the men and women in the survey was that--for the purpose of facilitating independence--the relationship with their spouse be sound, and also that they had ongoing relationships with siblings,close family members, nursery teachers, etc. Analyzing by gender, the men rarely had networks of friends, but they tended to derive self-esteem from their workplace, regional communities, and families, which helped them to be independent. In contrast, the women were able to overcome difficulties and dangers through ongoing gatherings of friends and especially of fellow care leavers, and also by way of sustained contact with each other over time.
