R&D PROJECTS

Project Overview

Restrictions on the social life and life chances of the carer as a result of the onset of care

In East Asia, including Japan, care by family members (such as nursing and caregiving) is emphasized, so once a family member needs care, the carer who takes care of the family daily is forced to sacrifice their life chances, such as their studies or work. The conflict between the self-actualization of the carer and the care needs is profound, leading not only to social isolation and loneliness, but also to social problems such as abuse, suicide, and murder. Furthermore, because care is a “burden,” the decline in the birthrate in East Asia has not been halted.

Realizing a caring society through the development of a comprehensive carer support system that addresses care conflicts

Unlike poverty and abuse, caregiving, such as childcare and nursing, is not something that should be eliminated but is a necessary activity from birth to death. To support the profound conflict that arises between the life chances of carers themselves and the care needs they face, it is necessary to take the perspective of carer support in a broad sense, where the social value of care is respected rather than just narrowly defined as reducing the burden of care.

To realize a “caring society,” this project will develop a “spectrum-type carer support system” that can support carers in their conflicts and design a variety of distances from care. In doing so, we will develop a “life chance chart sheet” that can visualize the balance between care and life chances as a tool for carers to explore how to balance care and life chances without giving up on their own lives. In addition, to provide seamless support to carers, we will promote the networking of support organizations and build a “care empowerment platform.”

Q&A

Please tell us more about the social vision this project aims to achieve for the primary prevention of social isolation and loneliness.

From birth to death, care that supports a person’s life and lifestyle occurs intermittently, and anyone can be both the recipient and the provider of care. This is why care does not fit into a simple binary opposition of “doing” or “not doing,” and carers face a dilemma between their care needs and their life chances. In 2024, support for young carers and young adult carers was legislated, but carer support focusing on reducing the burden does not lead to respect for the social value of care. In this project, we emphasize the importance of shifting the social value of care - realizing a caring society - by creating a system that supports carers of all generations, including parents.

What are the biggest challenges (bottlenecks) in achieving the social vision above?

The current welfare system is based on providing support to individuals who need care, whether they are elderly or disabled. Support for the carers who support these individuals is currently only available to young carers. This project aims to implement operations led by private organizations, such as youth short stay projects and the expansion of programs that parents and children can participate in, and to verify their effectiveness. However, the biggest bottleneck is the operations’continuity and implementation in local government.

Participating/Cooperating Institutions

• Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto Youth Service Association, NPO Serigawa no Kappa, Merry Attic General Incorporated Association, Impact Lab., Young Carers Action Research Project, Ibaraki City Childcare Support Division, Amagasaki City, Agency for Children and Families, Shiga Prefectural Government, Higashiosaka City Young Carer Support Project, Japan Carer Federation, Care Kyoto Action Network, Office Hitofusano-Budo, Yuukari Visiting Nursing Station, Ito Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Angel Heart Family Social Welfare Foundation, Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation, Soochow University, Sungkyunkwan University, Sheffield Young Carers, Centre de Santé Sexuelle

Related Links

• Young Carers Action Research Project
• Impact Labo
• Office Hitofusano-Budo
• Kyoto Youth Service Association
• Agency for Children and Families
• Merry Attic General Incorporated Association
• Sheffield Young Carers
• Angel Heart Family Social Welfare Foundation
• Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation