Living Guide Q&A TOP

Consultation contents

Childcare support series ②　What is Young Carer (Caregiving Youth)? Whole family support

Answer

Hello everyone, this is the Shiga Prefecture Child and Youth Affairs Bureau. In Shiga, we aim to create a prefectural government for and with children, with “Children, children, children (Kodomo, kodomo, kodomo)” as our keyword.
Do you know what a Young Carer (Caregiving Youth) is? They are children who are responsible for the daily chores and family care that adults are supposed to take care of. For example, there are cases like this.

Case１
Doing household chores and taking care of young siblings
Case２
Have elderly family members to watch over and care for
Case３
Have a family member with a disability or illness to care for or nurse
Case４
Working after school to support the household
Case５
Interpreting, etc., to support family communication

For children, “helping out” is a wonderful experience that leads to personal growth. However, the continued heavy responsibilities and burdens that are not appropriate for their growth can affect their mental and physical health, and unable to spend time being a child, some children give up on their dreams and career paths for the future. Sometimes children think that supporting their family is normal, and because they love their family so much, they are unaware of their own SOS and unable to talk about it, even if they are suffering.
In Shiga, we provide support for young carer with the keyword of “whole family support” to these children and their families with various problems. Through a non-profit organization, we provide a consultation service and a place where people in similar situations can get together, and we have also placed a Young Carer Coordinator to provide support.

Some children of foreign nationality are unable to express their true feelings because of the language barrier, or they are unable to have time for themselves due to their family’s need for interpretation. Let’s all support each other to create a society that ensures all children to have time to play and learn in the community and at home. Children are the treasure of society. Children and families who are struggling, please consult with us.　　　　 (From the Young Carer Coordinator)

Kokoron Dial

Concerns of children/ youth and their parents/ guardians.
TEL　077-524-2030
9:00am～9:00pm（(Excluding Dec 29th - Jan 3rd）
After 9:00pm, you will be connected to 24h Child SOS Dial.

Information on consultation services in each municipality

Please inquire about the support and services you can receive. https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/file/attachment/5355506.pdf

More smiles for children! ~ a different place to spend time

There are many organizations in Shiga that supports children. “Young Carer support group”(★) are organizations that help children when they are having a hard time at home, when they want to relax, or when they need consultation. “Kodomo Shokudo (Children’s cafeteria)” is a place where children can enjoy free or low-cost meals. (Some groups are open to adults in the community.)
「“Ibasho (a place where one belongs)” is a place where children can spend their time as they wish. Let’s go have some fun!

NPO Kodomo Social Work Center

NPO Serikawa no Kappa

  • Content: ★★Young Carer support, Ibasho, Online consultation
  • Venue: 2-3-4 Kawahara Hikone
  • When: Everyday
  • Contact: 0749-20-9084
    https://cswc2016.jp/

Tabunka Kyosei Shien Center SHIPS

  • Content: Multicultural Kodomo Shokudo
  • Venue: 1-13-12 Kusatsu Kusatsu
  • When: Sat
  • Contact: 077-561-5110

Kanchan no Chisana Ie

  • Content: Multicultural Community Exchange, Kodomo Shokudo
  • Venue: 956-2 Jorakuji Azuchi-cho Omihachiman
  • When: 10 times a year
  • Contact: 090-3708-3315
    https://kancyan-house.com/contact/

NPO Yanchadera

Paradeiro

Otsu Alternative School Triumph

  • Content: Alternative school, Ibasho, Watercolor painting class
  • Venue: 4-3-25 Hamaotsu Otsu
  • When: Tue, Wed, Fri
  • Contact: 050-5374-0311
    https://www.otsu-triumph.com/

Child Village

  • Content: A third place for children and adults (Ibasho)
  • Venue: 2-39-4 Hieidaira Otsu
  • When: 4th Sat10am - 4pm
  • Contact: email：chimihirano@gmail.com
・Please contact and confirm before you go.

♪ There are many more “ibasho,” “shokudo,” and play sites for children ♪

Consultation contents

Information on Child Development and Support

Answer

There are various efforts to monitor the health and development of children in Japan.
In Shiga prefecture, newborns are screened for impaired hearing through the “newborn hearing test”. Upon request, newborns are also tested for “congenital metabolic disorder” to detect illnesses that delay development due to poor metabolism or secretions and provide treatment to prevent the occurrence of disabilities.
Infants and toddlers have municipal health checks, and young children are consulted before entering elementary school.
Other than monitoring vaccinations, checking documents, and consulting to concerns from guardians, health checks are conducted at specific stages of a child’s development for early diagnosis and treatment of disabilities by health care professionals. For example, traits of certain child developmental disabilities are only visible at certain developmental stages, so it is important to receive health checks at the specified age determined by each municipal government.

Organizations for those with developmental disabilities in Shiga

There are opportunities for learning and other facilities to suit the needs of each individual.
Age 0 - 6　Infant child health check
Hoikuen、Kodomoen、Youchien、Child development support office、Child development support center
Age 7 - 15　Consultation for schooling
Elementary school・junior high school（regular class, resource room, special needs class）、Special needs school（(elementary course, JHS course, SHS course）
Age 16 - 18　Consultation for schooling
Senior high school、Secondary special needs school、After school activity services (day service)
Age 19+　Higher education・employment consultations
university, etc.・vocational school、company etc.、services based on Comprehensive Support Law for Persons with Disabilities（support office for work transition, support office for maintaining employment, etc.）
Organizations available for consultations or concerns regarding child development.
  • developmental support center, health center, disability welfare section in each city or town
  • medical institution (pediatrician, psychiatrist)
  • Shiga Prefectural Education Center　℡　０７７－５８８－２５０５
If you do not know where to contact, or if multiple disabilities coincide requiring more specialized care, contact “Shiga prefecture medical welfare one-stop consultation desk”
Shiga prefecture medical welfare one-stop consultation desk
℡ ０７７－５６９－５９５５
☆The National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities has information in foreign languages. Please use as a reference.

　 http://www.rehab.go.jp/ddis/world/brochure/

Download (PDF)

やさしい日本語版　お子さんの発達について心配なことはありますか？
英語版/English　Do you have concerns about your child’s development?
ポルトガル語版/Portuguese　Você tem alguma preocupação relacionada ao desenvolvimento de seus filhos?
スペイン語版/Spanish　¿Tiene preocupaciones sobre el desarrollo de su hijo/a?
中国語版/Chinese　您有孩子发育方面的担心吗？
韓国語版/Korean　아이 발달 문제로 고민 중이신가요?
タガログ語版/Tagalog　Mayroon ba kayong problema tungkol sa pagpapalaki ng inyong mga anak?
ベトナム語版/Vietnamese　Bạn có mối lo nào về sự phát triển của con bạn không?
インドネシア語版/Indonesian　Apakah Anda memiliki kekhawatiran terkait perkembangan anak Anda
ネパール語版/Nepali　बालबच्चाको वृद्धि-ववकास बारेमा विन्ता लागेको कुरा छ की?
ベンガル語版/Bengali　শিশুর বিকাশ সম্পর্কে দুশ্চিন্তার বিষয় আছে কি?
ヒンディー語版/Hindi　क्या आप आपके बच्चे के विकास को लेकर चिंतित हैं ?
ミャンマー語版/Myanmar　
モンゴル語版/Mongolia　Таны хүүхдийн хөгжилд санаа зовоож байгаа зүйл байна уу?
タイ語版/Thai　ท่านรู้สึกกังวลเกี่ยวกับพัฒนาการของบุตรหรือไม่

Consultation contents

Livelihood support for those affected by COVID-19

Answer

The national and prefectural governments have various support measures for those affected by COVID-19. Below is a partial list of support measures from inquiries received at Shiga Foreign Residents Information Center. For details, please refer to the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare pamphlet and list of support measures provided by the Shiga Prefectural Government.

Special Benefit for Single Parent Low Income Households "Teishotoku hitori oya setai rinji-kyufukin"

Eligibility for basic payment

Those who correspond to any of the following:
  1. Those receiving child support allowance (jido-fuyou-teate) for the month of June, 2020.
  2. Those receiving public pension and the full payment of child support allowance (jido-fuyou-teate) for June, 2020 was suspended.
  3. Household income has drastically changed due to the effects of COVID-19 and income is the same standard as households receiving child support allowance (jido-fuyou-teate).
    4. ※Benefit payment for the month of June for those who apply has been transferred in August to households corresponding to ①. Application required for ② and ③.

Additional payment

Those corresponding to ①and ②above may apply for one-time additional payment.（Household finances drastically changed due to the effects of COVID-19, and income has declined.）

Payment

Basic payment：50,000yen/household, additional 30,000yen/child for additional children.
Additional payment：50,000 yen/household

Application

“Single parent special benefit” (child support allowance division) in your city/town hall.
(Deadline February 28, 2021)

Subsidy Program for Sustaining Business "Jizokuka-kyufukin"（for business operators）

Eligibility

Sales in one month declined by more than 50% compared to the same month the previous year due to the effects of COVID-19.

Payment

2 million yen for corporations、1 million yen for individual business owners. ※maximum payment is the amount of decrease in sales compared to total sales last year.

Application

"Jizokuka-kyufukin" online application here
(Deadline January 15, 2021)

Out-of-Work Support Fund and Cash Handout “Kyugyou shienkin”

Eligibility

Those who meet the following 2 conditions:
  1. Employees of small-medium sized companies instructed to take absence from work between April 1 and September 30, 2020 by their business owner.
  2. Those who did not receive pay for leave mentioned above (kyugyou-teate).

Payment

80% of wage before out of work （monthly maximum payment of 330,000 yen）.

Application

application form here
application method by post here

Housing Security Benefit “Jyukyokakuho kyufukin" (rent directly paid to landlord)

Eligibility

Within 2 years of leaving a job・business shutdown, or decrease in income due to suspension of work, with similar conditions to those that have left a job

Payment duration

3 months in principle （maximum of 9 months）

Payment

Amount equivalent to the rent is paid directly to the landlord from the municipality

Application

City hall for those living in a city, social welfare council for those living in a town

Details

Information about the Housing Security Benefit here 　　

★Shiga prefecture is accepting temporary occupants in prefectural housing.

Eligibility

Those dismissed from the workplace due to the effects of COVID-19 and had no other option but to leave their home.

Duration

Maximum of 1 year

Application

Housing Division, Department of public works and transportation 　（℡　０７７－５２８－４２３４）
If you have any concerns regarding your livelihood, please consult the welfare division or social welfare office in your city or town!

Consultation contents

Shine regardless of your disability!

Answer

In Japan, there are various types of services and support based on the Act for Supporting the Independence of Persons with Disabilities (the Act on Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities from April, 2018) so that persons and children who for some reasons, became mentally and physically disabled, can live their daily and social life in the society. If you have worries about anything, consult your municipal office and other public offices.
Persons with disabilities are divided into those with intellectual disabilities, those with physical disabilities, and those with mental disorders (including those with developmental disorders). Those with mild disabilities are also included. They can avail of various support systems and services, according to the type and level of their disabilities. For this, application procedures regarding the Certification of a Person with Disability (shougaisha techou): physical disability certificate (shintai shougaisha techou); rehabilitation certificate, ex. rehabilitation of disabled children (ryouiku techou); and mental disability certificate (seishin shougaisha hoken fukushi techou), must be accomplished in the city/municipal office. (The certification for persons with disabilities must be determined by medical and specialized institutions.)

Consultation contents

The following are services available for those with a Certification of a Person with Disability

Answer

  • Medical care services to support self-reliance of persons with disabilities (jiritsu shien iryou)
    　The burden of the expenditures for the medical services to eliminate and ease physical disabilities and mental disorders are reduced.
  • Welfare services for persons with disabilities (shougai fukushi service)
    　There are services including in-home nursing care, visiting care for persons with severe disabilities, activity support, accompanying support, short stay, group home, medical care, assisted-living care, support facilities, etc.
  • Services to support and grant benefits to children with disabilities who regularly use different facilities (shougaiji tsuusho shien kyuufu service)
    　　There are services like developmental support for children, medical type child development support, after school day services, etc.
      • As a general rule, the user of the above mentioned services will pay 10 % of the base amount of the services utilized, but the amount may be reduced based on the income of the household concerned.
  • Welfare Allowance (fukushi teate)
    　　There are some cases where allowance and pension may be received according to the classification and level of the Certification of a Person with Disability (shougaisha techou). (There are restrictions on income, etc., Allowances that are overlapping may not be received.)
    • 　
      Special Disability Allowance (tokubetsu shougaisha teate), Children’s Disability Welfare Allowance (shougaiji fukushi teate), Progressive Welfare Allowance (keikateki fukushi teate), Severe Disability Allowance (zaitaku jyuudo shougaisha teate), Special Child Rearing Allowance (tokubetsu jidou fuyou teate), Child Rearing Allowance (jidou fuyou teate), Allowance for Orphans (iji teate), Disability Basic Pension (shougai kiso nenkin), Disability Employees’ Pension (shougai kousei nenkin), Special Disability Benefits (tokubetsu shougai kyuufukin), Disability Compensation Benefits (shougai hoshou kyuufu), Disability Benefits (shougai kyuufu).
  • Others
    　Aside from income tax deduction, reduction of fees for the use of public facilities, transportation fare discounts, and priority in public housing settlement, employment support and considerations to suit different types of disabilities during job recruitment are preferentially provided.

    • Consultation contents

    Supervision and Educational Facilities for Children with Disabilities

    Answer

    • There are facilities providing care according to the type of disability such as welfare type and medical type facilities for children with disabilities, and medical type child development support center, etc.
      • facilities for children with disabilities
    • There is a subsidiary enrollment system and branches of special support education in elementary and junior high schools, provision of guidance in specialized trainings in local communities, and vocational education in senior high schools.
    • There are 16 distinct special support schools in each area in Shiga.
      • special support schools

    Consultation contents

    Stop worrying all by yourself, consult us immediately!

    Answer

  • Disability Welfare Section of each city or municipality
  • Shiga Prefectural Welfare Center - Consultations for persons with physical disabilities and mental disorders, and a sports center for the disabled (A pool and a training room is available.)
    (8-5-130 Kasayama, Kusatsu City)　℡　077-564-7327
  • Shiga Prefectural Education Center - Consultations on special support education, consultations on children with developmental disorder, etc.
    Please make an appointment prior to visit. Telephone consultation services:　9:00 am to 12:30 pm / 1:00 to 4:30 pm
    (Kitazakura, Yasu City) 　℡　077-588-2505

    • Consultation contents

    Multicultural Children’s Cafeteria/Others

    Answer

    Name of Group: SHIPS
  • Details:　Multicultural cafeteria for children
  • Venue:　Kusatsu City, SHIPS
  • Date / Time:　4th Saturday 11:00 - 14:00
  • Inquiries:　℡:077-561-5110
    • Name of Group: Kan-chan no chiisana ie
  • Details:　Multicultural coexistence, regional exchange events (children’s cafeteria)
  • Venue:　Omihachiman City, Kan-chan no chiisana ie
  • Date / Time:　Once every two months
  • Inquiries:　℡:090-3708-3315
    • Name of Group: Hikone-shi Kodomo Tabunka Club, Hikone City Children’s Multicultural Club
  • Details:　Cooking, experiencing diverse cultures, visiting facilities, etc.
  • Venue:　Hikone City
  • Date / Time:　summer vacation, winter vacation
  • Inquiries:　Human Rights Policy Division, Hikone City ℡:0749-30-6113