Events

Session Report
Time and date: Tuesday, June 28, 2022, 15:00 to 17:00
Venue: online
Number of participants: 212 people

Summary by OKABE Mika (GJS-ERI Steering Committee Member; Professor, Graduate School of Human Sciences)

The panel discussion “Young Carers: How to Notice and Connect” was held on June 28, 2022. It was organized by the Osaka University Global Japanese Studies Education and Research Incubator and the Collaborative Future Creation (Mirai Kyōsō) Center of the Graduate School of Human Sciences, with additional support from the Osaka Prefectural Agency of Education and the Japanese Educational Research Association. The Osaka University Global Japanese Studies Education and Research Incubator aims to construct a platform for developing new interdisciplinary and international education and research activities that connect academia and society in Japan. This panel discussion was an important opportunity to reaffirm the strong connection between Osaka University and the local administration of Osaka Prefecture, especially among those working with education.

The main topic of this discussion, young carers, are defined by Carers Japan as “children under the age of 18 who perform tasks commonly assigned to adults, such as completing household tasks, taking care of family including elders in need of assistance, and providing emotional support when someone in the family is in need of care.” In 2020 and 2021 the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare conducted a countrywide fact-finding investigation on young carers, and currently local governments are assessing the situation in their own areas and planning and implementing policies on young carers. This is one of the most pressing educational issues in present-day Japan.

The workshop began with a keynote speech by Hamashima Yoshie (Osaka Dental University), who is a leading figure in the study of young carers. After that, in other presentations on young carers Ōsaki Kōji (Principal of Osaka Prefectural Hakata High School) spoke on the perspective of high school teachers, clinical psychologist Hinokidani Mami presented on the perspective of school counselors, Noda Mayumi of the NPO Me-Rise 2 discussed the perspective of school social workers, and Ōtsuki Takashi (Principal of Izumi Municipal Tsuruyamadai Minami Elementary School and former curriculum advisor for the Izumi City Board of Education) spoke about how to deal with young carers and their specific problems in real-world situations, with a special focus on sites of learning. Each presenter also provided responses to Hamashima’s keynote speech.

The online panel discussion had a total of 405 registrants, and 212 people participated in the real-time session, followed by a lively question-and-answer session.

The flyer for the event can be found here.

(Translated from Japanese by Fernanda Moura, Graduate School of Humanities)