Introducing public support for school refusal and child-rearing

Image of public support for school refusal and child-rearing

There are various support options available to help children who are not attending school.

I heard people say things like, "I'm having a hard time adjusting to school life," and "I don't want to go to school."

It can be quite difficult to immediately accept and support your child's school refusal.

In order to understand and support your child's feelings, it is important to provide an environment where your child feels safe.
It is also important to have diverse ways of thinking that suit each individual's pace, and to maintain connections with society so as not to become isolated.

It is difficult for a family to achieve this alone.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and your local ward, city, town, or village provide various support services for children who are not attending school and for raising children. We will introduce some of these services, so please make use of them.

Please note that whether or not the program is implemented and what is implemented varies depending on the school or local government, so please contact the implementing organization for details.

Who can I rely on? ~School Edition~

If you notice any unusual or worrying behavior in your child, such as them refusing to go to school in the morning and becoming late more often, getting sick at school and repeatedly leaving early, or refusing to go into the classroom and having to go to the nurse's office more often, who should you turn to?

There are specialists you can talk to about these situations. By consulting with them, you can receive advice on how to interact with your child and work with the school to deal with the situation.
If you would like to consult with us, please feel free to ask your homeroom teacher or other relevant person at school.

<Consultation>

Teachers in charge of school absenteeism
If you don't know who to talk to, try talking to the teacher in charge of school refusal. They will work with various specialist staff to help you decide what support your child needs. The name for this person may vary from school to school, such as school refusal support coordinator or educational counseling director, so please check with the school.
School nurse
The nurse's office is available to provide mental and physical health consultations for children. It can also be a temporary place for children who are having difficulty fitting into classes.
School Counselor (SC)
They are psychological experts who provide counseling for children, offering advice and assistance to both children and their parents.
School Social Worker (SSW)
We are welfare experts who utilize our connections with related organizations to provide support to improve the situation of children.

In addition to consultation support, we also provide a place to learn and feel at home.

<Places to learn and be part of>

Separate room on campus
Students who find it difficult to spend time in class can receive study guidance and consultation in a separate room.
challenge class
As a unique initiative of Tokyo, these classrooms are set up in public junior high schools in Tokyo for students who are not attending school. They allow students to study on a relaxed schedule, taking into account the circumstances of the students who are not attending school. The availability of these classrooms varies depending on the municipality. Please contact the implementing organization for details.

Who can I rely on? ~Outside of school~

Some people may feel uncomfortable talking to the school directly about their concerns about school. However, there are support organizations outside of school run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and local municipalities, so please consider using them.

<Consultation desk>

Educational consultations at each ward, city, town, or village (ward, city, town, or village)
Consultation methods and hours vary depending on the ward, city, town, or village. You can search for information on the "Ward, city, town, or village consultation and support" page of this portal site.
Tokyo Metropolitan Educational Counseling Center (Tokyo)
We accept a variety of consultations, including advice on friendships and bullying, child-rearing, school life, and issues related to young carers, as well as advice on going on to, transferring to, or enrolling in a metropolitan high school, and what to do after dropping out of high school.
Child and Family Support Center (ward, city, town, or village)
These are general consultation centers for children and families set up in wards, cities, towns, and villages. The names, consultation methods, and hours vary depending on the local government. You can search for them on the "Wards, cities, towns, and villages consultation and support" page of the portal site.

<Places to learn and be part of>

Educational Support Center (ward, city, town, or village)
Not only do they supplement what they learn, but they also allow students to visit cultural facilities, participate in nature experiences, and receive counseling from psychologists. Each ward, city, town, or village may have its own unique initiatives.
A new place to live and learn using virtual space on the internet (Virtual Learning Platform (VLP))(Wards, cities, towns and villages)
Some local governments are providing opportunities for communication using ICT, and initiatives that utilize the originality and ingenuity of local governments are becoming more widespread.

Conclusion

For children who are not attending school, the goal is not just to "go to school." The time they are absent from school can also have positive meanings, such as providing a mental and physical rest and an opportunity to reflect on themselves.
Government agencies will also support each child to find learning that suits them best. This portal site will help you find the various support available in your local ward, city, town, or village, so please take a look.