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Protect the future
 of young carers.

Your support expands the future possibilities
of children and young people.

Will you become a
Young Carer Supporter?

We accept the following cards
VISA,Mastercard,JCB,アメリカン・エキスプレス,ダイナースクラブ
Clicking an amount takes you to the payment site
We accept the following cards
VISA,Mastercard,JCB,アメリカン・エキスプレス,ダイナースクラブ
Clicking an amount takes you to the payment site
Donate any amount

JPY

Donations of 5,000 yen or more are accepted.
Please enter half-width digits without commas.

For bank transfers, please contact us at
contact.form@youngcarerjapan.com.

Corporate donations

A Young Carer's Story

A life shaped
around caring

Young Carers Association Erika Takao

When I was in my second year of junior high school, my mother collapsed from a brain hemorrhage. She was left with paralysis on her right side and aphasia, and I became a young carer. From that day on, every choice about my education and my life revolved around her care. "What job could I balance with caring for my mother?" — that was the standard by which I lived.

I gave up many things living as a young carer, but from time to time I met people who acknowledged me and said, "You're doing so well." Those encounters were a huge comfort to me.

I sometimes think: if there had been someone nearby who would listen, and I had been able to talk more about myself, maybe my life would have held more choices.

Young carers in numbers

Young carers are estimated to include 1 in 15 elementary school students, 1 in 17 junior high students, 1 in 24 high school students, and 1 in 16 university students in Japan.

Elementary school

1 in 15

(6.5%)

Junior high school

1 in 17

(5.7%)

High school

1 in 24

(4.1%)

University

1 in 16

(6.2%)

* MHLW FY2020 research study on the situation of young carers (Child and Child-rearing Support Promotion Survey Research Program)

What young carers and
young adult carers face

For family members with illnesses or disabilities

What Young Carers Do Every Day

Providing emotional support (listening, being a companion)
Providing physical care (nursing, supervision, help with toileting)
Providing social care (acting as a go-between with adults, handling administrative procedures)
Providing medical care (managing medication, accompanying to hospital)
Helping with communication, such as interpreting or sign language
Taking care of younger siblings
Working to help support the household finances
Doing housework such as shopping, cooking, and laundry
Due to the weight of responsibility

What Young Carers Give Up

Having time for themselves
Securing study time, taking exams, or pursuing further education
Participating in club activities and other extracurriculars
Playing with friends after school
Resting their mind and body
Being understood and cared for by adults
Having dreams and hopes for the future
Freely choosing where to work
Using their income for themselves
Living a life centered on themselves
Things that become more likely as they get older

What the Young Carers
Association does

For many young carers, caring has been part of everyday life for as long as they can remember — or it began suddenly one day and left them with no room to breathe.
It is extremely difficult for a child to accurately understand and put into words their family's situation, then find and approach someone to rely on.
That is why we value two things equally: adults noticing and reaching out rather than waiting for an SOS, and staying connected — walking alongside young carers whenever they seek support or connection.
What society can do for young carers is to always keep lifelines within reach. The more lifelines there are, the more options a young carer can grasp when they reach out for help.

National Government Local Governments Companies To Young Carers To Stakeholders To Society ・ LINE Consultation Service ・ Career Support ・ Community Management ・ Young Carer Coordinator (Training) ・ Supporter Networking Events ・ Training Programs ・ Policy Proposals ・ Awareness Activities Companies Local Governments National Government To Young Carers ・ LINE Consultation Service ・ Career Support ・ Community Management To Stakeholders ・ Young Carer Coordinator (Training) ・ Supporter Networking Events ・ Training Programs To Society ・ Policy Proposals ・ Awareness Activities

Japan's changing social structure

Changes in social and demographic structures mean that today, the burden of care falls on children too.

Shrinking household size

* MHLW, Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions 2016

More single-parent families

* MHLW, "Situation of Single-Parent Families" 2015

Relative poverty rate of single-mother households

* MHLW, "Situation of Single-Parent Families" 2015

Aging population

* Cabinet Office, White Paper on Aging Society 2019

People living with mental illness

* MHLW, Patient Survey

A message from
a young carer

I first came across the words "young carer" when I was in high school.

At the time I didn't think of myself as one,
but as I read about it online, I began to feel that it might describe me too.

While researching young carers, I found the Young Carers Association's LINE consultation service.
I was struggling emotionally, and the moment I found it, I added it as a friend almost without thinking.

I have talked with them about countless things I couldn't share with the people around me — my family, school, and my anxieties. Even when I send something negative, they help me turn it into something positive. This LINE service has become "another place where I belong."

Connections that grow through the internet.
I feel genuinely happy that this exists, right here in front of me.

I hope the words "young carer" continue to spread, little by little,
and that understanding of young carers keeps growing.

That is my wish today.

Become a Young
Carer Supporter

What you receive as a Young Carer Supporter

Activity report

Once a year we send you the Young Carers Association's activity report by post or by email. It covers our day-to-day work, the voices of the young carers we support, event reports, and more.

Original Association merchandise

Once a year we mail you original Young Carers Association merchandise. * Items vary depending on the donation amount.

Will you become a
Young Carer Supporter?

We accept the following cards
VISA,Mastercard,JCB,アメリカン・エキスプレス,ダイナースクラブ
Clicking an amount takes you to the payment site
We accept the following cards
VISA,Mastercard,JCB,アメリカン・エキスプレス,ダイナースクラブ
Clicking an amount takes you to the payment site
Donate any amount

JPY

Donations of 5,000 yen or more are accepted.
Please enter half-width digits without commas.

For bank transfers, please contact us at
contact.form@youngcarerjapan.com.

Corporate donations

FAQ

You can check in the activity report we send you, or in the News section of this website.

A receipt is included in the payment confirmation email. If you need an individually issued receipt, please contact us via the contact page.

As the Young Carers Association is a general incorporated association, donations are not tax-deductible in Japan. Please be aware of this before donating.

Support young carers,
starting today

Why not start by simply thinking about young carers?

Small steps, taken together, become a big one.

Will you join us in supporting
the future of young carers?

Support the Young Carers Association with a donation
Become a Supporter
Corporate donations
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