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For Families of
Young Carers

For those who worry that illness, disability,
or instability affecting you or your family
may be placing a burden
on a child

How do you feel when you hear
the words "young carer"?
"Young carer" is a term that helps children take pride in the care they have given — it is not a term for blaming parents or families.
We, as former young carers, know that
parents and families have their own struggles
and circumstances too.

Children often feel anxious or confused
yet struggle to put those feelings into words,
or hold back the things they want to ask or say to their family.
To stay close to these unspoken feelings,
we believe it is vital that parents and families
are supported by others as well.
When parents and families receive support,
and children meet adults they can trust,
it makes an enormous difference to a child's
daily life and healthy growth.
Please don't carry your worries within the family alone —
reach out to a third party for support.

Services that support
children and families

If you or your family are facing difficulties:
there are many places in your community where you can seek advice.
Welfare agencies, local support organizations, and many others
work together to help.
Why not look for a service that matches your situation?
(Services below are Japanese-language resources.)

Worried about parenting
  • Municipal child and family support centers / child and family consultation offices
  • Municipal public health centers
  • Your municipality's child welfare division
    (kodomo katei-ka, jido fukushi-ka, etc.)
  • Designated consultation support offices for children with disabilities
  • Nursery schools and kodomo-en (integrated centers for early childhood)
Places for children to spend time or be looked after
  • Children's centers (jidokan) and after-school care
  • Libraries, youth exchange centers,
    youth centers
  • Local children's cafeterias (kodomo shokudo)
  • Free schools and learning support classes
  • After-school day services
  • Neighborhood and children's associations
  • Peer support groups for young carers
  • Twilight stay and
    short stay programs for children
  • Family Support programs (famisapo) * Usually run by municipal Councils of Social Welfare
  • Babysitter subsidy programs * Availability varies — please check with your municipality.
  • Local NPOs
  • Childcare services for sick children
Services vary by area. For details, please contact your municipality's child welfare division (called "kodomo katei-ka," "jido fukushi-ka," or similar).
Worried about a child's
education or development
  • School social workers
  • School counselors
  • School nurses (yogo teachers)
Worried about caring
for an older relative
  • Municipal Community General Support Centers (chiiki hokatsu shien centers)
  • Your municipality's elderly welfare division
  • Municipal welfare offices
  • Home care support offices
Worried about illness, disability,
or mental or physical health
  • Designated consultation support offices
  • Designated consultation support offices for children with disabilities
  • Municipal public health centers
Struggling financially
  • Subsidized medical care programs (e.g., for psychiatric outpatient care)
  • Disability pension
  • Scholarships
Struggling in your relationship with your spouse
If you need help
in languages other than Japanese
Struggling with work
or employment

It doesn't have to be one of the services above —
what matters most is going somewhere
you feel comfortable talking.
Reaching out can take real courage,
but community and welfare professionals
are waiting to hear from you.

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
For training requests and other inquiries
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