NPO Kosodate Shinagawa English Introduction

Abbreviated name NPO Kosodate Shinagawa.

2-6-31, Togoshi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL : 03-3781-6255　　 FAX : 03-3784-6252

Representative director Masamichi-Omata
Vice-President director Masanori-Uchiyama
Vice-President director Yoshiko-Ando

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　e-mail : jimu@kosodates.jp

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

The organization which enables the management of "new education & protection "
for the infants from birth up to entering school.

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Manifesto
NPO Kosodate Shinagawa

　　1). Infants Disadvantaged by Changes in Child Rearing
　　　　　Along with the increasing tendency for women to have fewer children and more social
　　　　　obligations, child rearing for infants has been greatly changing.

　　　　　For example, time spent in daycare has become longer because more infants are left at
　　　　　nursery schools day and night.

　　　　　They are left earlier and earlier because nursery schools accept more infants up to age
　　　　　one and kindergartens accept more children ages two and three.

　　　　　Child rearing depends upon these institutions on one hand; however on the other hand,
　　　　　infants are deprived of the opportunity to play together with children of different ages.

　　2). A Distorted Phenomenon That Parents Cannot Experience
　　　　Child Rearing Because of Their Dependence on Nursery Institutions
　　　　　Longer time spent at nursery schools from an earlier age and the subsequent dependency
　　　　　on nursery institutions will deprive parents of the joy and pain in directly experiencing
　　　　　child rearing.

　　　　　Moreover, this lack of experience together with excessive information about child rearing
　　　　　makes parents uneasy about their child rearing.

　　　　　This problem often results in child abuse.
　　　　　As a whole, families are losing the power to raise children and are having fewer choices in
　　　　　rearing and educating them.

　　3). Progress and Problems in Unifying Such Nursery Institutions as
　　　　Kindergartens and Nursery Schools
　　　　　The boundary between kindergarten and nursery school has become less clear as the
　　　　　Government implemented various measures including "The Angel Plan." However, the
　　　　　unification has not progressed as expected due to the different legal positions held by
　　　　　the Education Ministry and the Welfare and Labor Ministry.

　　　　　This difference is referred to as "difficulty and limits of the vertically divided administration.
　　　　　" The Government has not yet satisfied the actual needs of children and parents.

　　4). Development and Problems for Kindergartens to Function as
　　　　Child Rearing Support Institutions
　　　　　Private kindergartens in Shinagawa pioneered the research on "The Project of Child
　　　　　Rearing Support," and have been undertaking the "Azukari-Hoiku" (Overtime Nursing)
　　　　　and the "Open School & Garden" programs.

　　　　　These undertakings, however, are oriented mainly for guardians including mothers, not
　　　　　directly for the purpose of supporting the healthy development of infants.

　　　　　They are, in fact, in financial difficulties.

　　5). Necessary Experiment through Which Respective Merits Are
　　　　Integrated into the Best Education for Infants
　　　　　One way to improve this situation is to create a tentative institution for educating
　　　　　preschoolers up to five years old.

　　　　　One type of such an institution will be a combination of three organizations: a licensed
　　　　　nursery school for infants up to two years old, a kindergarten based on the government
　　　　　guidelines for children from three to five years old, and a center for child rearing support.

　　　　　Publicly funded and privately managed, it will become a place where parents, guardians,
　　　　　kindergarten teachers and nurses can together take on the challenge of supporting the
　　　　　development of infants.

　　　　　The center for child rearing support will be a place where parents and their infants living
　　　　　in the neighborhood can talk with one another and get advice on rearing and discuss the
　　　　　development of their children.

　　　　　Giving them advice on parenting and child development which is free from the conventional
　　　　　distinction between kindergarten and nursery school, the center will become a core for
　　　　　child rearing support in Shinagawa.

　　6). A New Way of Educating and Protecting Infants and
　　　　Preschoolers without the Boundary between Kindergarten and
　　　　Nursery School, and the Necessity of Research
　　　　　To correct the "distortion" that parents cannot fully experience child rearing because of
　　　　　increasing dependency on nursery institutions, there are three tasks to complete: to
　　　　　construct a new idea of "Child Rearing Support," which can integrate kindergarten and
　　　　　nursery school; to realize this idea in the establishment and management of a new
　　　　　"institution," which goes beyond the distinction between public and private, for educating
　　　　　and protecting all infants up to preschool age; and to research the curriculum and
　　　　　management in the context of lifelong study and parent involvement.

　　7). NPO Management Breaking Down the Wall between Public and
　　　　Private
　　　　　In order to complete the three tasks, it is necessary to create a non-profit organization
　　　　　which has freedom, creativity, and ability to cooperate with municipal administrators.

　　　　　We volunteers, including the principals of Shinagawa private kindergartens, understand this
　　　　　need and have decided to make use of our knowledge and experience and establish
　　　　　NPO Kosodate Shinagawa as a creative and non-profit organization to carry out these
　　　　　projects.

　Outline Chart

[ Web Site in Japanese. ]