Research on Japanese Foster Parents in Post-World War II Period - Focusing on Knowledge and Practices of Foster Care

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K13989
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Education
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA Yukako (田中友佳子) 九州大学, 人間環境学研究院, 学術協力研究員 (70707174)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 戦後日本 / 社会的養護 / 家庭養護 / 里親会 / 里親養育 / 養育知 / 歴史的変遷

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, I collected historical materials and conducted hearing surveys in Akita, Chiba, Yamanashi, Saitama, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Kyoto, Tottori, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and California, the US. Based on historical materials and testimonies obtained from these, I have clarified the process of registering foster parents and accepting foster children, and the rearing method. Problems with foster child independence have been discussed among foster parents since the mid-1950s. Aftercare facilities were actually established at that time. I would like to make the details of this work clear as a future task. I also confirmed various arguments about specialties with foster parents through my research. These results were presented at domestic academic conferences and research meetings. In addition, I also arranged historical materials in child care facilities and foster parents associations.

Free Research Field

教育史・児童福祉史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

戦後日本の里親制度の変遷に関する先行研究はあるものの、実際に里親や里親会がどのような実践を行い、また里親に関する知が諸外国から持ち込まれ、日本国内で主張されたのかについては明らかにされていなかった。本研究は、史料収集とヒアリング調査を通じて、これまで知られていなかった里親による養育実践と養育知の導入過程を掘り起こすことができた。
社会的養護の在り方が大きく変わろうとしている現在、なぜその問題が生じてきたのか、改めて戦後の歴史を顧みる必要がある。里親や里親会が現実にどのように向き合い、どのような実践を行ってきたのかを明らかにし、社会的養護に関係する方々に示すことができたと考える。