Developmental Disabilities Concepts and Parenting for Parents of Children with Foreign Roots

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01199
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 04030:Cultural anthropology and folklore-related
• Research Institution: Chukyo University
• Principal Investigator: Saitou Hisafumi 中京大学, 文化科学研究所, 特任研究員 (10170523)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 発達障害 / 外国にルーツを持つ障害児 / 放課後等デイサービス / 外国人支援者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study sought to determine how parents of children with developmental disabilities who have foreign roots utilize medical and welfare discourses of developmental disabilities and social welfare support in Japan, and how they experience child rearing. To ascertain these realities, we conducted a participant observation and interview survey at a local health counseling meeting where foreign immigrants gather. Among foreign residents in Japan, we found that the lack of health care services for out-of-school children and their parents' unstable employment status and Japanese language acquisition status were barriers to accessing medical care. We also conducted a survey at an after-school day-care service, and were able to confirm how children with developmental disabilities and their parents, who face language barriers, seek after-school day-care services and the conflicting issues surrounding their schooling.

Free Research Field

文化人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本では、多様な文化・言語に配慮した教育・医療体制が未整備となっている。そのため、外国にルーツを持つ子どもの振る舞いの原因が、発達障害によるものか、または、日本文化への適応が困難な養育環境によるものか、親からでは識別しづらい。本研究は、こうした言語の差異や彼ら特有の労働問題が子育てや発達障害理解を困難にさせていることを見出した。さらに、放課後等デイサービスが彼らの需要を満たす受け皿になると同時に、外国人スタッフにとっても日本での経験を活かした接し方が可能な場となっており、その機能と意義を把握できた。