Elucidation of the whole picture of childcare after the freeing childcare fee and Policy proposals for solving new childcare issues

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K02690
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09030:Childhood and nursery/pre-school education-related
• Research Institution: Konan University
• Principal Investigator: MAEDA MASAKO 甲南大学, マネジメント創造学部, 教授 (20596192)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 安藤 道人 立教大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (10749162)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 認可保育所 / 待機児童 / 入所審査 / コロナ / 休園 / 性別分業 / 家事育児 / 夜間保育所

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify the actual situation of childcare and its users. Therefore, first, we surveyed all municipalities in Hyogo Prefecture regarding the government's response to the closure of nursery schools under the declaration of a corona state of emergency. Second, we surveyed parents who used closed daycare centers to find out how they managed to balance work and child-rearing. We also conducted a fact-finding survey on the users of night nursery schools, where many parents work in the interpersonal service industry, which is strongly affected by the third coronavirus. From these surveys, it was found that various rules, such as the criteria for selecting nursery school users, differed from municipality to municipality.
In addition, the closure of kindergartens had a significant impact on the mother's ability to continue working, and the disparity in employment among parents also affected whether or not various support measures were available.

Free Research Field

社会保障

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的及び社会的意義は、コロナの緊急事態宣言下における各自治体の保育所の休園の状況と休園した保育所の利用者の実情を明らかにしたことにある。コロナ下で何が起こっていたかの調査結果も最近になって公表されるようになっているが、保育所休園がどれだけ保護者に影響を与えたかの実態は不明確な部分も多い。この研究では第1に自治体や保育所の現場が混乱した状況を把握した。第２にコロナは多くの女性が働く対人サービス業界に打撃を与えシーセッション（女性不況）ともいわれたが、コロナによる保育所の閉鎖が母親の就労継続に深刻な影響を与えていることを見出した。