Public assistance and education policy: focusing on support for university enrolment in the public assistance

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13738
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08020:Social welfare-related
• Research Institution: Ochanomizu University (2021-2023); Rikkyo University (2020)
• Principal Investigator: Miyake Yudai お茶の水女子大学, 基幹研究院, 助教 (20823230)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 生活保護制度 / 世帯分離就学 / 世帯内就学 / 高等教育

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examines the nature of the public assistance and education policy by conducting research based on an analysis of the proceedings of the Social Security Council and an interview survey of students in higher education from households public assistance in City A in Tokyo.
As a result, (1) the analysis of the proceedings shows that “the separation of households to attend higher education” was justified on the grounds of balance with those who did not go on to higher education. On the other hand, (2) analysis of certain 'deviant' cases (cooperative guardians, students going on to prestigious universities) indicates that the new support programs for students in higher education has expanded opportunities to study and the possibility of continuing to study to a certain extent. However, (3) even in the 'deviant' cases, the financial support of the parents and the curbing of expenditure enabled the students to continue their studies, albeit precariously.

Free Research Field

社会福祉学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の意義は、従来の研究で十分に焦点化されてこなかった論点、すなわち：①大学等入学後の就学継続と、②進学・就学継続に明らかな困難を抱えている事例ではなく、家庭環境が相対的に安定しており学力が高い「逸脱」事例を取り上げて分析したことにある。以上2点は、相対的に安定した状況・高学力の学生でさえも、現行の政策・制度設計（世帯分離＋大学等修学支援新制度）では就学継続に不安定性を残すという、ある種逆説的な問題提起につながり、ひいては、広く大学生等の生活保障／教育保障を（生活保護制度内外で）整備していくうえでの実際的な示唆をもたらすものと考えられる。