As the number of working parents is increasing, also the need for childcare services increases, and facilities are required as “alternative home base” for school-age children to spend afterschool hours and seasonal holidays when parents are at work. However, the supply of possible facilities has not been sufficient in quantity nor in quality even though the school-age childcare system in Japan was established in 1997 based on the Child Welfare Act. One potential solution to answer this need is offered by more efficient utilisation of existing private buildings. According to the statistics of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2016, but currently only 20% of these facilities utilize private buildings.
This study analyses the current facility conditions and the process of converting existing private buildings for school-age childcare. The analysis is based on a questionnaire and eight interviews with the staff at after-school childcare centres in Osaka city carried out in 2015.
The analysis showed that the process of utilizing existing private buildings for childcare consist of three phases. In phase 1, the organizers need to find a property by themselves, but it is extremely difficult for them to find facilities that suit the children`s activities. Thus they require support from the local authorities to obtain information about the vacancy and availability of the property. A further challenge is that the property must meet certain conditions: a playground is located nearby, a kitchen is available, and there is sufficient space for the number of children in day care. In addition, it must be located at a suitable distance from the school and playground and the rent needs to be affordable.
In phase 2, the property needs renovation before occupancy because it is generally aged and planned for other use. The results of the questionnaire show the properties were refurbished on the expense of the users. In all the cases, they paid for the interior renovations, and in four cases they paid for the facility as well. However, the facilities could not be sufficiently renovated because of the limited budget. Thus, funding for earthquake-resistant structures and emergency exits should be provided by the government.
In phase 3, the challenge is to ensure long-term occupancy as the facility is supposed to be an alternative home for the children. The results of the questionnaire show that the users had experienced relocation once or twice in every 10 years on average. Thus selecting an appropriate property and suitable renovation could lengthen the period of utilisation because the main reasons for relocation are request by property owner or neighbours to move out, and improper facilities.
The results show that more than 80 per cent of the current facilities are sufficient with a kitchen, W.C. and a rest space. On the other hand, 60-80 per cent of the facilities had an emergency exit and route, a work space, an entrance, a storage, space to separate different kinds of activities, and a changing space. Less than 60% had a dooryard and shower.
Based on the analysis, this study identified ten requirements for sufficient facility improvement:
·A living room where all children and staff can be assemble in.
·Spaces to separate daynamic and static activities.
·Sufficient visibility that allows supervision of the children.
·Adequate number of toilet bowls for the children.
·A kitchen available for cooking.
·Adequate entrance for the use of children.
·Storage for equipment and materials for camping and bazaars.
·Door yard between the street and entrance.
·Emergency exit and route in addition to the main entrance.
·Physical settings that prevent noise.
