Abstract
The state of emergency was declared in April 2019 to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by the Japanese Government. Stay-at-home requests made mothers with infants isolated from society. According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of child-abuse cases from January to March 2020 had increased by 10 to 20%, compared to the same months in previous year.
In order to keep supporting the mothers’ and/or families’ isolation and anxieties, online remote support group “Online Town Baby Health Room” was established on April 8th and ended on September 30th. It supported the clients’issues in consultation through SNS, such as LINE.
Since.this.project.was.beneficial.for.its.members.while.making.the.most.of.their.specialty,.there.was.high.motivation.to.be.involved, even though they were unpaid volunteers. As a result, a new style of remote support for the mothers/families, can be applicable even if there is a second wave of COVID-19. This method is a sustainable one and it also helped some clients who felt ashamed to be consulted face-to-face. Applying LINE as the familiar communication tool for Japanese people might be one of the great reasons it’s a sustainable method, because it is easy to deal with not only for the clients but also the group members. Moreover, this system realized one of the achievements of SDGs. Aiming at the realization of a society with “No one being Left Behind”, because it considers the individuals left behind in a society whose voices can’t be heard. Consultation through SNS, without face-to-face, might reduce the clients’ stress during consultation. Providing consultation at night might also help the clients who have trouble and anxiety often.
It is assumed that “Online Town Baby Health Room” was able to support mothers/families in trouble, instead of public services, by working with community-based support groups that existed before.
https://ror.org/05d0pgx42 
