Abstract
The transition from extended families to more nuclear families with more women working has presented serious challenges to modern childrearing. To compensate for this, systems and initiatives to support family childcare have been gradually developing since the 1990’s in Japan. However, a substantial number of families in need of help still do not make use of those childcare services. We can improve their participation levels if we understand the reasons why they are unwilling or unable to approach such services. In this article, the authors review available resources such as drop-in centers, short-term childcare facilities, contact with professionals and neighbors in close proximity, and thus examine associations between the usage of these resources and factors which are likely to promote or inhibit their usage. We examine help-seeking tendency, stressful situation, isolated situation, household situation, knowledge, psychological burden, financial burden and effect evaluation. Questionnaire sheets were distributed to caregivers bringing their children to venues for their 4, 18 and 36 months health check-ups conducted in Kobe City in 2015. Logistic regression analysis, using data from 661 caregivers, showed that sufficient knowledge about how to use resources enhanced their use, whereas the psychological burden associated with making use of or relying on resources often inhibited their use.
