On Interpretations of “Independence” by the Caretakers of Children within Households Using Public Assistance ――Through the Voices of Caretakers――

Abstract

This research examines the views of public assistance recipients with children in order to (1) analyze how caretakers interpret the concept of “independence, ” and (2) attempt to provide an explanation for why recipients have adopted their particular understanding of the term. This paper presents the analytical findings from interview surveys with 16 caretakers (14 families) receiving public assistance from Welfare Office B of City A in the Greater Tokyo Area. The analysis led to the following conclusions: (1) recipient caretakers did not feel they had a right to public assistance; as a result of subjection to the denigrating gaze directed at recipients, they interpreted the use of public assistance as a state of “dependency” and deemed it therefore “undesirable.” As such, (2) caretakers not only demonstrated an understanding of “independence” as a state of financial self-support (i.e. the cessation of public assistance), but also situated financial independence as “desirable” and a personal “goal.”