Possibility of Childcare Facilities in Childcare Social Support:

Identifying the Concerns of Parents with Kindergarteners

Abstract

The objective of this research was clarifying the role of childcare facilities in connecting families with society. First, using “a scale to measure support based on childcare facilities”, which Kashiwa, Iwasa and Sato developed (2017), we focused on three factors affecting child-rearing: 1. emotions related to child-rearing; 2. parentchild relationships and 3. marital relationships. Secondly, by focusing on parents whose children go to childcare facilities, especially kindergartens, characteristics of support needs for parents are clarified.

Based on this study, we concluded that social support could improve the emotional states of parents with kindergarteners and helped families maintain good relationships. In order to support child-rearing for society as a whole, it is required that childcare facilities convey the importance of a marital relationships in child-rearing and seek support that mediates family relationships.