Marketization of Childcare Policies and the Reality of Childcare Labor

Abstract

The new system of child and child―rearing support was launched in 2015 with a view to enhancing the quality and increasing the supply of early childhood education, childcare, and child and child―rearing support services in communities. However, the new system has not eliminated the shortage of quality childcare slots. In addition, many day nurseries have had difficulty securing qualified staff.The true aim of this reform may be regarded as eliminating the clause in the Child Welfare Act that stipulates that the local government bears responsibility for providing childcare services, and as introducing a new scheme based on direct contracts between day nurseries and service users, thereby rolling back the state’s responsibility for childcare and creating a market for childcare services by facilitating the market entry of for―profit providers of childcare.While surveying the problems caused by the reform program, this paper focuses specifically on several resulting problems, including shortages of childcare workers. In addition, this paper elucidates the working conditions of childcare staff, based on the survey conducted by the National Union of Welfare and Childcare Workers, examines the government measures for securing nursery staff, and makes several proposals for addressing staff shortages.