Purpose: This research aims to describe the experience of a mother whose child was taken away by the authorities because of suspected child abuse and to propose better dialogue and interaction between parents and their supporters.

Method: I conducted 18 months research, including successive interviews and participant observation. I respected her freedom to choose whether to cooperate with me for my research, considered her schedule and health conditions, and took care to maintain her privacy. This research was carried out with the approval of my institutional research ethics committee.

Results: The mother shared that the child welfare servant did not listen to her voice. She was relieved and encouraged when a local welfare commissioner and a childminder spoke on her behalf, as she did not have the strength to explain her situation. She had felt that the public servant had not understood her situation. She wanted the public servant to share her impressions and worries as a mother directly. It was difficult for her to understand her child, and she used to threaten her. She wanted to have someone to help her think of a better way. Furthermore, the mother came to see her former child-rearing behavior reflectively by participating in a parent educational program.

Discussion: To support families that face difficulties in child-rearing, it is important for childcare supporters to take into consideration the feelings of the parents. This way childcare supporters will be able to share open dialogue among families.

Objective: The number of persons with mental disorders living in the community is expected to increase in the future. This study aimed to clarify the experiences of parents with mental disorders raising children.

Method: Eight mothers and three fathers with children aged below 18 years were interviewed individually using an interview guide. Transcripts were analyzed qualitatively to identify the experiences of parents with mental disorders raising children.

Results: Parents became unstable due to the adjustment of medications and busy childcare. However, with cooperation from family members and by identifying ways to cope with the medical condition, parents experienced [overcoming the difficulties of controlling the disease during pregnancy and childcare]. Parents were isolated from their family members and friends, and could not obtain support for "childcare while suffering from an illness." [Despite feelings of isolation, parents met other parents and professionals to be supported]. Parents also began to [raise children with own experience related to the disease while managing the effects of the disease on the children]. They experienced [feeling positive about living as a parent] and aimed to maintain social participation while raising their children.

Conclusion: Since parents with mental disorders tend to be isolated, it is important for them to connect with other parents suffering from mental disorders and other people in the community. In addition, contact with such isolated parents by public health nurses and other professionals is necessary to provide support.

Purpose: To clarify visiting nurses’ recognition of Specified Medical Acts System in home care.

Method: An interview survey was administered to eight visiting nurses and the results were analyzed qualitatively and inductively.

Results: With respect to visiting nurses’ recognition of Specified Medical Acts System, the following were classified as “Expectations for Specified Medical Acts System”: ‘Load Reduction from Patients/Family Members,’ ‘Expectation for Recovery Effects by Timely Specified medical acts,’ ‘Controlling for Loss Due to Prohibition of Specified Medical Acts,’ ‘Contribution to Enhancement of Nursing Care Quality,’ ‘Contribution to Improvement in Home Care System,’ and ‘Load Reduction for Doctors’. Meanwhile, the following were classified as “Concerns and Resistance to Specified Medical Acts System”: ‘Enough of Current Medical System,’ ‘Concern over Expanding Medical Practices beyond Nurses’ Roles,’ ‘Resistance to Introduction of Specified Medical Acts System,’ ‘Anxiety about Decline in Original Nursing-care Quality,’ and ‘First Priority of Improvement of Home Care System.’ In addition, “Problems in Operation of Specified Medical Acts System” were identified.

Conclusion: Visiting nurses had both positive and negative recall of Specified Medical Acts System. They were also aware that the practice and operation of specified medical acts entailed problems and therefore, were reluctant to introduce the system. Such perceptions are influenced by insufficient understanding of the system and specific medical situations in their respective regions. To allow for introduction, it is necessary to unify the visiting nurses’ recognition of Specified Medical Acts System and tackle the problems.

Purpose: This paper examined the actual activities and challenges of voluntary disaster prevention residents’ organizations with regard to assisting individuals with special care needs through cooperation among residents.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 leaders of 10 voluntary disaster prevention residents’ organizations. Based on the content of the interviews, we extracted the narratives about the aims of the organizations’ activities, the contrivance in the activities concerning the support for individuals with special care needs, and the difficulties faced in performing the support activities. We then created a code and analyzed it qualitatively and inductively.

Results: Regarding actual activities, there were eight categories such as “Organization's own surveys and visits to all object persons” in order to understand individuals with special care needs, four categories such as “Efforts to match people requiring special care needs with supporters” for the personal assistance plans, and five categories such as “Creation of a cooperative system with local residents, junior high school students, and related organizations” for the implementation of evacuation drills. Moreover, daily support activities such as “Interaction among residents” were performed in preparation for disasters.

Discussion: The following were considered challenges of voluntary disaster prevention residents’ organizations related to assisting individuals with special care needs through cooperation among residents: namely, “Building relationships between individuals requiring special attention and who are less likely to seek support and organizations,” “Demonstrating potential human resources in local communities and reducing the burden on supporters,” and “Ensuring a cooperative relationship.”