A limited number of studies have been conducted on touching technique by Yogo teachers. The present study aimed to understand current practices of the touching technique and its recognition by Yogo teachers and also to investigate the practice in relation to the nature and the specialty of their duties using a questionnaire survey.

A self-administered anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted to 340 participants of incumbent Yogo teacher workshops held at four cities between July and August, 2010. The questionnaire consists of questions on demographic characteristics, current practices on the touching technique and recognition towards the technique（249 questionnaires collected, return rate: 73.3％）.

Results showed that 95.2％ Yogo teachers use the touching technique while corresponding with students. On the other hand, it has been speculated that Yogo teachers have less opportunities to attend training sessions for the touching technique and relied upon their own experiences. From the factor analysis on occasions which Yogo teachers use the technique, the technique was categorized into “touching for daily communication purpose”, “touching for anticipated psychological effects”, and “touching for physical relations”. Each category was related to each other and showed significant（p＜0.01）correlations with “positive reactions and changes of children”. Factor analysis on perceived effects of the touching technique extracted three factors, namely “effects on mental and physical recovery and drive for mutual trust”, “effects on Yogo teachers and health room”, and “effects on approval, protection and value for existence”.

Associations between the touching and other practices were also examiend and actions including “verbal support using consoling wordings”were significantly（p＜0.01）correlated. It is estimated that touching actions with “verbal support using consulting wordings” is an important element of the touching technique by Yogo teachers.

The aim of this paper is to clarify the process through which Yogo teachers assist junior high school students who spend nearly all their time in the school health room because they cannot bear to be in their classes. Cases in which Yogo teachers identified an improvement in the students' development were analyzed using Modified Grounded Theory Approach (M-GTA). The results revealed: that in supporting such students, Yogo teachers adjust their support action according to each student (Adjusted Support Action); build a relationship with them (Relationship Building); assist them directly according to their development (Customized Care); and cooperate with other staff members, the student's family, and external institutions (Support Network).

We have surveyed the activities of Yogo teachers who worked at schools in Ibaraki that became refuges following the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, and clarified the five following points:

1）Following the earthquake, most Yogo teachers brought out first-aid medicine, blankets and supplies sanitary from the health room, and also paid attention to the management of personal information of students.

2）While refuges had been opened in the schools, Yogo teachers promoted environmental hygiene, and also promoted the mental and physical well-being of children and people there.

3）Few Yogo teachers cooperated with staff of other professionals (medical staff and volunteers).

4）Approximately 70％ of Yogo teachers felt that there were few burdens regarding their activities at the refuges.

5）At this time, Yogo teachers who referred to some reports of activities on past earthquakes comprised approximately 30％.

Therefore, it is suggested that Yogo teachers should show a sufficient level of specialty at refuges in schools set up during such a disaster, and that it is important to provide support so that Yogo teachers can give peace of mind to children and people there.

Objective: To apply the method to typical junior high school students and university students who have eating problems, we conducted a trial examination of meals and dining circumstances using photographic dietary assessment. The aim was that this method could be used by teachers whose major is not nutrition to assess the meals and dining circumstances of their own students.

Method: Twenty junior high school students and twenty university students posted photos of all the dishes and drinks they consumed in a 3-nonconsecutive day period, taken by the cameras on their mobile phones. The group study analyzed the dietary balance of the consumed meals using the Japanese food guide spinning top. Dining circumstances were analyzed by establishing the new criteria of（1）contrasting the use of a variety of serving containers with the use of typical table-ware,（2）the appropriate dining setting of rice and soup, and（3）the combination of dishes and drinks consumed at one meal. Furthermore, as a case study, we examined the meals and dietary circumstances of a junior high school girl who shows a tendency for simplistic meals and dining circumstances.

Results:

1）Neither male nor female students of either group consumed the target servings of grains, vegetables or fruit to maintain a balanced diet.

2）Regarding dining circumstances, students of both groups who frequently ate from alternative containers, or used cooking utensils instead of typical table-ware, and consumed an inappropriate combination of dishes and drinks, frequently consumed ready-made meals.

3）From the case study, the girl's photos of meals and dining circumstances not only confirmed an inadequate diet but also highlighted a pattern of simplistic eating, including the use of a variety of serving containers instead of the use of typical table-ware.

Conclusion: This study confirmed the diversity in the condition of meals and dining circumstances, and the convenience of conducting such research. The necessity for supporting a person who has a variety of eating problems was indicated through the use of photographs. These photographs highlighted the simplicity of eating habits, which is not shown in a more typical meal analysis of dietary contents.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the circumstances surrounding how Yogo teachers respond to parents in cases of（suspected）child abuse, and to consider future tasks for family support services provided by elementary school Yogo teachers.

Methods: An interview survey was conducted with 11 Yogo teachers working at public elementary schools in regarding how they respond to parents in cases of child abuse.

Result: The results revealed the following nine categories of family support provided by Yogo teachers: assessing the degree of emergency and prioritizing interventions; collaborative support with other disciplines and relevant institutions; building trusting relationships with guardians; attempting to prevent isolation and reduce stress; attempting to improve parenting skills; conducting health consultations; and evaluating the components of family support services. The support provided by Yogo teachers included procedures unique to their profession, indicating that Yogo teachers working at schools utilize their specialist skills well in the support process.

Discussion: Schools must often deal with complex and problematic cases of child abuse, making family support by school staff including Yogo teachers extremely difficult. It is crucial for them to cooperate with outside institutions, understand others' perspectives, and provide support collaboratively. Additional empirical research on family support processes provided by Yogo teachers is needed to design support that is preventive in nature. In addition, building practical training programs that incorporate family support perspectives is urgently needed.