This study tried to clarify the following points regarding empowerment of mothers: how mothers change through their use of Local Projects of Community Parenting Support Centers, how such changes related to mothers' characteristics/parenting support workers' views on parenting support/mothers' consciousness on ethical norms, and how parenting support workers' views on parenting support and their views on mothers' consciousness on ethical norms. To investigate these points, the author conducted a survey with mothers and support workers in Community Parenting Support Centers in Japan. As a result, using Local Projects of Community Parenting Support Centers decreases burden of parenting on mothers, promotes mothers' acquisition and application of information on parenting, and encourages networking among mothers. This study found out that the changes of mothers tend to be affected more by mothers' consciousness on ethical norms than by support workers' views on parenting support, and support workers' views on mothers' consciousness on ethical norms tend to affect their own views on parenting support.

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This study discusses the possibility of development of community-based child-rearing support centers by grasping intervention practices of the support staff. The focus is on support for parents who show signs of worry, those who demand counseling, those who are at risk of maltreatment of children, those who are isolated in community, and single parents with difficulties. Interviews with support staff were conducted at 15 centers. The analysis of their narratives showed that openness of the places might lead these parents to lower thresholds to ask for help. The key conditions were staff's sensitivity and flexibility to diverse needs of parents, continuity of support, practical and psychological help, partnerships with other institutions, and the integration of concepts of social work, mental health and education in a support team.

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The purpose of this study is to determine the role of parental involvement in kindergarten as a child rearing support. Observations were made of a Parental Involvement Program, and the parents and kindergarten teachers were surveyed by questionnaires. The results show that the parents gained relief from watching their children's daily lives in kindergarten and understood better the teacher's works regarding care for children. Teachers learned about how parents reared their children and about their problems. This experience led both parents and teachers to understand each other better and helped make a stronger relationship for caring for their children. However, parents felt some difficulties in Parental Involvement. This learning and conflict will help foster as a community of practice based on Lave and Wenger's theory of Legitimate Peripheral Participation.

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In this study, I carried out interviews for mothers of children from 2 to 6 years about the child-rearing consultation by the kindergarten. The qualitative analysis by M-GTA revealed changes of the mothers' consciousness depending on the growth of children. The child-rearing consultation by kindergarten should take a style not only of an individual counseling but of a casual counseling while watching the child. At the same time, it is expected a role as a special education coordinator to mediate between mothers and class teachers, and to connect local related organizations.

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This study examined a method of child rearing support, where parents can learn how to extend the social skills of children while playing with them. I devised and ran the child-rearing support programs utilizing the parent-child movement activities for the 11 pairs of mothers and children with developmental disabilities, aiming at social skills acquisition of their children. As a result, both mothers' confidence in their parenting and social skills of their children had improved significantly. According to the analysis of the free description and impressions of the mothers through the practice, it became clear that mothers had found some other different parenting skills other than those taught and began to use them voluntarily. Further, the mothers said that this program had been easy for them and their children to understand and practice.

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This study focuses on intrinsic human intersubjectivity by examining the child rearing practices in communities, aims to investigate issues in assisting child rearing in communities that focuses on developing children's intersubjectivity. In considering child rearing in parent support programs that promote the restrain of emotions based on behavioral theory, four change-promoting factors were identified in parents, based on a questionnaire survey of parents conducted after training; namely, "receptiveness to children's intersubjectivity," "enhanced parental efficacy," "stability of self-esteem," and "self-reflection." Through collective child rearing, not only do parents reflect on their own practices but parental intersubjectivity is cultivated through interaction with other parents or with the program staff. Moreover, in parent-child interaction, the first signs of children's developing intersubjectivity were visible.

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This study aims to find out the hidden meaning of Babyklappe and anonymous birth in Germany as a form of child-rearing support. SterniPark, an association for education of children, established the first Babyklappe (baby hatch) in Germany. It not only established the Babyklappe, but the association gave the first anonymous birth. It is a private local organization that manages some kindergartens. What is the aim of this association? I clarified not only the relation between child-rearing support and Babyklappe, but also the relation between early childhood care and SterniPark. This study analyzed the philosophical background of SterniPark. As a result, it seems that the pedagogy of the association originates in New Education. However, their philosophy is also influenced by the critical theory. The results suggest that SterniPark not only founded Babyklappe but also showed the possibility of the new way of the child-rearing support.

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