Health and Welfare Policy Forum 2022.6 No.308, pp.48-63
Abstract
This article analyzes the state of care for early childhood and elementary school-age children using data from the 2021 Survey of Family and Fertility. The supply of facility services for 0-year-olds fell short of existing demand. In addition, this study found it necessary to expand the supply of not only national and public daycare centers but also national and public kindergartens. In the case of parents of elementary school children, the rate of using other services such as private academies is high even though they wished to use public care services. On the other hand, the percentage of those who wish to use private facilities, such as private education institutions, was quite high. Therefore, public care services need to provide high-quality programs that fully reflect the needs for learning and various activities. Finally as the difficulties in childrearing and physical hardship due to housework were found to be great, it is necessary to expand domestic childcare support along with the provision of appropriate institutional care services.
