[MORIOKA, Japan, 18 May 2011]
 |
| © Japan Committee for UNICEF/2011/k.shindo |
Yoko Kobayashi is a child protection specialist dispatched by UNICEF. In Iwate Prefecture, Ms. Kobayashi met with Takaaki Okudera, the head of the Coordination Section of the Children and Families Division, Health and Welfare Bureau, Iwate Prefectural Government. In her meeting she confirmed the situations of children orphaned as a result of the disaster and other vulnerable children, as well as the prefecture’s policy on those children. Ms. Kobayashi advocated that social care for orphans that have lost their parents or guardians be based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, and that such care be implemented so that the best interests of the child are ensured. Ms. Kobayashi also asked Mr. Okudera to explain the prefecture’s policy on orphaned children.
Mr. Okudera explained that the prefecture’s policy is based on domestic laws as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and that social care will be provided for children orphaned as a result of the disaster in a manner that ensures the best interests of the child. Tadashi Yasuda, Iwate Prefecture Field Manager for the Assistance Headquarters of the Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU), is following up on the prefectural government’s implementation of its social care policy in discussions with various related individuals.
The following is the explanation received from Mr. Okudera.
In Iwate Prefecture, there have been 57 confirmed cases of children that have lost their parents or permanent guardians as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake (as of 22 April). Currently, all children are being looked after at relatives’ homes or other locations.
Iwate Prefecture intends to implement social care for children orphaned by the disaster based on the following policy and priority order, which is in turn based on the Child Welfare Act (revised in 2008), Guidelines on Foster Parenting (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare), related international laws and standards (Convention on the Rights of the Child, United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children) and the Iwate Children’s Plan Proposal (promoting welfare for children that require protection). In addition, the Children and Families Division of the prefectural government, child consultation services, foster parent associations and foster care facility liaison councils have already started working together and have formed a cooperative structure.
1. Basic policy
The decision to implement alternative care for all children orphaned by the disaster shall be made according to the following policy and in light of the circumstances of each individual child.
In addition, after the child is entrusted to their foster family, child consultation centers shall play the central role in continually implementing child-rearing assistance for the receiving family and comprehensive assistance for the child.
2. Order of priority
(1) Relatives becoming foster parents
The first priority is understanding the child’s background and providing family-like care via relatives that allows for continuing family relationships that the child previously had. Promptly certifying suitable relatives as foster parents (relatives within three generations of a particular child become foster parents for that single child only) makes it possible for the family to be supplied with living and educational expenses. It is necessary to provide similar assistance for children relocated to relatives’ homes outside of Iwate Prefecture, as well as to those relatives, by working together with child consultation centers in the prefecture in question.
[Activities]
(2) Entrusting foster care in Iwate Prefecture
The second priority is family-like care through foster families residing within the prefecture. There are 35 foster families certified by the Iwate Prefecture Foster Family Association that can receive children in need of protection, including those orphaned as a result of the disaster. Of those, 22 are able to receive 2 or more children.
[Activities]
(3) Care at foster homes in Iwate Prefecture
In the event that the abovementioned first and second priorities are not thought to be appropriate after consideration is paid to the best interest of the child, the third priority shall be care at a foster home in Iwate Prefecture.
Even in the case that a child is entrusted to care at a foster home, preference will be given as much as possible to small-scale facilities with a family-like atmosphere. This decision will be made based on the basic policy outlined above with consideration given to the opinion of the child and after paying consideration to the child’s age, wishes and situation.
3. Collaboration
In Iwate Prefecture, a social care structure for children orphaned as a result of the disaster has been developed using the collaborative structure between the Children and Families Division of the prefectural government, three child consultation centers, the Iwate Prefecture Foster Parent Association and the Iwate Prefecture Council of Foster Homes. Moreover, with the cooperation of the Iwate Prefecture Bar Association, the prefecture is also working to address the problem of property management for guardians of underage children orphaned as a result of the disaster. The prefecture will continue to exert efforts to further enhance this collaborative structure and ensure that children receive care in a family-like environment that is as close as possible to where they previously lived.
| Receiving Prefecture |
Type of Emergency Supplies |
Arrival Date |
Quantity | Donating Company |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miyagi | Water | 19 Mar. | 12,288 bottles |
VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Fukushima | Water | 22 Mar. | 12,672 bottles |
VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Miyagi | Underwear for boys and girls | 22 Mar. | 200,000 | ||
| Iwate | Underwear for boys and girls | 23 Mar. | 30,000 | ||
| Fukushima | Water | 23 Mar. | 4,680 bottles |
KIRIN MC DANONE WATERS Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Miyagi | Children’s shoes | 23 Mar. | 10,000 pairs |
||
| Miyagi | Children’s diapers | 24 Mar. | 80 packs | P&G Japan | |
| Iwate | Children’s underwear | 24 Mar. | 9,700 | ||
| Fukushima | Water | 24 Mar. | 12,288 bottles |
VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Iwate | Shoes | 26 Mar. | 1,404 pairs | Achilles Corporation | |
| Iwate | Underwear for boys and girls | 27 Mar. | 28,266 | ||
| Iwate | Boots | 27 Mar. | 7,462 pairs | ||
| Iwate | Wipes | 28 Mar. | 1,200 | P&G Japan | For babies |
| Miyagi | Recreation kits Early Childhood Development kits |
2 Apr. | 50 of each | Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division | |
| Iwate | Recreation kits Early Childhood Development kits |
2 Apr. | 50 of each | Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division | |
| Miyagi | Book bags | 6 Apr. | 70 | Nihon New Bag Chain | |
| Iwate | Book bags | 6-7 Apr. | 340 | Seiban | |
| Miyagi | Schoolbags | 8 Apr. | 18,000 | Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division | |
| Iwate | Schoolbags | 8 Apr. | 18,000 | Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division | |
| Miyagi | Personal security buzzers (for crime prevention purposes) | 8 Apr. | 5,000 | ||
| Iwate | Personal security buzzers (for crime prevention purposes) | 8 Apr. | 5,000 | ||
| Miyagi | Minicar | 8 Apr. | 3 cars | ||
| Miyagi | Nutritional supplements | From early April | 4,000 bottles | ||
| Fukushima | Water | 11 Apr. | 1,536 bottles | VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Miyagi | Replenishments for recreation kits | 12 Apr. | 60 sets | ||
| Miyagi | Miniature toy cars | 12 Apr. | Approx. 1,200 | TAKARA TOMY | |
| Sagamihara* | Water | 12 Apr. | 12,288 bottles | VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Miyagi | Play mats | 13 Apr. | Two types; 80 of each type | IKEA | |
| Miyagi | Drawing sets | 13 Apr. | 60 sets | IKEA | |
| Iwate | Preschool-size chairs, tables and low tables | 14 Apr. | 75 chairs; 11 tables; 9 low tables | Donated to preschools, primary schools, junior high schools and high schools in the disaster area as well as their new locations | |
| Miyagi | Mopeds | 15 Apr. | 5 | ||
| Iwate | Notebooks and stationery sets for primary and junior high school students | 15. Apr. | 16,700 sets | ||
| Miyagi | 183 computers; 57 copiers and fax machines; 61 printers | 18-21 Apr. | Distributed to preschools, primary schools, junior high schools and high schools in the disaster area as well as their new locations | ||
| Fukushima | Movable blackboards | 21 Apr. | 10 | ||
| Fukushima | Temporary toilets | 22 Apr. | 20 | ||
| Iwate | Geiger counters | 28 Apr. | 14 | For schools in Soma City | |
| Iwate | Dressing room/ breastfeeding partition system | 28 Apr. | 21 sets | ||
| Saitama* | Milk | From late April | Shelter in Futabamachi, Kazo City | ||
| Saitama* | Yogurt | From early May | Danone Japan | Shelter in Futabamachi, Kazo City | |
| Iwate | Color pencils (120 sets) and paint (240 sets) | 13 May | |||
| Iwate | Student lamps | 14 May | 15 | ||
| Iwate | Stationery sets | 16 May | 840 sets | ||
| Fukushima | Lockers | 16 May | 22 sets | For the Board of Education of Minamisoma City | |
| Fukushima | Computers | 16 May | 1 | Ishikawa Town Board of Education |
Number of UNICEF Children’s Mini Libraries distributed: Approximately 110,000 books to over 350 locations (as of 16 May 2011)
*Areas receiving disaster victims.
*In certain cases some supplies may be taken from prefectural supply storage warehouses and distributed to shelters and disaster sites in other prefectures.
As of 9:00 a.m. on 16 May 2011 (compiled by the Information and Public Affairs Division).