[TOKYO, Japan, 27 May 2011]
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF |
The Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) worked together with the Japan Association for Play Therapy to provide play therapy training for teachers and caretakers of preschool-aged children that were affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The seminars were held for two days on 29 May and 30 May at preschools and kindergartens in Miyagi Prefecture, and we are currently looking for more participants.
Since the earthquake, JCU has worked to support psychological assistance for children victim to the disaster, making appeals to the vital necessity for such assistance. JCU has held play therapy training for teachers and caretakers when implementing training that makes use of manuals (Code of Ethics) on how to interact with children following disasters, which UNICEF uses throughout the world, and when children return to reopened preschools and kindergartens. Teachers, nursery staff and volunteers that have received this training have voiced their opinions on the training, saying, “I had no idea how to interact with children following the disaster, so I was very happy that I took the training.” Another person noted, “It was difficult to share information with other kindergartens, so after hearing the concerns of others today I felt that I was not alone.”
JCU has again been implementing play therapy training for the psychological care of children since mid-May, two months following the earthquake disaster. This training allows for comprehensive psychosocial assistance to reach children and their households.
Play therapy implementation schedule for 29 / 30 may (Miyagi)
| Date | Location | Target/No. of participatnts |
|---|---|---|
| 29 May (Sun) | Arazuki Day-care Center | Nursery staff / about 35 people for each session |
| 30 May (Mon) | Aikawa Day-care Center | 18 caretakers and 7 nursery staff |
| Natori Kindergarten | 25 nursery staff |
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What is play therapy?
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF |
Play therapy is a way for teachers and caretakers to learn methods to provide children with a place to express their feelings and thoughts by using toys in a safe environment. It is said that children become able to express their feelings using words on the same level as adults once they are 11 or 12 years old, in their upper primary school years. In the 1920s and 1930s child psychologists sought to answer the questions: Is there a way for children, during their developmental process, to express their feelings? And can such a method be used for therapy? The result was the combination of therapy and playing, hence the birth of play therapy.
Scientific research that measures the actual effects of play therapy as a form of psychological therapy for children has become prevalent in recent years, and the effectiveness of this method has been well established. There are a vast number of children in dire need of psychological care. JCU will continue to work with the Japan Association for Play Therapy to ensure the happiness of as many children as possible.
| 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 |
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| 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)
-Number of children that have participated in the UNICEF “Let’s Play! The Outdoors Playtime Project” in Fukushima Prefecture: Approximately 5,600 (as of 26 May)
*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).