Child-rearing and Education

● Pregnancy and delivery　● Medical checkups for children　● Nursery school　● Assistance plans for single-female parent families　● Kindergarten ● Educational system in Japan　
● Life-long learning　● International Friendship

 

●Pregnancy and delivery

If you become pregnant, make a Notification of Pregnancy at the City Residents Division in City Hall, a branch office, Residents' Service Corner, or the Suita Municipal Health Center. Then, the Mother Child Health Booklet (Boshi Kenko Techo) for recording the progress of pregnancy, delivery, and child-rearing is issued. When the child is born, you must complete the legal procedures such as the birth registration and the alien registration for the child within 14 days. Contact the following for more information:

Suita Municipal Health Center	06-6339-1212

 

Childbirth Assistance Plan

This plan assists those with difficulties in making payment for delivery (visits and hospitalization) depending on the income level.＊1

　

Children's Medical Expense Assistance Plan

This plan partly assists medical expenses for preschool children eligible for the Health Insurance Plan depending on the income level.＊1

 

Home visit program for children

Nationally Commissioned Welfare Volunteers and Chief Child Committee Members visit households rearing newborns before four months after birth to deliver municipal child-rearing assistance project booklets and to provide useful information for child rearing, including the medical checkup schedule and invitation to a child-rearing group.＊1

　

Child-rearing assistance home visit project

Nationally commissioned child-rearing assistance home visit volunteers visit the households in need of child-rearing assistance shortly after delivery or for multiple births for persons who experience difficulty in seeking support. The volunteers provide useful information and consultation services.（However, the volunteers will not perform child-rearing or housework for such households.）＊1

 

Childcare consultation

Consultation services for child care and family problems such as child abuse are provided.＊1

 

＊1　For more information, contact the Child Affairs Office.

Child Affairs Office	Allowance and Subsidy Officer	06-6384-1470
	Maternal and Child Consultation Officer	06-6384-1471
	Child Care Consultation Officer	06-6384-1472

 

●Medical checkups for children

Medical checkups for children at age 4 months, 9 to 11 months, 18 months, and 3 years; dental checkups for children at age 30 months; and sixth-year molar checkups are available. Those eligible will be informed individually.＊2

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are available for children at age 3 months or older. Use the applicable Vaccination Coupon issued by Suita City at a cooperative medical institution in Suita City.＊2

＊2　Contact Suita Municipal Health Center for more information.

 

●Nursery school

In Japan, it is not common to hire babysitters. If none of the parents or guardians can take care of their children during the daytime due to work or illness, they can take the children to a nursery school. For enrollment, contact the following:

Nursery Division (HOIKU-KA)	General Affairs Section	06-6384-1541
	Nursery Section	06-6384-1568
	Enrollment Section	06-6384-1592

Child allowances

Those raising children up to 6th grade of elementary school are provided with a child allowance as shown below depending on income. ＊1

Age	Amount of allowance
Up to and including the month of the child’s 3rd birthday	10,000 yen
The following month of the child’s 3rd birthday and later	1st and 2nd children	3rd and additional children
	5,000 yen	10,000 yen

 

●Assistance plans for single-female parent families

Child Support Allowance

Single-female parent families raising children until the first March after the day on which the said children reach 18 years old, depending on income. Those considered single-female parent families due to a disabled or missing father are also eligible.＊1

Medical expense assistance plan for single parent families

This plan partly assists the medical expenses of children and their parents or guardians who are eligible for health insurance until March 31 after reaching the child’s 18th birthday. Some households may not be eligible for this plan due to their income status.＊1

Maternal and child consultation

This plan provides single-female parents with personal life, pre-divorce, and loan consultations and gives advice for self-sustenance.＊1

＊1　For more information, contact the Child Affairs Office.　

 

●Kindergarten

Kindergartens accept children from age 3 (Municipal kindergartens in accept enrollment of children in the April following the 4th birthday.) to before elementary school entrance. Children spend about 4 hours a day in kindergarten. Some kindergartens allow selection of the enrollment period between 1 and 3 years. In early October, each kindergarten accepts applications for new enrollments to begin in April of the following year.
The monthly fee for municipal Kindergartens is 7，000 yen. Private kindergarten fees are also partially subsidized by the city.

Kindergarten Division (YOUCHIEN-KA)	06-6384-2821

 

● Educational system in Japan

Compulsory education is provided through 6 years at elementary school, which starts at the age of 6, and through the following 3 years at junior high school. Although tuition and textbook fees are free, expenses for the school lunch and some teaching materials are required. Those who wish to enroll their children in a municipal elementary/junior high school must bring the Certificate of Alien Registration to the Student Affairs Division, Suita Education Committee. Those who wish to enroll their children in an international school or private school must contact the respective school directly. 

 

 

Financial aid and scholarship 【Student Affairs Division】

This plan subsidizes the cost of schooling expenses necessary for elementary and junior high school students and the tuition fees for senior high school, vocational high school, and special school (higher course) students, depending on income level. Applications should normally be made in April, but are accepted in May and later. For details, contact the following:

Student Affairs Division	Enrollment Officer	06-6384-2457
	Financial assistance/school expense subsidies Officer	06-6384-2458

 

Consultation for education, school refusal, bullying, emotional and developmental problems【Education Center】

Children between 3 and 18 years old (age for high school) and their guardians are eligible. Please phone for reservations. Confidentiality is strictly maintained. Those who are unable to visit the Education Center are advised to use the telephone consultation or home visit consultation service.

Education Center	2-1 Deguchicho	06-6388-1455
Reservation of consultation for education, school refusal, bullying, emotional and developmental problems	Mon. to Fri. (excluding the Year-end, New Year holidays and National holidays), and the 3rd Sunday of every month 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.	06‐6384-4488
Line dedicated to consultation about bullying		06‐6337-5411

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

● Life-long learning

Information about instructors and circles for life-long learning

・Human resource agency for life-long learning （Human treasure box） 【Life-long Learning Division】

Information is provided by those with knowledge and expertise. The list of registered members and the Application Form for Human Resource Agency are available at regional community centers and other public institutions. These documents can also be downloaded from the official website of Suita City.

・Registration of life-long learning circles (Circle Net Suita)　 【Life-long Learning Division】

Information about different cultural circles and groups (including volunteer groups and NPOs) is provided. The list of groups and the Application Form for Activity Group Registration are available at regional community centers and other public institutions. These documents can also be downloaded from the official website of Suita City.

Life-long Learning Division	Policy Planning Section	06-6384‐2357
	Culture Promotion Section	06-6384-2372

 

● International Friendship

Promoting activities for international friendship/international understanding

Suita Interpeople Friendship Association

The Suita Interpeople Friendship Association coordinates various activities to promote international friendship.

・ Publicizes the official newsletter “SIFA Times” to provide information about international exchanges

・ Provision of a foreign newspaper/magazine corner and information about international exchange activities

・ Coordinates foreign language conversational classes for adults (English, French, Chinese, and Korean) and English conversational classes for children

・ Hosts an international friendship event the “SUITA International Plaza” (May)

・ Hosts the “Suita Junior High School English Speech Contest”

・ Promotes international exchange volunteer activities and coordinates training sessions

・ Provides support for foreign residents

・ Coordinates free Japanese language classes for foreign SIFA members. Babysitting is available for some classes.

・ Introduces Japanese culture, coordinates programs to visit cultural institutions in Suita City

・ Cooperates with host family programs for overseas students at university and other schools

・ Supports children from multi-cultural backgrounds in their schooling

・ Dispatches community interpreters (to hospitals and administrative agencies).

Suita Interpeople Friendship Association	06-6835-1192