[Recommendations] Strengthening Mental Health Care for Kindergarten Teachers, Nursery School Teachers, Other Child Care Providers and Parents and Guardians of Preschoolers (February 7, 2023)
date : 2/7/2023
Tags: Child Health, Mental Health
The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Child Health Project formulated policy recommendations titled, “Strengthening Mental Health Care for Kindergarten Teachers, Nursery School Teachers, Other Child Care Providers and Parents and Guardians of Preschoolers.” For details, please view the PDF provided bottom.
Starting in FY2020, HGPI has emphasized children’s health as a key item on the health policy agenda while advancing its Children’s Health Project. In that project, we have gathered domestic and global opinion leaders and related organizations from industry, Government, academia, and civil society in this field for advisory board meetings, hearings, and expert meetings. Together, we have worked to build quantitative data by conducting intervention surveys among elementary and middle school students, to crystallize current issues and discussion points in health policy based on that data, and to consider which direction to set for addressing those issues. While doing so, we have maintained a steady focus on mental health as a priority health item for children that is closely related to physical and mental development and socioeconomic issues. As a result of these activities, the Children’s Health Project released its first set of policy recommendations in June 2022, titled, “Four Recommendations for Prevention and Support in Children’s Mental Health – HGPI’s View on Children’s Mental Health Policy.”
Those recommendations outlined the need for seamless, comprehensive support from pregnancy to childbirth and until adulthood that is based on points of view centered on individuals and that encompass the entire life course to help children grow up healthy. They also emphasized the need to create more opportunities to provide education on mental health for adults who work with children, especially those in support roles.
With our focus on mental health, a crucial aspect of physical and mental development for children that is closely related to socioeconomic issues, our FY2022 activities continued efforts from FY2021 for establishing a support system that operates from the early preschool period to provide more opportunities for early detection and intervention for mental disorders. With support from the Nippon Foundation, we designed and conducted an educational program on mental health for kindergarten teachers, nursery school teachers, and others who support preschool-aged children and conducted a study to verify the program’s effectiveness. Based on the results of that effectiveness assessment, in addition to preparing a booklet on mental health for families, we will also compile key perspectives on supporting children’s mental health in the form of policy recommendations. By disseminating those recommendations to policymakers and similar parties, we will aim to contribute to better health for children.
■Overviews of Policy recommendations
Perspective 1: Kindergarten and nursery school teachers must be provided education, counseling and support as professionals who support the lives of children
1-1: The need for further evidence-based mental health education in kindergarten and nursery school teacher training programs
1-2: The need for regular, practical mental health education and training in early childhood education and child care settings
1-3: The need to establish a system of support and collaboration at the regional level so that children, parents and guardians can be offered a support system in a sustainable way that does not place an undue burden on facilities
1-4: The importance of developing a system for kindergarten and nursery school teachers to consult with experts for their own mental health care
Perspective 2: Parents and guardians must deepen their understanding and take care of both their child’s mental health and their own
2-1: The need to ensure that parents and guardians have continuous access to information on children’s mental development and health and that they have opportunities for timely and appropriate counseling and support regarding their children
2-2: The need to ensure that parents and guardians have continuous access to information on mental health and stress management for themselves and that they have opportunities for timely and appropriate counseling and support for their own mental health care
2-3: The need to centralize information so that parents and guardians responsible for raising children can easily obtain information regarding their child’s mental health and their own
日本語
Top Research & Recommendations Posts
- [Announcement] A Turning Point Towards Building Green Healthcare Systems (June 5, 2024)
- [Policy Recommendations] Developing a National Health and Climate Strategy for Japan (June 26, 2024)
- [Publication Report] Guidance on Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Health Policymaking: Necessary Initiatives and Good Examples from the Public and Government (March 31, 2024)
- [Policy Recommendations] Obesity Control Promotion Project 2023 “The Next Steps for Engaging and Cooperating with Patients, Citizens, and Communities for Implements of Obesity Control Measurements” (April 8, 2024)
- [Research Report] Healthcare DX Project Research Report of Interviews ”Expectations for the Coming Era of Healthcare DX from People Living with Health Concerns” (June 10, 2024)
- [Policy Recommendations] Recommendation for the Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform 2024 (June 11, 2024)
- [Policy Recommendations] Kidney Disease Control Promotion Project 2023 “Establishing Kidney Disease Control Measures with Patient, Citizen, and Community Engagement and Collaboration” Policy Recommendations, a Collection of Good Practices of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and Control Measures in Local Governments (February 14, 2024)
- [Research Report] Building a Mental Health Program for Children and Measuring its Effectiveness (June 16, 2022)
- [Public Comment Submission] Web based consultations on NCDs and mental health by World Health Organization (June 25, 2024)
- [Research Report] 2019 Survey on Healthcare in Japan
Featured Posts
-
2024-06-21
[Event Report] HGPI Special Seminar – HGPI Celebrates its 20th Anniversary: Reflecting on HGPI’s Journey from the Past to the Future (January 16, 2024)
-
2024-06-25
[Public Comment Submission] Web based consultations on NCDs and mental health by World Health Organization (June 25, 2024)
-
2024-06-26
[Event Report] Global Expert Meeting “Innovation in Cancer Care in Developing Countries ~City Cancer Challenge Initiatives“ (June 20, 2024)
-
2024-06-26
[Registration Open] (Webinar) The 127th HGPI Seminar: Current Issues and Future Prospects in Establishing a Health System and Protecting Public Health Through Policy (July 18, 2024)
-
2024-07-01
[Registration Open] Meaningful Involvement Promotion Project Online Expert Meeting “Shaping the Future of Health Policy with People with Lived Experience and Citizens” (July 26, 2024)