Growing Up Without a Family
16 September, 2021 | By You Me We NPO
Every child deserves to live in a happy healthy family with love and support, yet “45,000 children in Japan were unsafe living with their birth parents in 2018” and the numbers keep rising [1].
According to Japan Children Support Association, approximately 39,000 children out of the 45,000 who are not able to live with their birth parents are living in orphanages. The quality of care in each orphanage differs considerably, but according to UNICEF, “these children are more likely to experience violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation”. [2] Many of these children are not receiving proper education and the shortage of staff is making it more difficult to provide foster parents with sufficient care and support.
As for foster care, “12% of children go into foster care in Japan”. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, Japan has the lowest percentage of foster care among developed countries, even given a warning by the United Nations to improve the system[1] . The figure below shows the percentage of foster children in foster homes. Japan is the lowest on the chart, having only 6% of these children getting placed in foster/ kinship homes.
Figure 1: Percentage of Foster Children in Foster and Kinship Homes- 12 Countries (IFCA 2015)
WHAT CAN YOU DO? HOW CAN YOU HELP?
The involvement of society is a catalyst for change and is quintessential to achieving rights for children between Knights in White Lycra (KIWL) x You Me We NPO (YMW), thousands of children suffering from abuse and neglect can be supported. In light of the @GlobalGiving #LittleByLittle campaign, please join us and help make a change. With 50% matching on all donations up to $50, BIG change can come from lots of little acts of kindness!
Support KIWL 2021 Events, by giving today: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/kiwl-2021-events/
For more information & Links
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[1]“Japan Children Support Association.” 日本こども支援協会, 2017, npojcsa.com/en/index.html. Web. 12 Sept. 2021.
[2]“Children in Alternative Care.” UNICEF, 7 July 2021, www.unicef.org/protection/children-in-alternative-care. Web 12 Sept. 2021
“Percentage of Foster Children in Foster and Kinship Homes- 12 Countries.” Japan Children Support Association. 2017. https://www.ifcaseattle.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Percentage-of-Foster-Children-in-Foster-and-Kinship-Homes-12-Countries.pdf