International Medical Journal
Volume 3, Issue 4, 1996, Pages 261-263

Support for refugee children and their families (Short Survey)

Hayashida H.* , Inomata J. , Suzuki J. , Matsuda F. , Hayashi M. , Yamazaki K. , Mihara R. , Kobayashi R.
  • a Dept. Psychiatry Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Boseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-11, Japan
  • b Dept. Psychiatry Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Boseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-11, Japan
  • c Dept. Psychiatry Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Boseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-11, Japan
  • d Dept. Psychiatry Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Boseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-11, Japan
  • e Dept. Psychiatry Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Boseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-11, Japan
  • f Dept. Psychiatry Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Boseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-11, Japan
  • g Dept. Psychiatry Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Boseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-11, Japan
  • h Dept. Psychiatry Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Boseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-11, Japan

Abstract

The number of refugees Japan is harboring at present amount to about 9800, but the number of children have not been accounted for with accuracy. Many forms of support have been extended to the refugee families through the Yokouchi Nursery School of the Shounan Welfare Center since 1983, working in close cooperation with the Refugee Assistance Headquarters, Foundation for Welfare and Education of Asian People, child guidance centers, welfare office, and schools. In this paper, the status quo of such refugee children and their families are reported together with some of the problematic aspects. The parents have undergone language and career training before obtaining employment, and are carrying on without marked financial difficulties. The nursery school children typically have 2-3 siblings, enrolled in nearby elementary and junior high schools. The children's acquisition of Japanese has been smooth, but the parents do not have ample command of the language, and the native language is employed in the homes. The children are highly active in the nursery and elementary schools, living their lives having blended in indistinguishably with the Japanese children, although harboring problems such as language barrier between parent and child. In this day and age of internationalized society, the refugee problem is a crucial social problem which we cannot put aside. We would like to review what it is we can do for these refugee children, born and bred in Japan, to expedite their adaptation and integration into Japanese society.

Author Keywords

Japan Medical problem Countermeasure Refugee children

Index Keywords

career Short Survey Japan human social problem sibling social support refugee school society employment income nursery school family language ability Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0030481585&partnerID=40&md5=02602085ac7acecd8c4279ba13393dff
ISSN: 13412051
Original Language: English