I attended a lecture on the ‘Child Welfare Act and Developmental Support for Children with Disabilities’ as part of the initial training for consultation support specialists.
In our daily support work, we often tend to focus first on ‘reducing the burden on guardians’ or ‘securing places for therapeutic education’ when it comes to supporting children with disabilities. While support for families is, of course, an essential and indispensable element, encountering the philosophy underlying the Child Welfare Act during the lecture served as a profound reminder of what perspective should be valued most.
This time, I would like to sincerely record the lessons and insights that were deeply etched into my heart through this lecture.
■ The Starting Point: The ‘Best Interests of the Child’ as Set Forth by the Child Welfare Act
What struck me at the beginning of the lecture were the principles set forth in Articles 1 through 3 of the Child Welfare Act.
In accordance with the spirit of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the fundamental principle is clearly established that ‘the opinions of all children shall be respected, and their best interests shall be prioritized.’
When creating support plans, have we been prioritizing the intentions of guardians who speak passionately or the convenience of supporters and facilities, while leaving behind the voices and wishes of the children who should be the protagonists? As a consultation support specialist for children with disabilities, I have firmly engraved in my heart the importance of always placing the questions ‘What is best for this child?’ and ‘Are the child’s rights to live and develop being protected?’ at the center of my thinking in any situation.
■ High-Quality Support Covering Five Areas and the Core Function of Child Development Support Centers
I also gained many insights into recent trends in legal amendments and remuneration revisions.
In child development support and after-school day services, there is an increasing demand for support that comprehensively and systematically covers five areas: ‘health and daily life,’ ‘movement and sensation,’ ‘cognition and behavior,’ ‘language and communication,’ and ‘human relationships and sociality.’
I was also impressed by the fact that, following the unification of welfare-type and medical-type services, regional child development support centers are strengthening their roles as core hubs. I learned that it is essential to have a perspective of raising the quality of developmental support for the entire region through professional supervisory functions and regional cooperation, rather than keeping support confined to a single facility.
■ The Perspective of ‘Inclusion’ That Does Not End Within the Facility
What made me reflect most deeply was the promotion of inclusion (integration into the local community).
The goal should not be just to attend a specialized therapeutic education facility, but to create an environment where children with and without disabilities can grow together in general local group settings such as nursery schools, kindergartens, and elementary schools. There is a need to promote social inclusion as a whole by encouraging the use of nursery school visitation support and concurrent attendance (using both a nursery school and a facility).
I realized that the important role that consultation support should play is not just to protect children within the framework of special support, but to act as a bridge to places where they can naturally play and learn with friends in the community.
■ ‘Vertical Coordination’ Connecting Life Stages and ‘Horizontal Coordination’ Linking Multiple Agencies
Furthermore, my perspective was broadened regarding the importance of a seamless coordination system.
‘Vertical coordination’ (life-stage coordination) involves walking alongside children to ensure that support is not interrupted at milestones of growth, from infancy to school age and through the transition to adulthood. And ‘horizontal coordination’ involves diverse related agencies—not only in welfare but also in health, medicine, education, and administration—working together across boundaries.
I learned that as a consultation support specialist for children with disabilities, I bear the responsibility of becoming a hub that shares information and builds a system to support children and their families as a team.
■ Attending to the Well-being of the Entire Family
Finally, here is an insight regarding family support.
Along with developmental support for the child, it is essential to have a perspective that supports the ‘well-being of the entire family,’ including the anxiety and isolation felt by guardians and consideration for siblings. Rather than unilaterally instructing guardians, I want to be a warm companion who empathizes with the hardships of child-rearing and empowers families by believing in their strength.
■ Conclusion
I was taught that support for children with disabilities is not merely about compensating for developmental delays, but about nurturing the foundation for a child to maintain their dignity as a human being and carve out a rich future within their community.
I will continue to deepen my learning step by step, aiming to be a supporter who listens to the silent voices of children, does not overconfidently rely on my own judgment, and continues to walk alongside children and their families with a humble attitude.
