Japan school refusal support awareness gaps

Recent surveys in Japan highlight a lack of awareness among parents regarding support systems for children experiencing school refusal.

A Cybozu Social Design Lab study found that 80.3% of working parents were unaware that caregiver leave could be applied to support children refusing to attend school. The survey indicated that while government agencies suggest such leave may be applicable under specific criteria, only 3.0% of parents facing this issue actually utilized it, opting instead for annual paid leave. On the corporate side, 34.2% of HR professionals were unaware of the policy’s applicability, and 58.6% of HR staff noted an atmosphere that makes using such leave difficult.

Further research by LeveColle LLC focused on educational recognition, finding that 63.3% of parents were unaware of a system allowing ICT-based home learning to be recognized as school attendance. The study noted that 60% of children began experiencing school refusal during elementary school, with parents expressing significant anxiety regarding academic delays and the difficulty of maintaining learning habits at home.