Supporting Children with Disabilities in Play Activities During the Process of Shiftingfrom Home-Based Care to Daycare Settings in Japan
Abstract
Tomoko YAMAMOTO
This study examined the support for children with disabilities in play activities during the process of shifting from home-based care to daycare settings. As the results, the support related to child development, families, and communities promoted playing that took into account children’s age and the types and levels of disability, understanding of children as well as their disabilities in the process of playing, inclusion of children in the community, and the building of a relationship between children and the community. Also, the results identified the following: in order to protect children’s rights to play, it is important to not only promote their recovery and development through playing, but also respect the independence of children with diseases or disabilities; create a better life for children and ensure their social participation through playing that is supported by a spontaneous motivation aiming at playing for its own sake; and obtain further support from national and local governments.