This training program is primarily intended for local governments and related organizations aiming to increase the number of registered foster carers.
Participants will learn about “design thinking” and explore practical ways to identify and develop effective strategies in recruiting foster carers. “Design thinking” is a widely used approach in the planning of various public services, as it is an effective tool for solving problems by taking the perspective of the people receiving those services.

This training program will be conducted in a workshop format combining lectures and group work. Participants will examine the barriers that potential foster carers face in registering as foster parents, and discuss specific strategies in eliminating these obstacles and increasing the number of foster carer registrations, while also taking into account the current situations of each organization.

This training program consists of three parts.

1. Introduction:
   Online, approximately 1 hour, free of charge
   Introduction to the process of identifying and planning foster carer recruitment measures using design thinking.
2. Basic:
   In-person, approximately 3 hours. (Training fees available upon request)
   A workshop to experience the process of identifying and developing foster carer recruitment strategies using design thinking.
3. Practice:
   3 days (Day 1: online, 1 hour; Days 2 and 3: in-person, 4 hours each). (Training fees available upon request)
   Hands-on support to develop and implement concrete strategies for foster carer recruitment based on analyses of challenges specific to your municipality or region.

The assessment conducted during the foster carer application process is a crucial step that leads to matching of suitable foster parents and children, and to subsequent foster care. Since 2020, the Institute for Social Childcare at Waseda University has been holding a Fostering Assessment Review Committee, conducting research in Japan based on the UK's fostering assessment model, and studying the Fostering Assessment Form and its usage. As a result, the Institute has created its own Fostering Assessment Form.
This training program provides an opportunity to learn about improving the quality of foster care assessment and the proper use of the developed Fostering Assessment Form.

This training includes the following content:

• What is fostering assessment?
• Competencies in fostering assessment
• Explanation of each item
• Role-playing

Skills to Foster is a course developed by the UK Fostering Network to help prospective foster carers prepare to become foster carers.
The facilitator training course provides prospective foster carers with learning opportunities to deepen their understanding of foster caring through discussions and reflections on foster caring information, as well as opportunities to share ideas and perspectives with other participants.

Skills to Foster consists of the following six sessions for prospective foster carers. Additionally, a separate session is available for those with biological children.
Session 1: What does a foster carer do?
Session 2: Identity and life chances
Session 3: Working together
Session 4: Understanding and caring for children
Session 5: Safe childcare
Session 6: Transition
Session 7: My home becomes a foster family

Additionally, after the facilitator training program, we provide follow-up support to ensure that Skills to Foster is implemented effectively and sustainably.

This consultation is intended for those in organizations or groups that are planning to start foster carer support centers or fostering agencies.
You may have the enthusiasm and hope to start something that will contribute to improving the quality of foster care, but you may not know where to start, you may have started preparing but are stuck, or you may not be making progress toward your goals. We will work with you to identify and address the challenges and issues you face in building and starting your endeavor.

Our roles and the negotiations we will have with prefectures, designated cities, and core cities will vary from region to region. On the other hand, improving the quality and quantity of foster care is a common need for all local governments. For those that wish to address this need and start a social work organization dedicated to achieving the kind of foster care that contributes to the healthy development of children, we will provide remote and in-person support. This includes identifying challenges and obstacles, proposing actions, developing action plans, and monitoring and verifying progress to help you move forward toward your goals.
The duration of the program is from [month] to [month] within the fiscal year, with the number of support sessions (remote or in-person) ranging from 5 to 7 sessions, depending on your organization's circumstances.

This support is more effective for organizations and groups that are aiming to start from scratch, or those that wish to start in conjunction with building working relationships with their local governments, than those who have already received a proposal from their local governments and have a clear starting plan.

*The number of organizations that can receive support through startup consultation is limited. If there are too many applicants, they will be selected within our organization.

By building a human resources network, we help in promoting in-home childcare, sharing information, and providing mutual support, so that we can work together with foster and adoptive parents to ensure children grow up in a safe and secure environment at home.
We aim to provide support programs based on the latest research, an information network, and a human resources network that enables us to help one another.

Third-party evaluations of foster care support agencies aim to promote the best interests of children by protecting the rights of those being raised in foster care, and to improve the quality of childcare and support that ensure the kids’ healthy development.
We believe it is important to raise the quality of services available through third-party evaluations, placing children at the center and valuing their perspectives more than ever before.
The main components of the evaluation are as follows:

Part I: Operation and structure of foster care support centers
Part II: Partnership between child guidance centers and foster care support centers
Part III: Working effectively in foster care support centers
Part IV: Enhancing team-based childcare
Part V: Experiences of children raised in foster care

This process will include the following procedures, conduct evaluations by experts, and prepare and submit a report.

• A self-evaluation by the entire organization
• A questionnaire survey of children and foster carers
• A visit survey
  
  • Interviews with foster carer support organizations and related organizations such as child guidance centers
  • Interviews with children and foster carers

In our public relations activities, we will provide information on the various training programs and activities offered by the Family Childcare Organization, report on the current conditions of foster carers, and share the thoughts of those involved in foster care and the individuals themselves. To this end, we will pursue the following initiatives:

• Reporting on various activities run by the Family Childcare Organization, including recruitment training, assessment training, pre-registration training, startup consultation, and third-party evaluations
• Sharing data and articles related to foster care and other topics
• Doing interviews and sharing the thoughts of those involved in foster care and in other related fields
• Planning and holding new events and gatherings
• Doing other outreach activities

This project aims to introduce to Japan the principles and methods of QPI in the US, and promote the development of QPI in order to achieve high-quality home-based child-rearing environments.

QPI（Quality Parenting QPI (Quality Parenting Initiative) is a program aimed at improving the quality of child-centered parenting environments. In preparation for its development in Japan, we will translate and adapt the principles of QPI and collaborate with pilot municipalities to develop regional models. We also plan to translate training materials and other resources necessary for QPI and establish training programs and guidelines targeting caregivers, administrative officials, and staff of support organizations.

Business collaborations and partnership projects are initiatives, done in collaboration with companies, which promote an environment that supports foster care and the foster care system, as well as awareness-raising activities.

In order to promote foster care and increase the number of registered foster carers, it is essential to collaborate with companies. Examining the current situation in Japan and drawing on the Fostering Friendly Company Program of the UK's Fostering Network, we will collaborate with companies to increase the number of foster carers and foster care placements. We will also work together to raise awareness of the foster care system.

he foster match research project aims to achieve suitable matches between foster carers and children by identifying their current needs through interviews and developing practical matching methods.

We will study the matching methods, criteria, and processes used by local governments and organizations nationwide, learn from successful matching cases, and systematize evaluation criteria and judgment materials. Afterwards, training programs based on our results will be developed to achieve better matches after assessment, and offer those programs to those involved in supporting foster care.

Specialized foster carer training aims to develop specialized foster carers who can provide advanced knowledge and practical skills to children with special needs, such as a history of abuse and disabilities, and to consider the ideal role of specialized foster carers.

Based on the current specialized foster carer training program, we will put together the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of specialized foster carers, and prepare for a specialized foster carer training that will provide the necessary knowledge and skills. The training curriculum will be developed based on domestic and international training programs designed for specialized foster carers. Specialized foster carer training is planned to eventually be offered within our organization.

The research project will gather the evidence necessary for promoting family-based childcare, as well as the knowledge that will serve as the basis for various projects and other practical support.

Research will be done on domestic and international trends in family-based childcare, actual operations of foster care systems, foster care support agencies such as foster care support centers, and on the quality of child rearing. As necessary, we will work with academic institutions to conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses and provide feedback to promote effective programs, improve foster care systems, and design training programs.