No.20 Development Support Center Starts

(Inagi Newsletter, June 15, 2013 issue)

On May 12, 2013, we held the inauguration ceremony at Friend Hirao, and we would like to thank all the attendees for their presence.
The Developmental Support Center's operations are entrusted to the "Masayume no Kai" social welfare corporation. At the inauguration ceremony, Dr. Hiroshi Ichikawa, the chairman of the corporation and a child psychiatrist, provided an explanation of the purpose and shared future aspirations. The nickname has been decided as "Respo Inagi," which is said to be derived from the French word "espoir," meaning hope.
I have listed the establishment of a support center for individuals with developmental disabilities as one of the important issues in my previous election promises. This is because, during my time working as a city employee in the Disability Welfare Department, I keenly felt the necessity for seamless support that corresponds to the life stages in the community, from infancy through the school age to employment.
Generally, during early childhood, the health sector is involved, during school age, the education sector, and after graduation, the welfare sector, with the points of consultation and support changing as the child grows. However, issues related to development may be noticed during the infant and young children period, upon entering school, or even after entering society. Therefore, it is necessary for the same organization to continue providing support to the individual and their family, regardless of age.
In addition, the Welfare Department has been conducting mobile consultations centered around Nursery Schools, while the Department of Education has been handling consultations before entering elementary school and after enrollment. However, it is also true that there have been some administrative barriers between these departments, resulting in a lack of useful information sharing.
To solve these issues and overcome the barriers in welfare and education, we have established a system that not only opens a Developmental Support Center but also deepens collaboration with the School Consultation Department. This involves placing the school consultation staff alongside the Developmental Support Center staff in the same office, ensuring that they are in a visible location to each other.
In the future, we will work to ensure that welfare and education collaborate to address concerns about development, and to create programs that provide consideration and support tailored to each individual. Please feel free to consult with us and make use of our services.