[WOODY Co., Ltd.] [4/2 is Autism Awareness Day]
A survey was conducted of children with autism and a tendency to refuse to go to school, and their parents: The most common response, approximately 40%, was that they had no place to live other than at home.
*View in browser* *WOODY Co., Ltd.*
Press release: April 2, 2024
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[April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day] A survey was conducted of children with autism and a tendency to not go to school, and their guardians: The most common response, approximately 40%, was that they had no place to live other than at home.
Approximately 40% said that their place of residence is “nowhere else than at home.”
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WOODY Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, CEO Yuji Nakazato), which operates Branch, a service that eliminates loneliness and provides a place to stay for children with developmental disabilities or who are not attending school, and their families, announced in April To mark World Autism Awareness Day on the 2nd, we conducted a survey among parents of children with autism and a tendency to not attend school. We will report detailed results. *
Hello. With the vision of “Creating confidence through love, and connecting with society through love,” Branch provides services that help children with developmental disabilities and those who do not go to school find what they like and create an environment where they can do what they like. )is.
April 2nd of each year is World Autism Awareness Day, established by the United Nations.
In addition, April 2nd to 8th is designated as “Developmental Disabilities Awareness Week,” and various efforts are being made to promote understanding of developmental disorders including autism. Therefore, Branch conducted a survey to understand the current situation of children with developmental disorders and a tendency to not attend school. We will explain the results in detail.
[Survey overview]
・Survey period: March 18, 2024 to March 27, 2024 (10 days)
・Respondents: Target: Inside the Branch community (Discord), Branch LINE registrants, 178 people in total
・Survey method: Internet survey
* Q1. Please tell us the age of your child *
child’s age
Lower grades of elementary school accounted for 7.8% (14 cases), middle grades of elementary school 46.4% (83 cases), upper grades of elementary school 22.9% (61 cases), junior high school students 16.2% (29 cases), and high school students 6.7%. There were no responses from parents of preschool children between the ages of 1 and 5. * Q2. Please tell us the diagnosis of your child’s disability (multiple selections possible) *
Diagnosing your child’s disability
Autism spectrum disorder was the most common at 69.1%, followed by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
There were 13 responses in other columns, including generalized anxiety disorder, sleep disorders, and sensory sensitivities. * Q3. Please tell us about your child’s attendance at school* Children’s school attendance status
41% answered “I don’t go to school at all,” 18% answered “I rarely go to school,” 12.9% answered “once or twice a week,” and 12.9% answered “3 to 4 times a week.” 10.1% of respondents answered “every day,” and 18% answered “every day.”
* Q4.What is the reason for not going to school (or being reluctant to go to school)? (Multiple selections possible)*
Reason for your child not attending school
For this question, “Q2. Please tell us about your child’s attendance at school.” Answers include “Not at all,” “Rarely,” “Once or twice a week,” or “Three or four times a week.” We received responses from 146 people (82% of the total).
Among the answers, “anxiety” was the most common at 55.5%, followed by “problems related to relationships with faculty and staff” at 41/8%, and “problems related to school rules, etc.” at 28.1%.
There were 53 other answers, with many mentioning “sensory
alertness,” especially “auditory alertness.” Some responses included “I don’t know the cause” and “I’m not good at following set schedules.”
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has released the results of the 2020 problem behavior and school refusal survey. As a factor for not attending school, 51.8% said “apathy and anxiety,” which is similar to this survey, but 0.2% said “bullying,” 9.2% said “problems with friendships other than bullying,” and 9.2% said “problems with friendships other than bullying.” “Issues related to relationships with others” accounted for 1.2%, which was significantly different from this survey. This problem
behavior/truancy survey reports information that is known to the school, so it is thought that there may be a discrepancy with the actual situation.
Reference: From the summary of the results of the FY2020 survey regarding various problems in student guidance such as problem behavior and refusal to attend school (
https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20231004-mxt_jidou01-100002753_2.pdf ) * Q5. About your child’s problems (multiple selections possible) * Children’s troubles
46.4% said they were not going to school, 25.1% said they were unable to separate mother and child, and 24% said they were eating too much or unbalanced food.
There were 88 other answers, including “not being able to interact with people,” “not being able to go out,” “not being able to improve academic ability,” and “self-harming.”
* Q6. If there was ever a time when you felt that your child had changed for the better, please let us know *
There were 124 responses here. Broadly speaking, three types of answers were most common: “1. When parents stopped controlling their children,” “2. They started doing what they liked,” and “3. Changes in their place of residence.”
* Example answer to “1. When parents stop controlling their children” * “In a good way, when my parents gave up and stopped getting involved, or when I put aside all my worries and left them alone, they gradually became more energetic and started to find what they wanted to do.” “When my parents stopped worrying about my child going to school, I became sick less frequently. Now I spend time at home at my own pace.” *Example answer to “2. When I started doing what I like”*
“Through online games, I was able to make friends and mediate with people who were fighting, which made me feel like I was growing (^-^). From the time I gave up trying to send my child to school and trying to adjust the rhythm of my life, although not completely. ”
“I’ve started to see smiling faces as they participate in other activities such as board games and table tennis. I’ve also started to see them actively studying using tablets.”
*Example answer to “3. When I started doing what I like”*
“The support class was changed due to my homeroom teacher’s maternity leave. (One class was broken up and each student was assigned to an existing class.)
The timing of the new school year is relatively positive. ”
“At Branch, I was able to interact with friends and staff, and when I realized that I had made new friends, I could see the smiles on my faces.
An encounter with a dentist. They accept me completely and give me a positive look that says it’s okay. Since then, my child has been able to think for himself and do more of the things he wants to do. ”
“When he stopped going to school, we took him to treatment. At first, it was difficult to go there, but as he kept going, it became a place where he belonged, and he was able to do more things.”
“I calmed down after saying, ‘I’m not going to school anymore. Find a free school.'”
Other responses included, “Six months after I started skipping school, I started complaining that I was bored,” and “When I started going to school in the afternoon, I was able to separate from my mother sooner when I went to school.”
* Q7. Please let us know if there are any “devices for raising children” that you use at home *
There were 123 responses here. Broadly speaking, three types of answers were most common: “1. Let the child make decisions,” “2. Let the child do what he or she likes,” and “3. Visualize.” *Answer example for “1. Give children the right to make decisions”* “Put the person in the middle. Be sure to confirm their intentions, don’t rush, and wait.”
“Anyway, I try to give the person the decision-making authority and make them take responsibility for their decisions.”
“When making decisions, I make suggestions, but I let them make their own decisions.”
“Make time to face each other properly, trust the child, and leave them in charge.”
*Answer example for “2.Let them do what they like”*
“For a long time, I’ve always let them do whatever they want when they’re working on dinosaurs or whatever they like. I try to talk to them as much as possible. Recently, their origami skills have improved.”
“If a child is interested, let them experience it even if it doesn’t last.My wife and I were born in the late Showa era, so we try not to use the common sense and discipline of the Showa era that we were exposed to.” ”
“I encourage you to try as much as possible to do what you want to do and what you are interested in.”
“I try to let my children do what they want as much as possible.I want my children to do things they are interested in and increase the amount of things they can do.There are times when I get irritated and angry, but I take a breather. I’m looking for a reason to say no or throw a tantrum.”
*Example answer to “3. Visualize”*
“Write notifications on LINE (prevents misunderstandings)”
“Visual support. Make sure the person has a calendar posted, and use written communication to explain the reasons and circumstances in a way that is easy to understand, and then respect the person’s choices and opinions. Make the schedule as routine as possible and give yourself plenty of time to prepare. I try to give them something to look forward to and eliminate their anxiety.”
“We create a visual structure, such as by posting a daily time schedule. We help children think and act on their own in order to establish a rhythm of life and become self-reliant. I feel like I’m still practicing…”
Other examples include, “I try to empathize with my child and be completely attuned to her,” and “I stopped trying to understand everything about my child, in a positive way. There were answers such as, “Because there are.”
* Q8. Please let us know if you have any troubles or things you would like to discuss about raising your children. *
There were 109 responses here. Broadly speaking, three types of answers were most common: “1. Future/academics,” “2. Temper tantrums/relationship with parents,” and “3. A place to spend time outside of school.”
*Answer example for “1. Give children the right to make decisions”* “I don’t feel like learning and am worried about the future.”
“I couldn’t go to school and was away from studying, so I’m giving up on going to higher education because I can’t catch up now.My black-and-white thinking and perfectionism make it difficult for me to recover.”
“Is it okay for parents to simply create opportunities for children to decide and experiment with how they will be able to take care of themselves in the future, earn an income, and continue doing what they love?”
“The parents’ attitude of waiting? It seems like the parents’ independence is being tested.”
“I would like to know how to raise a child who has many weaknesses so that he or she can grow up to be an independent adult.”
*Answer example for “2. Tantrums/Relationship with parents”* “Using dirty words like stingy, spoiled, and die on a daily basis.”
“I don’t want him to have a tantrum, so I feel like I’m being too lenient with him.He’s been doing his homework outside of school and going to class, so I recognize his hard work, but… I play games all the time at home.My life is lazy, but if I give attention to it, I get a tantrum, so I turn a blind eye.I don’t know what to do from now on.No matter how many times I try, my behavior doesn’t change, or my desires don’t change. Even if the parents understand in their heads that they cannot control the situation, they may become irritated and find it difficult to “calmly communicate” the situation. ”
“I would like to know the solution to how I can “convey the message without getting angry.”
*Answer example for “3. Whereabouts other than school”*
“They don’t want to have any contact with the outside world, either online or in real life. As a parent, I don’t know if this will be okay.”
“Parents and children have become recluse, cut off from society, and have no place to belong.”
“When I’m at home, I just play games and watch YouTube by myself, so I want to build connections with people outside of my family.” In addition, “I have been told several times by teachers at school and parents that I am too considerate of adults,” and I am wondering if there is a problem with how my parents are responding at home. “I sometimes find it difficult to maintain my mental health as a mother.” “I want my husband to speak positively to my children, but he keeps saying negative things. Marital Relationship I don’t want to fight because I feel anxious about my child when things get worse, but I’m confused because I don’t know how my husband can take care of our child.”
* Q9.Does your child have a place to live other than your home? * child’s place
The most common answer was “I don’t have one outside of my home,” at 39.3%, followed by 34.8% who said “I have two or more outside of my home,” and 25.8% who said “I have one outside of my home.” Branch will utilize the information obtained from this survey to provide a place for children who are not attending school or have developmental disabilities, as well as their families, to stay close to each other and eliminate loneliness.
* ■About the Podcast This survey is also available as a podcast on Branch. We regularly deliver stories related to developmental disorders and school refusal, so please register if you would like. *
1. Spotify 2. YouTube
3. Apple Podcasts
4. amazon music
* ■About Branch services*
Branch currently provides three services to support children and their families who are not attending school or have developmental
disabilities.
* 1. Branch community *
Branch community
This is a community service using an online tool called Discord. It can be used by both children and parents.
For children and parents. Each has its own communication channels and engages in various activities.
You can interact with each child based on what they like. In addition, the management is supported by staff who understand developmental disabilities and have received training, creating an environment where each person’s differences are respected, and they are not rejected and feel safe.
* 2.Branch mentor matching*
Branch mentor matching
Branch Mentor is a visit/video chat service that specializes in helping children with developmental disabilities and children who are not attending school develop their interests.
It is said that when people have three people who accept them, it is easier for them to develop self-esteem.
Due to their unique sensibilities, some children with developmental disabilities may find it difficult to communicate with their close friends, acquaintances, and family.
In such cases, this is a service that matches children with adults who also “like” the things they “like.”
* 3. Daikanyama Branch room service *
Branch room
Classroom “Branch” in Daikanyama, Tokyo
You can play/learn one-on-one with the staff in the “Room” room. In a one-on-one environment with the staff, you don’t have to adjust to other children and can do what you want at that time.
* ■About WOODY Co., Ltd.*
With the vision of “creating confidence through love, and connecting with society through love,” we aim to eliminate loneliness by connecting with people through “love” and to eliminate loneliness by “like” and connecting with others, in order for children with developmental disabilities or who are not attending school and their families to be happy. We are creating an environment where people can develop their potential.
https://branchkids.jp/
* ■Profile of WOODY Co., Ltd. Representative Yuji Nakazato*
After graduating from Waseda University in 2007, joined CyberAgent, Inc. He was in charge of advertising creative direction at subsidiary Cyber Buzz Co., Ltd. and won the Tokyo Interactive Ad Award. After gaining experience in advertising planning and product development, became a director of subsidiary Poupe Girl Co., Ltd. After that, he worked at Ameba, where he was in charge of smartphone support for social games, platform opening, and project manager, before becoming independent.
Founded WOODY in November 2013.
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