A Study of the Program to Help Parents Raise Children in Local Communities

这份报告包括两部分，一部分是关注地方政府设立了什么项目来帮助父母抚养孩子，以及日托中心如何帮助当地社区的人们。另一个是调查特定地方社区（山形县西川町）的祖父母在家中抚养子女方面的贡献。地方政府根据人口规模分为4组，（1）5000以下，（2）5000-29999，（3）30000-99999，（4）99999以上。人口规模越大，地方政府就越倾向于帮助社区抚养孩子。这些地方政府知道当地居民在抚养子女方面需要什么帮助，但财政困难往往使该计划无法实现。另一方面，在人口较少的地方，由于认为当地居民不太希望政府帮助抚养孩子，所以政府在抚养孩子方面的参与度也相对较低。西川町是一个人口约7000人的老龄化地区。他们大多数生活在三代同堂的家庭中，即祖父母、父母和子女。调查问卷是发给那些孩子要去镇上日托中心的父母的。他们被问及祖父母在家中抚养孩子的参与情况。人们发现，祖父母，特别是祖母，谁是帮助为孩子准备一顿饭，是重要的，但现在的父母承担的责任，为孩子的祖父母过去。无论祖父母是否同住，孩子的母亲都发挥着最重要和最负责任的作用。

The report consists of two parts ; one is to concern what program local governments set up to help parents raise children, and how day-care centers contribute to help people in local communities., the other is to look into the grandparants' contributions to raising children inside the home in a particular local community, Nishikawa-cho, Yamagata.The local governments are divided into 4 groups according to the size of the population, (1) less than 5000, (2) 5000-29999, (3) 30000-99999, (4) more than 99999. The larger the size of the population is, the local governments tend to try to be more helpful in raising children in the community. These local governments know what help the habitants need in raising their children in the area where they live, however , the financial difficulties often make the realization of the program impposible. On the other hand, the local governments that have smaller population tend to take smaller part in helping raise children, because they do not think that the local people seriously expect the government to help raise children.Nishikawa-cho is a local aging town of some 7000 people. Majority of them live in three generation family, that is, grandparents, parents, and children. The questionnaire was sent to parents whose children are going to a day-care center in the town. They were asked about the grandparents' involvements in raising children inside the house. It is found that the grandparents, especially grandmothers who are helpful to prepare a meal for children, are important but now parents take the responsibility for children that grandparents used to. The most important and responsible roles are played by the childrens' mother whether or not grandparents live together in the house.