Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > Japanese Government Policies in Education, Science, Sports and Culture 2000 > Trends in Educational Reform Section 2 Q4 National Development of Children's Centers

Children's Centers help you when you want to know where to take children to experience activities in a natural environment on a Saturday off from school, where parents and children can go together to do volunteer work on the weekend, etc.

Children's Centers carry out the following activities regarding experience of activity in a natural environment, volunteer work and other hands-on experience, and parent circles and other programs supporting home education.

Children's Centers gather information from related organizations and those involved locally, including the private sector.

Children's Centers provide information through the publication of a concise quarterly information magazine. The publication is dropped off at post offices, convenience stores and other locations that are convenient for parents and their children.

Children's Centers carry out introductions and counseling about instructors, volunteer groups and activities.

As of FY2000, there were 725 Children's Centers nationwide. This number is scheduled to reach 1,000 in FY2001, with the planned establishment of one Children's Center per city and county in Japan by that time.