Abstract

Background: To provide sick child care according to the needs of service users such as single mothers, it is necessary to evaluate their characteristics and measures to assist them. However, limited studies have reported the recovery of sick children or the benefits of child raising support. The present study aimed to ensure total care for sick children, and provide their parents with child raising and work support. To obtain data regarding sick child care measures, staff members of sick child care facilities were interviewed about issues regarding sick child care based on the care-related support systems and service users’ characteristics.
Methods: In 2015, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 nurses and 7 nursery staff members from 7 care facilities in City A.
Results: Sick child care was utilized mainly by single mothers and parents from double-income nuclear families, for reasons such as being unable to take time off from work or having no one to look after their children. Such care was used by young children with infectious diseases, disabled children, and those with mental and physical discomfort. When necessary, staff members of care facilities provided oneto- one care for children in consideration of their safety, symptoms, and development. Staff members compensated for parents’ lack of child raising skills, and supported mothers in a manner facilitating their child raising and work. Furthermore, staff members viewed the systems for reducing care fees as beneficial, and desired improvement in the systems to facilitate support for children’s health.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that sick child care is beneficial for ensuring the health and welfare of both sick children and their parents. The results suggest the need to improve the quality of sick child care based on its benefits, and to refine administrative support for staff assignment.