The Shiseido Child Foundation aims for a society in which every child can be happy and shine in their own way. To realize this vision, we are engaged in three pillars of activities in Japan: helping children take on challenges for their future, offering learning opportunities to personnel who support children, and disseminating information to help create a society in which children are supported by everyone.
Helping children take on challenges for their future
We support the future of children living under social care in Japan by encouraging their independence and advancement to higher education so that they can move forward.
● Self-reliance Seminar
● Shiseido Child Foundation Scholarship Program
Offering learning opportunities to personnel who support children
We provide training opportunities and subsidies for activities that enhance the expertise of child welfare professionals, such as facility staff and foster parents, who support the growth of children living under social care in Japan.
● Overseas Training Program for Child Care Facility Personnel
● Child Welfare Information Magazine
● Subsidization of training and other activities
Disseminating information to help create a society in which children are supported by everyone
To raise awareness for the prevention of child abuse, thus contributing to the healthy growth of all children in Japan, we subsidize activities that support child-rearing in the community.
● Subsidization of events hosted by child care organizations
The Shiseido Child Foundation mainly supports children living under social care in Japan through our activities.
About Social Care
In Japan, approximately 42,000 children are living apart from their parents and are under social care. The purpose of social care is to protect and nurture children who cannot live with their parents for various reasons, as well as to support families facing difficulties in raising children. Social care is carried out with the philosophy of "acting in the best interests of the child" and "nurturing children as a whole society."
※Data from the Children and Families Agency "Promotion of Social Care (June 2024)"
Reasons for Living Apart from Parents
Reasons for children living apart from their parents can include health and economic issues faced by the parents, divorce, hospitalization, and abuse.
As of fiscal year 2022, the most common reason for new placements in child welfare facilities or foster care was "abuse from parents." Other reasons for placement in child welfare facilities such as children’s and infant homes, or with foster parents, vary in proportion but can include parental refusal to nurture, parental mental illness, and parental neglect. Currently, about 70% of children in children’s homes, about 50% of children in infant homes, and about 50% of children entrusted to foster parents have experienced abuse.
※Data from the Children and Families Agency "Promotion of Social Care (June 2024)"
Places of Residence
Of the approximately 42,000 children living under social care, 81.4% live in child welfare facilities such as children’s and infant homes, while 18.6% live with foster parents or in family homes.
※Data from the Children and Families Agency "Promotion of Social Care (June 2024)"
Self-reliance Seminar
Many children living under social care in Japan become economically and socially independent and live alone once they graduate from high school. Under our Self-reliance Seminar, we collaborate with various companies to provide opportunities for them to acquire social knowledge and think about their future through the following three activities before they leave the facility or their foster parents.
Total number of participants
3000+
Years since the start of the program
19years
Comment from a participant
Thank you for providing opportunities to deepen learning towards independence and interact with children from other facilities!
Shiseido Child Foundation Scholarship Program
Initiated as part of our 35th-anniversary celebration, this grant-type scholarship targets individuals from child welfare facilities aiming to pursue higher education at universities, junior colleges, or vocational schools. The enrollment rate of these children in higher education is 38.9% for those from child welfare facilities and 58.0% for those in foster care, which is lower compared to the 77.2% enrollment rate of all high school graduates. However, the number of children challenging themselves to pursue further education has been gradually increasing. The scholarship provides an annual grant of 500,000 yen per person, along with material support and opportunities for interaction among peers, to support their student life.
Current number of scholarship students
17people
Total number of scholarship recipients
88people
Years since the start of the program
17years
Comment from a scholarship alumni
Thank you for the generous support over the four years. I enjoyed my university life without financial worries thanks to the support from many people. I will carry the lessons learned and messages from everyone as I strive forward in my professional life.
Overseas Training Program for Child Care Facility Personnel
The Shiseido Child Foundation offers a training program for mid-career personnel working in Japanese child welfare facilities. The program aims to provide a global perspective and new insights by studying child welfare situations worldwide, especially child protection and social care systems and support methods. Recognizing the importance of “nurturing those who nurture children,” we have continuously implemented this unique initiative since the 1970s when there was a lack of global child welfare information and knowledge in Japan. The training consists of three stages: “pre-training,” “travel/remote training,” and “post-training.” Producing training reports and presenting to related organizations, including the Child and Family Agency, are integral parts of the training process, ensuring the dissemination of the training outcomes. A significant feature of the program is the ongoing exchange among participants, fostering practical connections and learning opportunities.
Number of training sessions conducted
48times
Total number of participants
730people
Countries visited for training
20countries
Comment from a participant
I have learned from various organizations about the attitude and efforts to deliver “the support needed now” to “those who need it now,” while respecting cultures and diversity.
Training Report
You can help support children's future in a way that best suits you, so that they can be happy and free to shine in their own way.