Online 'Harassment Prevention Seminar' for Adults Working with Children, Including Free School Operators, to be Held on June 20 (Sat) in Anticipation of the 'Japanese Version of DBS' Taking Effect in December

With the new fiscal year underway and new staff members joining, the importance of re-evaluating 'how we interact with children' and 'workplace safety' is increasing. In particular, preparing for the 'Japanese version of DBS' (Child Sexual Violence Prevention Law), scheduled to take effect in December 2026, is an urgent task for organizations running free schools and children's shelters. According to the latest survey released by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in December 2024, the number of public school teachers disciplined for sexual violence reached a record high of 320, with about half of the cases involving their own students. This problem, which has not been fully prevented even in schools, serves as an opportunity to re-examine the systems for protecting children's rights and the morality and professionalism of adults as supporters in all settings involving children, including free schools. However, unlike schools, free schools do not have nationwide fact-finding surveys or continuous data collection systems. Free schools lack the clear legal status and comprehensive systems of schools under the School Education Law, and there are no public data on the number or trends of actual harm, such as inappropriate interactions or sexual violence against children, due to insufficient continuous surveys by the national and local governments. This makes it difficult to objectively assess current risks and challenges. The lack of data does not mean it is safe; rather, to protect children's safety, it is crucial to proactively develop systems and training from a preventive perspective, rather than reacting after problems become apparent. Free schools are particularly important safe havens for children who cannot attend school and their parents, making it extremely important to ensure their safety. Our 2023 survey comparing the rates of 'found it helpful' versus 'did not find it helpful' by facility type showed that free schools tend to have higher 'found it helpful' ratings (from the 'National Survey on the Actual Needs of Parties Involved in Supporting the Growth and Learning of Children Not Attending School'). On the other hand, many free schools lack public financial support, with over 40% having an annual budget of less than 5 million yen, and three-quarters having less than 10 million yen. Staff compensation is also poor, with 64.7% of staff earning a monthly salary of less than 200,000 yen, indicating a fragile financial base (from 'Free School White Paper 2022' by Manabi Link). Therefore, it is inferred that implementing training for the 'Japanese version of DBS' is difficult for individual shelters. For this reason, support from intermediary organizations that provide training opportunities and accompaniment for free schools and shelters is needed, rather than leaving the response to the DBS to the efforts of each organization alone. The NPO 'Diverse Learning Project' (Representative Director: Chisato Ikoma), as an intermediary organization, has already delivered approximately 100 training sessions for free schools and educational support centers. To ensure as many free schools as possible can learn about the 'Japanese version of DBS,' it will implement a two-part harassment prevention seminar led by a lawyer. To protect important children, it is essential that the adults interacting with them are themselves in a safe and transparent environment. This seminar will feature lawyer Sohei Hanawa, an expert in non-profit governance and harassment, and will comprehensively cover everything from the basics of the Japanese version of DBS to preventing and building systems for harassment that can occur in the field. The event will not be a one-sided lecture; it will include participant-led case study workshops to allow attendees to openly discuss and learn from each other on sensitive topics. The goal is for free school operators, staff, and parents nationwide to work together to create a safe environment for children. Course Content: This is a two-part series. (Single-session participation is also possible.) ■Session 1: Basics (for staff, operators, and parents) Building a common understanding and a 'foundation for speaking up' - What is harassment? (basic understanding) - The common structure of harassment, safeguarding, and DBS - Perspectives for noticing 'Is this harassment?' - The impact when harassment occurs - What kind of relationships and organizations allow people to speak up? This basic content, suitable for workplace staff training and parents whose children attend free schools, will be explored in breakout rooms using case studies. ■Session 2: Practice (for operators and leaders) Building systems for harassment prevention - Initial response when a consultation is received (interviewing principles) - Key points for setting up internal reporting and consultation desks - Basics of investigation and collaboration with external experts - How the Japanese version of DBS will affect the field in the future - Building an organization that protects both children and adults - Thinking about how to act based on actual cases This session will cover knowledge essential for organization operators and leaders, along with more practical content using workshops. Event Details: Location: Online (Zoom) Date and Time: ■Session 1: Basics June 20, 2026 (Sat) 13:00-16:00 Target: Free school staff and parents Content: Building a common understanding and a 'foundation for speaking up' ■Session 2: Practice Target: Organization leaders and managers Content: Specifying knowledge leaders need and how to act in the field *Archived distribution available. Participation Fee: Two-part series: 7,500 yen Single session: 3,500 yen - 4,000 yen *Free for Tomarigi Online members. Application Deadline: ■Session 1: Basics: June 20, 2026 (Sat) 12:50 ■Session 2: Practice: July 11, 2026 (Sat) 12:50 Details and Application: https://tayounamanabi20260620.peatix.com/ Organizer: NPO Diverse Learning Project Contact: Tomarigi Online Office seminar@tayounamanabi.com Speaker: Sohei Hanawa Representative Lawyer, Rinoha Sogo Law Office Graduated from Waseda University and Omiya Law School. After starting an internet venture as a student, he registered as a lawyer. He is the representative of Rinoha Sogo Law Office. He specializes in advanced fields such as IT and the governance of non-profit organizations and public interest corporations, serving as an advisor to many organizations. His current focus areas are harassment and child safety. About the Organizing Body 'NPO Diverse Learning Project': 'The whole town is a place of learning.' We are promoting a new town development where children growing up outside of school can choose 'I want to know!' anytime, anywhere, and creating places they can easily visit during the day other than home. https://www.tayounamanabi.com/ Business Introduction: ▼School Request Format A format developed from the perspective of parents raising children who are not attending school, to make communication with schools easier.