Shinagawa Ward Supervises Young Carer Awareness Video Produced by Sanrio Co., Ltd.

To deepen understanding of young carers, Sanrio Co., Ltd. (Gate City Osaki West Tower 10F, 1-11-1 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku), headquartered in Shinagawa Ward, produced a public awareness video. As young carers often lack self-awareness and adults around them find it difficult to notice their challenges, the Shinagawa Ward Children and Family Support Center, leveraging its expertise in young carer support, provided advice and supervision on the video's expression and approach.

https://youtu.be/nDWzojVjaqM

Currently, Shinagawa Ward is involved with approximately 160 cases of young carers. Many of these cases involve complex and multifaceted issues within the entire family, such as single-parent households, poverty, or elderly/disabled family members, which administrative resources alone are insufficient to address. Amidst these circumstances, the ward and the company have been collaborating on young carer support projects since fiscal year Reiwa 7 (2025).

About Young Carers

A young carer is a child or young person recognized as providing care for family members or other daily life support.

The Children and Family Support Center provides professional coordinators and a LINE consultation service, and to support the young carers and their families, it implements meal support, interpreter dispatch, living and learning support, and home visit support.

About the Collaboration with Sanrio Co., Ltd.

Previously, the company offered work experience opportunities for young carers. This time, to further promote social recognition and correct understanding of young carers, the ward supervised the public awareness video produced by the company.

Sanrio Co., Ltd.: Operating as a global entertainment company under the corporate philosophy of "Minna Nakayoku" (Everyone Gets Along) and the vision "One World, Connecting Smiles." As a company located in Shinagawa Ward, it is committed to young carer support as part of Sanrio's materiality "Well-Being Fulfillment."

About the Social Background

The social background leading to young carers includes the advancement of an aging society, the increase in nuclear families, and the rise in impoverished households. The problem is often overlooked due to a lack of awareness by the individuals themselves and those around them, necessitating increased social awareness and the establishment of support systems through collaboration with related organizations.

In particular, increasing social awareness is crucial for individuals and those around them to recognize caregiving situations, and to foster a climate where young carers are supported by society as a whole.