Habili & Link HimawaRe Launches Corporate Benefits Plan for Online Developmental Therapy Support

At Habili & Link HimawaRe, the focus of developmental therapy is not the child alone, but the parent-child pair. Sanae Sasaki, an independent practitioner operating Habili & Link HimawaRe in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, has been offering online developmental therapy services since March for children with developmental characteristics and their families. The service is designed based on her expertise as a physical therapist and her lived experience raising a child with autism. It provides ongoing online developmental support tailored to each family’s challenges, including motor skills, communication, and activities of daily living. The service officially launched a corporate plan on April 15, 2026, allowing companies to introduce it as an employee benefit. Following the response received after the service began in March, the plan strengthens collaboration with companies as a new framework to support working parents. Combining her experience visiting every municipality in Fukushima Prefecture to listen to local needs with her perspective as a parent raising a child with autism, Sasaki aims to use corporate support to address the barriers working parents face in accessing developmental therapy. Background: Urgent challenges faced by working parents became clear after the March launch Since the service began in March, inquiries have come from parents both inside and outside Fukushima Prefecture. These inquiries revealed not only regional disparities in access to developmental therapy in local areas, but also a serious issue: many parents struggle to continue working because commuting to specialist institutions and accompanying their children makes balancing work and therapy difficult. This is a structural problem in which securing developmental support opportunities for children and maintaining parents’ employment are difficult to achieve at the same time. It cannot be solved by household effort alone. Sasaki personally visited all 59 municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture to understand local support systems and challenges. Through this work, and through her own experience balancing work and therapy while raising a child with autism, she became convinced that support should not depend solely on individuals and families. Instead, companies need systems that promote understanding of developmental therapy as part of employee support. This led to the development of the corporate plan. As more women continue working, some families are trying to remain employed while raising children with disabilities or developmental characteristics, and many face difficulty maintaining both. Three features of the HimawaRe corporate plan 1. Directly supports employee retention and well-being For employees raising children whose development causes concern, the shortage of specialist institutions is a serious issue. Many institutions currently have waiting periods ranging from several months to more than a year. In addition, many operate only during weekday daytime hours, forcing parents to interrupt or give up work for appointments and transportation. These time and emotional constraints directly affect employee focus and increase the risk of resignation. By offering online specialist support as an employee benefit, companies can create an environment where employees receive high-quality support from home, strongly backing their ability to balance work and caregiving. The plan is also designed to require only an initial fee, keeping ongoing running costs low and helping companies reduce burden while retaining valuable talent. 2. No diagnosis or beneficiary certificate required; companies can support employees immediately Support can begin even before employees use public administrative services such as beneficiary certificates. Experts can accompany families during the gap period before formal support begins, such as immediately after concerns are raised during health checkups, nursery school, kindergarten, or school. This helps reduce employees’ psychological burden early. Lessons can be taken at home using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Only nationally qualified professionals such as physical therapists and occupational therapists provide support, which has been well received by users for its reliability. The service also analyzes each child’s current condition and provides immediate feedback, helping parents build confidence in child-rearing. 3. Child developmental therapy combined with parental mental and physical care by licensed professionals In addition to lessons by physical therapists and occupational therapists, the service includes parent training supervised by a certified public psychologist, as well as refresh sessions for parents. It offers comprehensive support so employees can continue working with confidence and well-being. The service includes self-care time for parents during the therapy program. Through Pilates, yoga, stretching, and similar activities, it aims to reduce mental and physical strain and create an environment where parents can more easily balance childcare and work. Message from the representative Since the March release, parents who have used the service have shared comments such as: “Because we can take lessons while relaxing at home, my child feels safe and can participate comfortably,” and “I started this for my child, but it has also become a source of learning and refreshment for me.” To deliver this kind of reassuring support to more working parents and help them balance childcare and work, understanding and cooperation from companies and local communities are essential. Starting in Fukushima and expanding nationwide, we will broaden a system that delivers necessary support regardless of region. We aim to create a society where parents and children can move forward in their own way, no matter where they live or what circumstances they face. Representative and Physical Therapist: Sanae Sasaki Service overview Name: Habili & Link HimawaRe Online Developmental Therapy Corporate Employee Benefits Plan Official launch date: April 15, 2026 Features: No enrollment fee, no cancellation fee, no dedicated device required, 50-minute parent-child or parent sessions Details: https://www.himaware.com/