【Expansion of Childcare Staffing Services in Sendai, Kobe, and Hiroshima】Responding to Growing Childcare Demand with the "Childcare for All" System and Strengthening Staffing for Short-Term, Variable Needs

Will of Work Co., Ltd., a comprehensive human resources service provider under Will Group (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Hideo Murakami), has strengthened its service provision system by expanding its human resource supply functions in the childcare sector in three cities—Sendai, Kobe, and Hiroshima—starting April 1, 2026. This expansion is in response to changing childcare needs, particularly those influenced by the "Childcare for All" system. This brings the total service network to 11 locations nationwide, aiming to resolve the shortage of childcare professionals in these regions and enhance responsiveness to fluctuating childcare demand.

Background of Branch Openings in Miyagi Prefecture (Sendai City), Hyogo Prefecture (Kobe City), and Hiroshima Prefecture (Hiroshima City)

Amidst a chronic shortage of childcare professionals, childcare needs are undergoing significant changes due to the "Childcare for All" system*, which will be rolled out nationwide from April 2026, and the expansion of temporary childcare services. As the environment for entrusting children regardless of employment requirements progresses, the use of short-term and spot-based services is increasing, shifting childcare demand from traditional long-hour, fixed-type to 'short-term, variable-type'.

As a result, new challenges are emerging in childcare settings, such as fluctuating demand by day of the week and time of day, and a shortage of staff for dedicated temporary childcare classes and short-hour support. Traditional staffing models centered on full-time employees are becoming difficult to manage, necessitating the establishment of a more flexible human resource supply system.

Furthermore, in regional areas, there is a tendency for population and childcare demand to concentrate in core cities, increasing the importance of these locations as hubs to cover broader demand. Taking these structural changes into account, our company comprehensively considered not only population size but also childcare demand, geographical characteristics, human resource supply status (effective job opening ratio), and administrative childcare support measures, selecting Sendai, Kobe, and Hiroshima as areas for service expansion. We will also promote staffing arrangements that combine full-time and part-time personnel to respond to demand fluctuations, thereby enhancing our ability to meet variable childcare needs and expanding service functions at existing locations.

*What is the "Childcare for All" system? This system is one of the initiatives promoted by the Children and Families Agency. In addition to the existing early childhood education and childcare benefits, it is a new childcare benefit that allows flexible hourly use within a monthly allowance, regardless of employment requirements. It will be institutionalized in FY2025 and implemented by local governments nationwide as a new benefit under the Act on Child and Childcare Support from April 2026.

Overview of Each Branch

The cities and branches where childcare staffing services will expand from April 1, 2026, are as follows:

Sendai Branch

Location: Daiwa Securities Sendai Building, 2-8-13 Chuo, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture https://maps.app.goo.gl/pfeNsn3qZt8MP1Zq5

Access: 10-minute walk from JR Sendai Station West Exit

Opening Date: April 1, 2026 (Wednesday)

Kobe Branch

Location: 10F Sannomiya Central Building, 1-1-2 Sannomiya-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture

https://maps.app.goo.gl/zu2LUqw7U17w98cu6

Access: 2-minute walk from Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae Station C1 Exit on the Kobe Municipal Subway Kaigan Line

Opening Date: April 1, 2026 (Wednesday)

Hiroshima Branch

Location: 4F Central Building, 15-10 Hatchobori, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ur9VNUcwmvUMDQrf6

Access: 1-minute walk from Hatchobori Station on the Hiroden Main Line

Opening Date: April 1, 2026 (Wednesday)

＜Current Childcare Staffing Service Locations＞

Tokyo: Shinjuku, Tachikawa

Saitama Prefecture: Omiya

Chiba Prefecture: Chiba

Kanagawa Prefecture: Yokohama

Osaka: Osaka

Aichi: Nagoya

Fukuoka: Fukuoka

Details of each branch can be found here:

https://willof.jp/works/touroku_kaijyou/

Will of Work Co., Ltd.

Will of Work provides "staffing," "contracting," and "recruitment/temp-to-perm" services specialized in industries such as sales, call centers, and nursing care, and develops highly specialized human resources businesses through industry-specific educational activities. Under our vision of 'Chance-Making Company,' we believe in the potential of all people and aim to increase working opportunities and diverse work styles for everyone. Will of comprehensive job information site: https://willof.jp/

【Company Profile】 Company Name: Will of Work Co., Ltd. Head Office: Keio Shinjuku Sanchome Building 3F, 3-1-24 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Established: January 1997 Representative: Hideo Murakami, Representative Director and President Capital: 99 million yen Number of Employees: 4,608 (as of March 31, 2025) URL: https://willof-work.co.jp/