Japan’s parents of children with disabilities face “18-year-old wall”, forced to quit jobs to care for children [Podcast Episode]

By Barrier Free Japan

January 13 2025

TOKYO – The Association of Parents Who Work While Raising Children with Disabilities and Children with Medical Care held a press conference at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on December 17, 2024. When children turn 18 and graduate from special-needs schools, they can no longer receive after-school day care services, which are available until around 6 pm. The majority of these services end around 3:00 p.m., forcing parents to leave their jobs to watch over and care for their children. Some parents refer to this the “18-year-old barrier”.

Episode Notes:

‘Parents of children with disabilities in Japan face “18-year-old wall”, forced to quit jobs to care for children’:

Parents of children with disabilities in Japan face “18-year-old wall”, forced to quit jobs to care for children