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Tantosei: Designated Caregiver System

'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System

Safe under the watch of a kind caregiver

'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System is a system in which each caregiver is designated individual children that they will be responsible for. The same worker is always involved in meal time, changing, and sleep time, allowing them to continually assist the same children and be able to plan activities more effectively.
Nursery schools typically offer care in group settings, where daily routines such as going on walks, eating, napping, etc., are all performed together as a group. As such, it’s difficult to cater to the needs of each child involved in the same activities simultaneously. However, at Shinaikai, we believe in our principle of Cherishing Each and Every Individual and all of our locations include the 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System. We provide care which is tailored to individual children’s current abilities and their rate of progress.

What is the 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System System?

Just as each child has a mother and father in their home, we too provide children with a designated caregiver to better comfort them emotionally and provide them with stability.

Children who are cared for and protected under the diligent watch of a caregiver know as soon as they see a familiar face that their wants and needs will be understood, and that they can quickly receive the help they need.

'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System is also geared towards supporting children’s inner development. Unlike physical and motor developments which are visible to the eye, inner development is hard to see and understand. However, having a consistent caregiver who accepts the child as they are allows children to express themselves freely, creating a more natural relationship with their caregiver. Inversely, the caregiver can better support the child’s inner development.

What is the 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System System?

It can also be said that as a result of the caregiver having a good grasp of the child’s developmental stage and psychological situation, children more easily acquire habits and customs since the caregiver can fine-tune education to fit children personally.

Sometimes it’s necessary to say “I know, you want me to take care of it”, and quickly assist a child. At other times, it’s necessary to say “You can do it. I’m here with you, so give it a try”, and provide support.

In that way, by quickly catching on to a child’s level of development and personal ability, a relationship of mutual trust can be established, and promoting independence in the child becomes easier.

'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System refers to a specific adult watching after specific children. At Shinaikai, we’ve also adopted this system for infant care as well.
As a child is always assisted by their mother at home, having a specific caregiver assigned allows children to feel more emotionally safe and secure.

We also believe that as a result of the caregiver having a good grasp of the child’s developmental stage and psychological situation, children more easily acquire habits and customs.

Children develop their personality at the moment they act.
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A basis of raising each child with care

By accepting the difference of each individual within a group and respecting their individuality while caring for them, children grow to show more attached behavior.

Children rely on their mother or caregiver for everything from drinking milk, changing diapers or clothes, and sleeping. Unlike other animals, communication is achieved through speech, such as being told “Let’s have some milk”, “Isn’t that yummy?”, “Oh no, you’re wet” etc. Through this communication a relationship is slowly built on trust and allows children to feel more safe and secure.

After creating a plan tailored to each individual child, the same caregiver always takes care of their child using the same procedures in a way that establishes familiarity. This may not always be possible in a group situation, so an assistant is also decided and a clear division of work and roles is established for managing the class as a whole.

Care revolving around daily activities such as meals, changing of diapers and clothes, sleeping, etc., is also provided in a way that allows for children to take initiative. Activities are performed as a collaborative effort between the caregiver and child. This helps to also forecast their developmental stage and progress.

It’s important to take care of 0-year olds with great patience and consciously help them to progress continually through a process of both steps forward and steps back.

Benefits of 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System

Merit01

Creates a lifestyle that fits their pace
They can quickly adjust to the Kindergarten environment

「Their caregiver is like a second mother  They can feel safe and secure！」

Merit02

You can expect childcare which is suited to your child’s individuality and abilities
It’s easy to discuss with a caregiver regarding details about your child

「You’ll know everything that goes on daily！  It’s comforting to know someone is cooperating to foster your child’s growth」

Merit03

They can spend appropriate time and effort with each child
They can oversee and experience small, daily growth

「Working carefully with each child to support them in the ways they need」

Infancy（0～2 year olds）3-year plan

0-Year Old Class

In our 0-Year Old Classes, 24-hour lifestyle rhythm is of the utmost importance. Naturally moving from the home environment into a class while maintaining a good mood leads to emotional stability. We believe that it’s possible to create a good relationship (at the school, caregivers play the role of mothers) within our Designated Caregiver System.

1-Year Old Class

In our 1-Year Old Classes, we place importance on the lifestyle rhythm from home. The reason children can maintain a good mood while in pre-school and feel a desire to play is because their basic needs (sleep, changing, food) are all well provided for. We think that the important thing for children at this age is having a degree of control. For that reason, caregivers patiently wait for children until they are ready.

2-Year Old Class

When children reach the 2-Year Old Class, in terms of daily life, the number of things they can do increases. They also become able to have an interest in their friends. It’s a time when they begin to develop their ‘self’, have a desire to accomplish things independently, and feel a sense of joy in doing so. They learn discipline through their specifically tailored care during infancy where daily habits are formed. We want to value this moving forward as well.

The importance of playing

When looking at children, they’re normally always playing outside of their daily routines. It can be said that outside of daily routines such as eating, changing, and sleeping, everything is play. Here at Shinaikai we see ‘playing’ as ‘studying’ for children of this age group. Children learn all sorts of valuable information through playing. Through daily play, they experience using all of their senses by touching, listening, and looking. Also, by performing a wide variety of movements, they develop their motor skills. The use of their body and senses help to develop their central nervous system. Especially in infancy, it can be said that the development of many senses and functions are still in progress. For example, the things that they hear at that age should be comfortable, not too strong or stimulating for a child. It’s often said that the most beautiful sound in the world to a child is their mother’s voice.

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Typical daily flow of an infant class

The pre-school opens at 7:00a.m.
Caregivers greet with ‘Good Morning!’ and check on the condition of each child by asking questions such as “How are they feeling?”

When weather permits, children play in the garden or go out on a walk. They can feel the seasons while moving about outdoors.
Indoors, they can relax with their caregivers and play, sing, read books, and more in an environment only found in small classes.

With 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System we particularly focus on acquisition of basic daily routines.
Carefully educating children in small groups contributes towards their becoming independent.

Children eat together with their caregiver.
Caregivers can grasp the mannerisms of the child and the amount they eat particularly well since they are always together.

Within the class, we integrate a large variety of detailed play which stimulates wrist and finger development.
While relaxing inside the class, children wait to be picked up.

Children leave for home. Caregivers communicate the daily happenings to parents/guardians, and say “See you tomorrow!”

Column

〜 Regarding 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System（0, 1, 2-Year Olds)〜

Here at Shinaikai we integrate 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System.
Many people may wonder, “What is 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System exactly?” Up until recently, most preschools and kindergartens in Japan offered only ‘Group Classes’, where all children would perform the same actions (going for walks, eating, napping, etc.,) at the same time while watched by 1 or a few teachers.
It’s been stated in the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare’s recent nursery school childcare guidelines that the introduction of 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System is beneficial. The 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System system comes from an avant-garde theory first established in Hungary, and is currently being used throughout Europe in countries such as: Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, and Germany.

In the 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System system, each caregiver is matched with designated children. This system of care doesn’t mean that each caregiver ignores children outside of their designated children, but that the entire class works together, children and adults, to create a natural atmosphere during daily routines.

Column 〜 Regarding 'Tantosei': Designated Caregiver System（0, 1, 2-Year Olds)〜

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