by Yuri Kida

I went to Japan for my international practicum this summer. I am from Japan, so this was good opportunity for me to see how social workers work in Japanese society and how people see the mental health occupations. I had chance to go to Free Schools and a hospital.

Free School is a school for children who do not go to regular schools. Some of them chose not to go because they did not like the school rule, teachers’ attitude, or school structures. Others cannot go to school because of bully or other reasons. This school started in England. In Japan, free school started early 1970s. In the United States, a free school is not so common because there are many other kinds of alternative schools. In the free school I went, there were children who have behavioral problems. There are no places for them other than free schools.

Social workers did not work in the free school. I was a mentor there. I did activities with children, teach subjects, and sometimes I had chance to talk with children about their problems. In this school, there is a schedule, but if children do not feel like to do things on the schedule, they do not need to do. They can do whatever they want to do. Sometimes it was frustrating for me because it seemed to me there is no structure in this school. However, I could experience to interact with children and help them to find their problems.

I had been to the hospital for two weeks. The owner of the hospital understands the importance of social workers. There are many hospitals that do not have any social workers, however, there are five social workers working at the hospital and doctors understand the social workers’ role to some extent. The main role of the social workers at this hospital is discharge coordinate. I could learn the discharge coordinating and Japanese health insurance policy.

I also visited a social worker who works at a high school and a welfare house for children. After I talked with the social worker, I thought people need to realize the importance of the mental health professions at school settings and in other fields. She works full time at the school but her colleagues do not understand her role as a social worker very well. Her situation is much better than other mental health professions at school in Japan. At the welfare house, I learned that more and more children have experienced abuse and have produced mental and behavioral problems. The number of child abuse and the mental and behavioral problems among children are increasing in Japan; however, people do not understand the importance to seek for the help about their problem. It is hard thing for them to go to mental health professions for the help.

This “study abroad program” was very good opportunity for me to see my country from the different point of view from the point that I used to have.