Matsuo Tamako, 28
Social Worker from Kumamoto
What do you do?
I work at a home for children. It’s like an orphanage --children live there--but the parents can’t, or don’t want to, take care of their children. The children’s parents have problems like mental illnesses, drug problems, and have often been abused themselves. They leave money with us because they are too poor, or get a divorce, or a parent dies. We also search for parents, most often mothers. My job is to be like a mother--wake children up, prepare breakfast, see them off to school, etc. Children move out after turning 18, usually doing a job that provides a dormitory room. Until high school they receive money from the government. Some save money, but none want to go to university.Do you sometimes feel closer to one particular child?
No. I’m responsible for all of them. I feel the same toward them all.Is child abuse common in Japan?
Yes, it’s common. Thirty of our 80 children have suffered from child abuse. There are 522 childcare homes in Japan caring for 30,000 children. Problems such as abuse and related mental diseases are increasing, but, I think these problems have always been around. In the old days, if children got burned, for example, people might not know or say the reason, but nowadays we know it’s abuse.What are the good and bad points?
It’s nice to watch children grow. Although we’re not related, they’re like family. The bad point is, the job is from 6:30am to 10pm. When children go to school, sometimes I can rest, but often I have meetings or visit the parents. Sometimes I work at night. If a child is sick, then I don’t sleep. When a child is absent from school, I stay with him/her all day. But when I see a child’s smile, I’m no longer tired.How is the pay?
My monthly salary is ¥200,000; we get two ¥350,000 bonuses. I would like a better salary. We can get raises, but the salary hasn’t been changing much because of the recession.Any other thoughts?
I’d like to end with a story. One teenage girl read a saying, “Reaching out to needy children.” She then said, “I am not a needy child.” She was upset. Before that, I had never thought about that saying. Now I’d like to see it changed.the end
This interview was originally published in Kansai Time Out magazine.