I'm Chihiro's mom, Otsuka Chiaki.
As the vice president of the TSUGUMI Group, I run child development support and after-school day care services. I have been involved in supporting children and their parents as a school nurse for over 10 years.

She is currently a mother raising her son, Chihiro, who has autism and intellectual disabilities.

During the days I spend with the children at Chihiro and the Day Care Center,
"To make children feel more comfortable and safe"
"We want to deliver products that can be used at home with a smile."
Little by little, this idea took shape and led to Dear Kids & Family.

We hope to foster a "kinder future" where children and their families can live with peace of mind and smiles.

As a mother and a professional, I envision the future of my disabled child and hope that this activity will bring strength and peace of mind to families who are struggling in the same way every day.

■Main qualifications: First-class school nurse license / First-class hygiene manager / Mobility care worker for the disabled / Calligraphy instructor / Service manager and child development support manager basic training completed / Common Sense Parenting for young children (7 sessions total) completed

While working as a clinical psychologist in developmental support, I also disseminate information about neurodevelopmental disorders and therapeutic education, and create therapeutic education materials that are tailored to support sites and families.

While working in clinical practice with adults with special needs, I have noticed their low self-esteem and the pain of secondary disabilities.

"I wish there was a way to provide more support for children from an early age," was the thought that led me to pursue a career in therapeutic education. Now, I use my knowledge as a psychologist and my daily experience in the field to create easy-to-use, warm-hearted educational materials that children will want to use and that adults will find exciting as well.

My wish is that all children, regardless of whether they have a disability or not, will be able to live with a smile and dignity, even 10 or 20 years from now.

I hope that the limited time you spend with your child will be filled with more smiles and warmth.

[Physiotherapist]
Yuichiro Hanatani
Representative of TSUGUMI Group

■Profile As a physical therapist, he provides a wide range of support in the fields of medicine, welfare, and sports.
He has accumulated a wide range of clinical experience, from developmental support to geriatric rehabilitation and athletic training.
We work to create an environment where children and families can support each other within the community.

Acute care medical institutions, pediatric rehabilitation facilities, and rehabilitation facilities, etc.
He has over 15 years of clinical experience providing support in a variety of settings.

Currently, we are developing child development support, after-school day care services, visiting support for nurseries, and therapeutic education x SDGs projects.
As the representative of the TSUGUMI Group, he strives to improve the quality and environment of developmental support.

Main qualifications: Physiotherapist / Service Manager / Child Development Support Manager / Completed Basic and Practical Training for Severe Behavioral Disorders Coordinator for Children and Adults with Severe Physical and Mental Disabilities / Fire Prevention Manager / Mysore Basic Meister

■Comment We value relationships that are tailored to each individual child and strive to improve the quality of support every day.
From the perspective of a physical therapist, I would like to provide a form of support that can be easily incorporated into the home.

[Occupational Therapist]
Daiju Tokumoto

■Profile He has worked in the medical field for five years, gaining a wide range of experience from acute phase to recovery phase and outpatient rehabilitation. He is mainly in charge of cerebrovascular disease, musculoskeletal disease, and cancer rehabilitation.

Since 2021, she has been working in pediatric home rehabilitation at Nishi-Osaka Visiting Nursing Station.
Additionally, he has been involved in the launch of "With You Tanimachi," run by the TSUGUMI Group, where he assesses children, develops programs, and provides individual and small group therapeutic support.
He has experience supporting a variety of pediatric illnesses, including developmental disabilities, pediatric upper limb orthopedic disorders, pediatric respiratory diseases, and Isaacs syndrome.

During home rehabilitation, we focus on providing support tailored to each individual and supporting parents, and at therapeutic facilities we use our experience in individual support to help children become independent in daily living activities and develop their social skills and communication abilities through small group activities.

In 2024, she received the MVP award from Nishi-Osaka Visiting Nursing Station.
Currently, he continues to work at the forefront of clinical practice, honing the quality of support from both individual and group perspectives, and supporting the growth of each and every child.

■Comment: As an occupational therapist, what I value most is "increasing the number of things that people can do on their own."
We work in cooperation with the children themselves, their families, and related organizations to provide support that will broaden the possibilities for the children's future.

Dear Kids & Family is
It is run by the TSUGUMI Group, which works closely with children and their families to support their daily lives and growth.

In Chuo Ward, Osaka City,
Child development support, after-school day care, nursery school visit support, home visit type child development support, etc.
We carry out a wide range of activities, mainly developmental support, and operate "With You Tanimachi" and "good day cafe."

We are also promoting a new initiative called the "Therapeutic Education x SDGs Project."
We are practicing a local recycling-based agricultural model in which we reuse waste mushroom beds used in mushroom cultivation as food for rhinoceros beetle larvae, which are then raised and sold.

The grown beetles
We are spreading smiles in the community from both the welfare and educational perspectives by linking these activities to interactive experiences and workshop events aimed at children with disabilities and local children.

We are working with the local community to create an environment where children can grow up feeling a connection with life and nature.