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Introduction: Many children with disabilities and latent characteristics are cared for in nursery schools (daycare centres). Paediatricians commissioned by nursery schools in our previous survey proved the occurrence of disabled children abused in schools. As the parents of the alleged victims were likely to contact the municipality, a survey of the municipalities managing childcare was requested. Methods: The target group was local authorities' childcare service management departments (public authorities). Questionnaires were sent twice to 1,742 municipalities from late 2012 to the fiscal year (FY) 2014. Incidents were collected by inquiring about implementing preventive measures and reasonable accommodations. Results: The number of municipalities that responded was 490 and 595, respectively, and 38 and 7 municipalities received complaints from parents that instructors had abused their children with disabilities. Based on the number of reports, the incidence of abuse in nursery schools in 2014 was estimated to be 0.0077% (95% CI: 0.0059–0.0094) and 0.0208% (0.0073–0.0344) for children with disabilities. In the 2014-2015 research periods, more teachers and staff were made aware of the consultation service as a preventive measure, and more emphasis was placed on the informed consent of parents as a reasonable accommodation. Regional characteristics, classified by the percentage of children, influenced the implementation of some measures. Conclusion: The incidence in Japan was estimated to be lower than in other countries.

Background: In a preschool setting, childcare is usually provided to children with disabilities or potential features as well. In this study, we hypothesized that parents might have additionally consulted commissioned pediatricians when their children were reportedly abused by schoolteachers as well as following legitimate grievance procedures. Aims: To estimate the prevalence rate of children with disabilities being abused at nursery schools in Japan, the authors asked the help of commissioned pediatricians of nursery schools. Methods: We sent a questionnaire to 1,607 members of the Japanese Society for Well-being of Nursery-schoolers, who are specialists known to be highly sensitive to abuses. Incident reports from the second half of 2012 to the fiscal year 2014 were collected from 361 members who replied. Results: In total, three respondents, including one pediatrician, had received a complaint(s) from parents that their child with disabilities had been abused by a teacher. No details on each case were provided. Conclusion: Thus, the need for another assessment to administrative was indicated.

Children with disabilities are at high risk of being abused at school by their teachers. Based on legislation in Japan, the authors assessed the implementation of measures to prevent abuse and reasonable accommodations (arrangements) available at special needs schools in Japan. Government data has concentrated only on physical maltreatment by teachers; thus, we also collected grievances from parents to estimate the prevalence rate of abuse at special education settings. Of the 1,077 schools that were sent questionnaires, 333 completed them. Educational programmes for staff were the most common measure employed to prevent abuse. Various forms of support, including communication with internet-communication technology, were provided in relation to reasonable accommodations. After the implementation of the abuse prevention act for persons with disabilities, 14 (4.20%) schools reported grievances from parents claiming that their child had been bullied by teachers. Because Japan does not have educational inspection systems, such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, we assumed the incidence rate. Provided that all the grievances were related to abuse, the incidence rate was 0.02–0.05% (95% CI).