Supporting each and every families with respect – Kasumi's Story　

In January 2025, "UPBEAT Sitter Service" launched in Nagoya City. This new childcare service from UPBEAT International School, an authorized International Baccalaureate institution, offers a unique feature: "English sitting" provided by international sitters.

Today, we speak with Kasumi, who has been involved with the service from the very start. She shares insights into her dual role as both a sitter and a coordinator, managing the delicate balance of connecting families with the right childcare support.

 

1.Why I Chose Sitter Work—and What It Means to Me 

I originally worked as a nursery teacher at public daycare centers for about 20 years. Later, I transitioned to working at a "Child-rearing Support Center" and spent another 10 years involved in "Area Support Nursery Projects" – planning and consultation work that connected directly with families raising children in the community. Through this experience, I developed a strong desire to provide more concrete, hands-on support to individual families.

People raising children come from incredibly diverse backgrounds, and each family faces unique challenges. Despite this, I've seen parents find creative ways to navigate their daily lives, often with remarkable resilience. I have personal experience with how isolating parenting can be – I remember reaching a breaking point after childbirth when my health was poor, coming dangerously close to a situation I never thought possible. That experience taught me the critical importance of having someone nearby, someone willing to listen.

However, working within the municipal system, I often felt frustrated by the limitations of what I could offer. The families who needed support most were often those who couldn't even make it to our support centers, yet reaching them seemed impossible through official channels. Even when I moved to a private daycare center and tried to build community connections, I eventually had to step back due to health issues.

That's when I learned about UPBEAT International School's vision for their sitter service. I saw it as an opportunity to provide steady, reliable care to individual families – something I'd been searching for throughout my career. I've been involved since the very beginning.

2. Behind the Scenes: How the Work Works　

Initially, since we only had a few registered sitters, I worked directly with families in various situations. Sometimes I'd care for lively households with four siblings, other times I'd alternate with international sitters to support families from overseas living in Japan.

What I think makes UPBEAT Sitter Service special is our "team approach" to family support. While visits are typically conducted by individual sitters, coordinators conduct thorough first interviews before services begin, and we maintain detailed daily communication among staff. From understanding the neighborhood layout and emergency evacuation routes to knowing where the first aid kit is kept, there's always someone beyond the visiting sitter who knows each family's situation. This creates tremendous peace of mind for everyone involved.

As our team of sitters has grown, my role has shifted primarily toward coordination. I manage overall scheduling, handle official documentation for international families, and still step in for direct childcare when other sitters aren't available. Since my own children are older now and my schedule is more flexible, I'm able to position myself as support for our other sitters when needed.

 

3.　A Moment I’ll Never Forget—and Why It Matters　 

"I just want to take a slow bath." These words from one mother have stayed with me ever since.

This family had several young children, and the mother was managing childcare entirely on her own while facing significant challenges. She was clearly overwhelmed but had little family support available. With concerns about her children's development adding to her stress, her initial request was simply for me to "play with the children while I'm there too."

However, as I built relationships with the children and shared insights about their growth, something  changed. Perhaps she began to trust that it might be okay to leave them in my care. One day, she hesitantly asked, "There's something I'd like to get done... would that be alright?"

It started with assembling a shelf – something that had been bothering her for months but that she'd never had time to tackle. "Of course that's fine," I told her. When she finished, the relief on her face was unmistakable. From then on, I made sure to tell her, "Please feel free to do whatever you need to do," and that's when she mentioned wanting that slow bath. In that moment, I realized I had helped her find a space to breathe – and that felt like exactly what I'd hoped to accomplish.

Since then, this family has also begun using our service to give the mother focused time with each child individually. Whether playing one-on-one or taking just one child on an outing, these precious moments are only possible because a sitter is there caring for the siblings. It reinforced for me just how valuable this work can be.

4. Looking Forward

Even now, when I tell other nursery teachers I work as a sitter, I’m met with the occasional “Oh… sitting?” The role remains under-recognized in Japan, and some still view it as less professional.

But Sitter care is professional, in-home support—rooted where children feel most secure—and it enables warm, one-to-one relationships.  I feel my nursery-teaching experience is being used where it matters most, even if the scope is smaller and the focus sharper. 

Municipal governments are increasingly investing in family-support policies—exemplified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “Babysitter Usage Support Project”—and more people are recognizing their value and importance. Within this growing awareness, I hope to continue sharing the joy and rewards of this work, contributing even in small ways to elevating the entire industry.

Recently, my college-age daughter shared that, thanks to what she’s learned about my work, she wants to use sitter services when she has children of her own.  I hope this perspective takes root, and that the sitter profession is recognized as a valued, attractive career path.

「UPBEAT Sitter Serviece」