The government has decided to seek major revisions to the Child Welfare Law in an attempt to prevent child abuse at welfare facilities.

It is the first time that preventive measures against abuse at child welfare facilities will be incorporated into the law. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare aims to submit a bill to amend the law during the regular Diet session next year.

The revision plans were based on a report by the ministry's Social Security Council, headed by Shukutoku University Professor Reiho Kashiwame.

Under the proposed revisions, prefectural governments would be required to respond to reports filed by children who suffer abuse at welfare facilities.

The revision bill would even deem it an abuse by an employee at a welfare facility if the employee failed to take any action to stop violence among children. The plan also urges prefectural governments to form teams to prevent the recurrence of child abuse.

Furthermore, the revision also aims to establish a new fostering system so that children can grow up in a family-like environment. Currently, there are 153 children living in 36 foster families who are financially supported by local governments. The new plan will reduce the number of children per foster family from around six to somewhere fewer.

Even the age limit for welfare facility "graduates" to enter self-support facilities will be eased to under 20, in order to help them become financially independent, according to the revised bill.

Urgent measures have been called for against abuses at child welfare facilities, and experts say some abuse cases still remain uncovered because they take place behind closed doors.

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