Survey on Health Checkups for Children Missing School
Overview
Concerns that children who do not attend school may miss school health checkups, allowing illnesses and other conditions to go unnoticed, prompted a survey of schools and families to understand checkup attendance and related challenges. In a sample survey for FY2025, children who had not received any checkup items accounted for 5.7% in elementary schools and 19.9% in junior high schools. Based on the findings, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Children and Families Agency, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare were asked to implement measures including accommodations at school tailored to each child’s circumstances, opportunities for checkups outside school, and outreach support from welfare departments and other bodies.
Key points
- In the FY2025 sample survey, the rates with no checkup items received were 5.7% in elementary schools and 19.9% in junior high schools.
- Measures were requested according to each child’s circumstances, including accommodations at school, opportunities for checkups outside school, and outreach support from welfare departments and other bodies.
- A survey of municipalities and a questionnaire for families of children who do not attend school assessed checkup attendance and possible improvements.
Overview
School health checkups are an important opportunity to detect illnesses and other conditions early, but children who do not attend school may be unable to receive them, raising concerns that conditions could go unnoticed. The survey was conducted to understand checkup attendance and related circumstances among school-age children who do not attend school, and to identify challenges and improvements for maintaining and promoting their health.
Details
The survey was conducted through questionnaires to municipal elementary and junior high schools and welfare departments, as well as a survey of families of children who do not attend school. A sample survey of school health checkup attendance in FY2025 found that 5.7% of children in elementary schools and 19.9% in junior high schools had received no checkup items.
The questionnaire found that encouraging children to receive checkups requires accommodations at school, such as scheduling them at a different time from other children, and opportunities to receive checkups outside school, such as at a hospital. Examples among municipalities included providing checkup opportunities at school physicians’ medical institutions or general hospitals, and welfare departments or other bodies supporting health management through home visits.
The notification asked the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Children and Families Agency, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to implement three types of measures tailored to children’s circumstances. For children who attend school intermittently, it called for accommodations that make it easier to receive checkups at school. For those unable to attend school but able to go out, it called for opportunities to receive checkups outside school. For children in a state of social withdrawal or facing complex family circumstances, it called for outreach support from welfare departments and other bodies in coordination with schools. The measures also include informing boards of education, welfare departments, and other relevant bodies.