Day-care facilities

Childcare Division(TEL: 620-1638)
If parents cannot care for their child during the day due to work, illness, or birth of another child, day-care centers are available to provide care for your children. These centers are different from kindergartens, as they only accept children who do not have someone at home to care for them during the day. Also, the hours of day-care centers are different from the hours observed by kindergartens.

In Ibaraki city, there are 12 public day-care centers and 26 private day-care centers, as of January 10, 2009. Children are accepted up to 5 years of age, and before they enter elementary school. Some day-care centers accept small babies who have just left the hospital after delivery. Public day-care centers can serve children from 7:30 PM to 6:30 PM. A 30 minute extension is available in the morning and evening if required. The private day-care centers have their own various schedules.

The fees vary with the age of the child and the amount of taxes paid by the family during the last year.

Home day-care centers are nursing facilities contracted by the Ibaraki City government, though not authorized by the national government. The city government supports part of the operating expenses of these facilities. They serve infants before the age of 3 years. The fee for care is determined by each facility.