Introduction of local welfare officer, children's committee

Welfare commissioners are part-time local government officials appointed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare under the Welfare Commissioner Act.
Each welfare officer is assigned a specific area of responsibility and works in the areas closest to citizens.
In addition, welfare commissioners also serve as child welfare commissioners as defined by the Child Welfare Act.
The chief child welfare commissioner is appointed from among the child welfare commissioners who have specialized knowledge and experience related to children.
They are unpaid, volunteer-based staff and serve a three-year term.

Recommendation and appointment of local welfare officers and children's volunteers

Persons who meet the requirements stipulated in the Social Welfare Commission Law, such as those who are well-informed, well-versed in the realities of society, and enthusiastic about promoting social welfare, are elected to prefectural governors through local welfare officer recommendation committees set up in municipalities. After being recommended, the prefectural governor listens to the opinions of the local social welfare councils set up in the prefectures, and then recommends to the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, who commissions them.

History of the local welfare officer and children's commissioner system

The origins of the welfare commissioner system are said to date back to May 1917, when Okayama Prefecture Governor Shinichi Kasai promulgated the "Regulations for the Establishment of Social Welfare Advisors," which were modeled after the "poor relief commissioner system" implemented in the city of Elberfeld in Germany, and the system was born. The year 2017 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the welfare commissioner system.
In Tokyo, the Tokyo Prefecture Charity Association was established under the direction of then Tokyo Governor Inoue Tomoichi in February 1917. The Tokyo Prefecture Charity Association established the Relief Committee System in June of the following year, 1918, and divided Tokyo Prefecture into 14 districts, surveyed local conditions, and offered advice to poor families.
This "Tokyo Prefectural Charity Association Relief Committee" is the origin of Tokyo's welfare commissioners, and in 2018, Tokyo marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of the welfare commissioner system (relief committee system).

100th Anniversary Symbol Mark for Local Welfare Officers and Children's Commissioners

The Federation of National Welfare Commissioners and Children's Commissioners has created the "100th Anniversary of Welfare Commissioners and Children's Commissioners" symbol mark shown on the left.
The green circle surrounding the four heart leaves, which is the symbol mark of the local welfare officer, represents the lives and growth of people and communities, and the orange color of the letters "100", which represents 100 years of history, means kindness and interaction. doing.
The slogan, "From now on, together with the community," reflects the desire of the welfare and children's committee members to continue to work together with the people of the community, based on the 100 years of achievements that have been made together with the community.

The Tokyo metropolitan government has established welfare and children's committee cooperators. In cooperation with local welfare officers and children's committee members, we conduct surveys on watching over the elderly, and conduct morning greeting campaigns at elementary and junior high schools. In addition, we find citizens who need support and provide information to local welfare officers and children's committee members.
In Inagi City, there are currently 2 members of the public welfare and children's committee cooperating.