- The following is content from the press release -
(Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yasuyuki Toki; hereafter "Unifa"), a company that uses technology to solve social issues related to childcare and child rearing, has launched a new "Smart Kindergarten/Smart Childcare Center" model garden activity, aiming to solve issues unique to kindergartens, in addition to the "Smart Nursery School®" model garden activity announced last year. In addition to the "Smart Nursery School®" model garden activities announced last year, Unifa has begun model garden activities for "Smart Kindergartens and Smart Children's Schools.
We will continuously monitor the model kindergartens and children's kindergartens (transitioning from kindergartens) to see what changes have been made in the efficiency of childcare-related operations and the quality of childcare before and after the introduction of "Lukumi," a childcare support service that utilizes AI and IoT.
Unifa will continue to develop "Smart Nursery Schools, Smart Kindergartens, and Smart Children's Schools" with the aim of creating social infrastructure for childcare facilities, which play an important role in raising children.
Model Garden Activities
About the "Smart Nursery School, Smart Kindergarten, and Smart Childcare Center" Concept
Childcare facilities play an important role as social infrastructure to support the future of children, but a shortage of human resources in the childcare field is a social issue. Unifa has been promoting the "Smart Nursery School" concept to reduce the workload and improve the quality of childcare at childcare facilities through the use of technology, and since April 2020 we have been promoting model nursery school activities, focusing on nursery schools, and have introduced our Lukumi series in bulk to face the challenges and convert operations that can be made more efficient to ICT. We have been continuously monitoring the changes that have occurred in childcare-related operations and in the way they deal with children by introducing our Lukumi series in bulk and converting operations that can be made more efficient to ICT. Some of the model preschools have achieved a 65% reduction in monthly work hours*1, while others have reported that "by making operations smarter, caregivers feel more comfortable and relaxed, and are able to pay more attention to their children. It is now clear that ICT can contribute to a certain extent to improving the environment and quality of childcare at childcare facilities.
On the other hand, we also found that this initiative will help solve issues unique to nursery schools, such as paperwork and safety management, and we decided to launch the Smart Kindergarten and Childcare Center model school activities in order to support initiatives in kindergartens, which have different issues from those of nursery schools. From the questionnaire survey conducted beforehand, only about 20% of the facilities responded that they were able to effectively reflect on their childcare activities, and the most common reason given for not being able to do so was "lack of time. "*2 The results of the survey showed that the most common reason given for not being able to reflect on their childcare activities was "lack of time.
Activities at the model preschools will not only improve the efficiency of documentation work, but will also work on improvements aimed at enhancing the quality of childcare, and the "Lukumi" series will be utilized as needed. By doing so, we will streamline childcare-related operations, create more time and mental relaxation for the caregivers, and work together with them to realize effective review of childcare using photographs.
*1: Change in work time required for photo sales, temperature checks, contact sheets, and shift preparation (measured at our model preschool)
*2: Questionnaires were sent to caregivers at target model kindergartens and children's schools (conducted from April 21 to May 19, 2021; 31 valid responses).
Comments from model kindergartens and children's schools
- Higashi Nibancho Kindergarten (Kindergarten): Sendai, Miyagi
We felt that Lukumi's efforts are a good opportunity for the field of early childhood education and care to review, progress, and evolve in the future, which is very appealing. I would be happy if I could be of some help as a model preschool. It has also provided me with an opportunity to review and reflect on the changing nature of childcare. - Nukumori-no-Mori Shinbashi Yayoi-dai Kodomo-school (certified kindergarten for children with special needs) : Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Teachers want to spend the four seasons in Japan together and be close to the children from the same perspective. We have digitized the information from the childcare journal to look back on the excitement and thrill of each day. We can now use photos to express nuances that are difficult to capture in writing, and we can easily keep a record of them. I would like to reduce the burden of writing and make more room for looking back. - Shin'ai Kindergarten (Kindergarten-type certified kindergarten) : Himeji City, Hyogo Pref.
I like the fact that we can receive a set of tools for Lukumi Documentation and training on documentation. I feel that training is very important to improve the quality of childcare. We have to change with the times and I would like to continue my studies.
About Unifa Corporation
Unifa Corporation is a startup in the "Childcare-Tech" field that aims to solve social issues related to childcare and childcare. With the company's purpose of "creating new social infrastructures that create happiness for families around the world," Unifa develops and provides childcare support devices and services utilizing IoT and AI. Through the development of "Smart Nursery Schools, Smart Kindergartens, and Smart Childcare Centers," we are contributing to the creation of a society in which it is easy to work while raising children.
About Us
interpoint (interword separation)Company Name Unifa Corporation
interpoint (interword separation)Representative Director and CEO Yasuyuki Toki
interpoint (interword separation)Establishment 2013
interpoint (interword separation)Location Sumitomo Fudosan Chiyoda Fujimi Building 2F, 1-8-19 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
interpoint (interword separation)Business Overview Planning, development, sales, and operation of the "Lukumi" series of childcare support services.
Development and promotion of "Smart Nursery Schools, Smart Kindergartens, and Smart Children's Schools.
interpoint (interword separation)Company URL https://unifa-e.com/
Unifa, which promotes "Smart Nursery School" model preschool activities, has launched a new "Smart Kindergarten/Smart Children's School" model preschool activity aimed at solving issues unique to kindergartens. They are aiming to improve the quality of childcare through measures such as business efficiency improvement and documentation support using photos. Let's take a look at the release.