Designation application for after-school day service and child development support: the flow and required documents

In short: after-school day service and child development support are both disability children day services under the Child Welfare Act, and to start one you must obtain designation as a designated day-service business (Child Welfare Act, Article 21-5-3). The designating authority is the prefectural governor (in designated cities and core cities, the mayor). Designation is granted only when the premises, staffing and facilities meet the requirements, so you prepare the application while securing premises, recruiting staff and arranging labour and tax matters in parallel. This article organises the flow of the designation application and the required documents, and shows which part to ask whom. Eligibility and conformity with the standards are decided by the designating authority's review, and our office does not guarantee designation.

Child development support vs after-school day service: what differs in the application?

Both are disability children day services under Article 6-2-2 of the Child Welfare Act, but the target children differ.

Service	Main target	Basis
Child development support	Mainly pre-school children with disabilities	Child Welfare Act, Article 6-2-2, paragraph 2
After-school day service	Children with disabilities enrolled in schools under Article 1 of the School Education Act (excluding kindergartens and universities)	Child Welfare Act, Article 6-2-2, paragraph 3

The framework of the designation application is common, but staffing, facilities and support content differ by target age. Both can be run at the same office as a "multi-function" type, in which case the approach to capacity and staffing changes. Deciding which type to apply for first is the starting point for preparing the documents.

In what order do you proceed until designation is granted?

The general flow is as follows. Because things are easily sent back if the order is reversed, start the prior consultation early.

1. Fix the business plan and funding plan, and establish a corporation (or add disability children day service to the purpose in the articles of incorporation).
2. Choose premises and confirm conformity with the facility standards, the Building Standards Act and the Fire Service Act.
3. Hold a prior consultation with the designating authority.
4. Secure a child development support manager, child instructors, nursery teachers and others.
5. Prepare the application and attached documents and submit them by the deadline.
6. Document examination and, as necessary, on-site confirmation.
7. Designation (in many municipalities, as of the first day of a month).

Many municipalities grant designation as of the first of the month, and the submission deadline for the application is generally set in the month or two months before the desired designation date. Deadlines differ by designating authority and may be brought forward at the change of fiscal year, so always confirm on the relevant municipality's official page. Registration of corporate establishment is the work of a judicial scrivener or the applicant, and building and fire conformity presupposes consultation with the designer, contractor and fire department.

Staffing and facility standards: how far to prepare before applying?

The staffing, facility and operation standards for designated day service are set in the "Standards concerning the staffing, facilities and operation of designated day-service businesses under the Child Welfare Act" (Ordinance of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare No. 15 of 2012; promulgated 3 February 2012, effective 1 April 2012), and are given concrete form by the ordinances of prefectures, designated cities and core cities. The basic staffing is as follows.

Role	Approach to placement
Child instructor or nursery teacher	Two or more for up to 10 children with disabilities (at least one full-time). Three or more for 11–15, four or more for 16–20, and roughly one added per five thereafter. At least half of the number placed must be child instructors or nursery teachers
Child development support manager	One or more (dedicated and full-time). Responsible for preparing the individual support plan
Manager	One (in principle dedicated; may hold a concurrent post if there is no hindrance)

The full-time equivalent is found by dividing "the total working hours of the workers" by "the hours a full-time worker should work (calculated as 32 hours if weekly hours fall below 32)". Facilities require, in addition to a training room, the equipment and fittings needed for support, a consultation room, an office and sanitary facilities; some municipalities set the required area of the training room by ordinance. The employment contracts, working-hour design and social-insurance application that meet the staffing standards are the field of a certified social insurance and labour consultant, who contracts with you separately as an independent business.

Prior consultation with the municipality: what is asked, what to prepare?

Prior consultation is where the designating authority checks the feasibility of the business before accepting the application. The following points are generally confirmed.

• The corporate status and the business purpose in the articles of incorporation
• The floor plan, use and area of the premises, and conformity with the Building Standards Act and the Fire Service Act
• The status of securing staff (the requirements, practical experience and training completion of the child development support manager)
• The system for preparing the operation rules, the important-matters explanation and the individual support plan
• The capacity and the content of support

Points raised in the prior consultation are reflected in the application and attached documents. If a defect in premises or staff is found here, you may not make the desired designation date, so it is important in practice to consult before signing the premises contract or recruiting. Because what to prepare and how far differ by municipality, confirm with the official guide and the counter.

What documents does the designation application require?

In addition to the application, many attached documents are required. Prepare them following the municipality's forms. Typical items are as follows.

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• The designation application and the schedule of matters for designation (appendix)
• The corporation's certificate of registered matters and articles of incorporation
• The floor plan, photographs and lease of the office
• The operation rules and the important-matters explanation
• The list of workers' duty roster and forms of duty, certificates of qualification and proof of practical experience, and the completion certificate of the child development support manager training
• The résumés of the manager and the child development support manager
• The income and expenditure budget and an outline of measures to handle complaints from users
• Various written pledges, etc.

The names, number of copies and submission format of documents differ by designating authority. Within the scope of administrative-scrivener work, Yotsuba Administrative Scrivener Office supports the preparation of the designation application, appendix and attached documents, the organisation of prior-consultation materials, and the drafting of the operation rules and the like. The final judgement of conformity with the standards and eligibility for designation is made by the designating authority's review.

Premises, labour and tax: who should you ask for each?

The designation application crosses several fields of expertise. The roles are divided as follows.

• Preparation of the designation application, appendix and attached documents, and support for prior consultation → Yotsuba Administrative Scrivener Office (administrative scrivener)
• Selection, lease and important-matters explanation of business premises → Yotsuba Real Estate Co., Ltd.
• Employment contracts, work rules, working-hour management, social-insurance application, and wage rules for the treatment-improvement addition that meet the staffing standards → a certified social insurance and labour consultant
• Registration of corporate establishment and changes → a judicial scrivener
• Corporate accounting, tax and tax calculation → a tax accountant
• Individual legal judgement on rights, obligations and disputes → an attorney

Yotsuba Administrative Scrivener Office and Yotsuba Real Estate Co., Ltd. are separate businesses. Our office handles only support for the designation application as an independent business, and premises, labour, tax and registration are contracted separately with each qualified professional. Our office receives no referral fee. For the whole picture of the licensing of disability welfare services, see Licensing of Disability Welfare Services; for the flow of engagement, see Engagement Flow; and for fees, see Fee Schedule.

FAQ

Q. Do child development support and after-school day service each need a separate designation application?
A. They are different services with different target children, so each is designated. You may also apply as a multi-function type running both at the same office, in which case the approach to capacity and staffing changes. Decide which type to apply for first.

Q. When is designation granted?
A. In many municipalities, as of the first of the month. The submission deadline for the application is generally set in the month or two months before the desired designation date, and the prior consultation is held even earlier. Because deadlines differ by designating authority, confirm on the official page.

Q. Can I obtain designation without being a corporation?
A. Designation as a designated day-service business presupposes being a corporation. The business purpose in the articles of incorporation must include disability children day service; if it does not, a registration to change the purpose is required.

Q. Should I prepare premises or recruit staff first?
A. Both connect directly to the designation requirements, so proceed in parallel; but confirming conformity in the prior consultation before finalising the premises contract or recruitment reduces the risk of missing the desired designation date. Premises are with the real estate company and employment with the certified social insurance and labour consultant, each contracted separately as a separate business.

Sources (Primary Information)

• e-Gov Law Search, "Child Welfare Act" (Act No. 164 of 1947), Articles 6-2-2 and 21-5-3 (accessed 2026-08-23)
• e-Gov Law Search / Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Standards concerning the staffing, facilities and operation of designated day-service businesses under the Child Welfare Act" (Ordinance No. 15 of 2012; promulgated 3 February 2012, effective 1 April 2012) (accessed 2026-08-23)
• Children and Families Agency, "After-School Day Service Guideline (July 2024)" (accessed 2026-08-23)
• City of Osaka, "Guide to designation applications for disability children support businesses (child development support, after-school day service, etc.)" (accessed 2026-08-23)

This article is general information and does not guarantee individual eligibility for designation, conformity with the staffing, facility and operation standards, the need for additions, or the application schedule. The final review of designation is made by the designating authority (prefecture, designated city or core city). Confirm the deadlines, forms and required documents for each office on the relevant municipality's official page. Selection, lease and important-matters explanation of business premises are handled by Yotsuba Real Estate Co., Ltd.; employment contracts, working-hour management, social-insurance application and wage rules for the treatment-improvement addition that meet the staffing standards by a certified social insurance and labour consultant; corporate establishment and change registration by a judicial scrivener; accounting and tax by a tax accountant; and individual legal judgement on rights, obligations and disputes by an attorney, each as an independent business under a separate contract. Our office receives no referral fee. Individual judgements are made by a qualified professional after a meeting. Written by Joji Uramatsu, administrative scrivener and licensed real estate broker.