[Structure and challenges of meal provision systems by residential type in Japanese children's homes]

Objective　Children's homes provide a stable living environment for children without guardians or those who have experienced abuse. In Japan, there is a movement toward smaller-scale residential care facilities to realize "a more homelike environment." This study considered meal provision within children's daily living spaces as a component of the home environment, aimed to classify children's homes into four residential types and examined the characteristics and challenges of their meal provision systems.Methods　In January 2022, a nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted in 606 children's homes (500 responses, 82.5%). The analysis focused on directly operated facilities in which in-house staff were responsible for meal provision. Facilities were categorized into four residential types based on their configuration;(a) no unit,(b) large unit (>8 children), (c) small unit (≤8 children), and(d) branch-type small-scale group care (located outside the main facility).　The classification considered meal preparation location and method ("centralized cooking in one kitchen" or "unit-based cooking") and occupations involved in meal provision. In facilities with unit kitchens, their use was categorized ("cooked from all raw ingredients" or "partially cooked such as only rice"), and compared by cooking style.Results　Data from 420 directly operated facilities, (680 residential units; 99 no-units, 78 large units, 296 small units, and 207 branch-type units) were analyzed. Facilities that used centralized cooking were common in no-unit (100.0%) and large unit (83.3%) types, but less common in branch-type units (23.2%). Contrastingly, unit-based cooking was most prevalent in branch-type units (74.9%). Facilities using unit kitchens to cook all meals from raw ingredients were significantly more common among those using unit-based cooking than among those using centralized cooking (P < .001). Childcare workers and nursery teachers were significantly more involved in meal provision in branch-type units, whereas registered dietitians/dietitians were significantly less involved (P < .001).Conclusion　Meal provision systems differed by residential type. Branch-type small-scale group care units, which provide a more home-like environment, relied heavily on childcare workers and nursery teachers for meal provision, whereas the involvement of dietitians is limited. These findings highlight the need for meal support systems that balance homelike environments with trained professional support.