Welcome to JAID

Japanese Association on Intellectual Disability

About JAID

JAID, Japanese Association on Intellectual Disability, was founded in October 22, 1934 and was approved as an incorporated foundation in August 8, 1967. It recently became a public incorporated foundation in April 1, 2013. In 2014, JAID observed its 80th year anniversary.

1.Policy and activities

Our policies and activities promote and support to promote and support the social welfare system for people with intellectual disability (ID) with the goal of promoting their independence and participation in society. Our main activities include the following:

  1. Advising the agencies and organizations on management and professional support to institutions providing care for persons with ID.
  2. Our contributions provide training and professional development and seminars for the staff who support and interact with people with ID.
  3. We advocate human rights and social welfare for people with ID.
  4. We publish research journals and books to support the social welfare system for people with ID.
  5. We collaborate with governmental organizations and agencies related to ID.
  6. We award outstanding professionals whose contributions assist the JAID members in their professions.

 

2.Structure and administration of JAID

  1. JAID’s membership consists of agencies providing social welfare services to the developmentally impaired such as residential facilities, sheltered workshops, and consultants.
  2. The number of JAID agencies working together has been increasing 100 agencies per year and totaled 6500 agencies as of April, 2022.
  3. The administration is run by 17 board members (including a president and three vice-presidents), 55 trustees, and three auditors.
  4. JAID has 47 prefectural chapters divided into nine districts.
  5. The JAID organization has six different types of agencies:
    1) facilities for children with disability.
    2) residential facilities for persons with disability.   
    3) support for daily life and activity.
    4) transitional support for employment, sheltered workshops.
    5) home help service, group home with support.  
    6) consultants(community living,  employment).

 

3.Public Relations

  1. We appeal to government and administrative bodies in cooperation with related organizations to demand an increase in the state budget for people with ID, the improvement and development of public support systems and the promotion of state measures.
  2. We exchange information and opinions on the social welfare system with the executive and legislative branches and organizations in order to advocate ID people's needs to ensure their rights as citizens of this society.

 

4.Public information

  1. The monthly journal AIGO-News” (only in Japanese) and the Mail magazine “JAID-News” give ID related service providers and policymakers up-to-date information regarding intellectual disability issues.
  2. In cooperation with related organizations, JAID encourages all citizens to understand issues related to ID and to work cooperatively to improve the lives of ID persons.

 

5.In Service training

  1. JAID annually holds the following seminars and conferences:
    • A national conference of directors of the agencies and organizations for people with ID.
    • A national seminar for staff members working with ID.
    • Nationwide seminars and conferences that are agency specific (such as day care providers for adults and children and residential care services for a variety of community services).
  2. Correspondence courses - JAID provides three kinds of correspondence courses as follows:
    1. Specialist support courses for people with ID - trainees may receive Care Taker certification, qualified by JAID, upon completion of the entire course.
    2. Social Worker training courses - trainees who complete the entire course are candidates for the national Social Worker Examination.
    3. Basic Course for understanding persons with ID - the purpose of the lecture is to  help individuals grow in understanding people with intellectual disabilities in all of its aspects.

 

6.Research and Study

JAID annually surveys the agencies and organizations and updates them with recent research. The purpose of the survey is to improve ID people's quality of life by looking into the actual conditions they experience within the agencies and organizations. The survey results are reported widely to these agencies.

 

7.Publication

  1. “Support” – a monthly journal that reports welfare studies related to persons with ID
  2. Various books related to persons with ID are issued, and information and knowledge are
     shared.

 

8.Awards

We award outstanding professionals who are JAID members for their professional achievements earned over many years.

  1. The Aigo Welfare Award is given by the national conference of directors to the  directors of agencies and organizations working with persons with ID.
  2. The Continuous Service Award is given at the national seminar to the staff members working with ID.

 

Code of Ethics
Japanese Association on Intellectual Disability

Preamble

It is our responsibility to protect the human dignity of persons with intellectual disability and to assist them to realize a life of quality. Therefore we, as one of their support providers, must have a strong sense of ethics and be aware of our professional mandate to help them to become all that they can be. We have established the following code of ethics in accordance with these values.

1.Dignity of life

We must cherish each and every person with intellectual disabilities and treat them as irreplaceable.

2.Respect for the individual

We must respect individuals with ID and give them as much independence as possible.

3.Protection of human rights

We must not discriminate against or abuse people with ID. We must never tolerate the abuse of their human rights by others, but instead, defend and encourage each one.

4.Participation in society

Irregardless of one’s age or personal condition, we must help each person become an active member of society.

5.Specialized support

In our profession roles, we must continually research new ways to help persons with ID live a rich and fulfilling life.