"We managed to enroll, but couldn't continue" — Children losing their place, and the swimming lessons at Iruka Kyoshitsu, featured on NHK's 'Marutto!'

The swimming program "Iruka Kyoshitsu" (operated by Miraii General Incorporated Association, Nagoya), which creates an inclusive environment where children with and without disabilities can enjoy swimming, has been featured on NHK Nagoya's evening information program "Marutto!".

This broadcast prompted us to revisit the reality faced by families trying to sustain extracurricular activities for children with disabilities.

"They finally found something they loved, but we couldn't let them continue."

This is the painful reality that "Iruka Kyoshitsu" has long confronted. The program was recently covered by NHK Nagoya's evening information show "Marutto!".

The broadcast highlighted the children participating in swimming lessons at Iruka Kyoshitsu, and the initiative to create a space where swimming is accessible regardless of disability or individual characteristics.

What we truly wanted to convey through this broadcast was not simply "we were featured on TV."

It was the ongoing reality many families still face when trying to sustain extracurricular activities for children with disabilities—and the fact that, with the right environment, these children can indeed continue to challenge themselves.

◾️ Even after enrollment, they're told "it's just too difficult"

When a child enjoys water play or swimming, parents naturally wish to enroll them in swimming lessons.

This is a simple, heartfelt desire shared by families everywhere.

Sometimes, even at the inquiry stage, parents are told, "We might not be able to accommodate your child."

But for many families, the greater challenge comes after enrollment.

Even after successfully joining, parents may later be told, "Other children are here," or "We can't continue to accept your child," making continuation difficult.

Reasons include difficulty following group instructions, inability to keep up with activities, or safety concerns.

These circumstances often force families to discontinue lessons.

This is different in weight from being turned away at the door.

The child had already begun to see that place as "their own space."

They may have started enjoying the water and looking forward to attending.

Yet, their budding love for swimming must be abandoned—not by their own choice, but due to external circumstances.

It's not that they failed; it's that they weren't allowed to continue.

They might have achieved even more, but their journey was cut short.

This reality quietly accumulates in parents' hearts.

And such experiences rarely end after one attempt.

Parents search for another school, enroll again, and once more hear, "It's difficult."

After repeating this several times, parents gradually become worn down.

"Are we bothering the other children?"

"Are we burdening the instructors?"

The anxieties they felt at the time of application return as real words.

This makes taking the next step even more frightening.

Should the simple wish—"I want my child to enjoy what they love"—really require imposing on others?

Some parents even begin blaming themselves for their own desires.

After repeated failures to continue, some conclude, "Maybe extracurriculars are too much to ask for our child," and stop searching altogether.

They simply want their children to have diverse experiences.

Yet, one by one, the places where they can continue quietly disappear.

It would be one thing if the child tried and failed.

But what truly hurts, as we've learned from countless parents, is not being able to let a child continue pursuing something they've come to love.

◾️ "Then I'll take care of them" — It started with one child

Iruka Kyoshitsu began in the summer of 2022.

A child with a disability could no longer continue at their previous swimming school.

One coach responded, "Then I'll take care of them"—and that became the beginning of everything.

There was no grand vision.

They simply couldn't abandon the child in front of them.

That was all.

Yet, this act quietly spread among parents.

"Actually, our child is struggling with the same thing."

One inquiry after another began to arrive.

Children with intellectual disabilities, autism, physical paralysis, chronic pediatric conditions, and siblings of such children—all had previously been unable to find a place where they could continue.

Soon, the number grew beyond what one coach could support through goodwill alone.

We couldn't let these children lose their place halfway.

Thus, in April 2025, "Iruka Kyoshitsu" was officially launched as a project of Miraii General Incorporated Association.

Now, dozens of children return to this space every week.

Ensuring that no child who starts here loses their place midway—this principle of "continuity" is our most fundamental foundation.

◾️ Seeing the child, not the diagnosis

At Iruka Kyoshitsu, we believe it's essential not to judge ability based solely on a disability label.

Even with the same diagnosis, each child has different characteristics, swimming ability, ways of understanding, and goals.

Therefore, we work together to determine the best way to engage with each child based on their current situation.

We avoid judgment based solely on diagnosis, instead tailoring instruction to each child's characteristics, swimming level, comprehension, and goals.

We create a safe space for challenge without forcing participation, avoiding physical punishment or scolding, and respecting the child's feelings and will.

Instructors focus not on "what they can't do," but on "how they can do it."

We value not only swimming skills but also personal independence, such as dressing and moving independently, and we monitor each child's growth from a long-term perspective.

Iruka Kyoshitsu is not a therapeutic facility, but a swimming school that provides individualized instruction with care and consideration.

Participation methods and pace are determined through consultation with parents, finding the best fit for each child.

That's why children who couldn't continue elsewhere are able to keep attending Iruka Kyoshitsu.

◾️ "I did it" comes after sustained effort

By respecting each child's pace and continuing to engage with them, unexpected changes emerge over time.

A child with cerebral palsy and lower-limb paralysis, through continuous movement in water, gradually began to walk and jump on land as well.

A child with severe intellectual disability and autism gradually gained control over toileting through regular pool visits, and also began mastering swimming techniques.

A child who once cried in fear of water was, after six months, laughing while doing flutter kicks.

None of these are flashy events.

But for each child, it's a step toward seeing the world differently—and for their families watching closely, it's the long-awaited moment of "I did it."

It's not just about swimming skills.