33% of Working Parents with Children Struggle to Find Support, 53% of HR Professionals Lack Visibility into Employee Needs: A Significant Gap in Mutual Understanding

Survey of 1,000 Working Parents and 500 HR Professionals

Cybozu Social Design Lab is conducting social experiments (seedling experiments) based on Cybozu's teamwork approach, aiming to create a society where people with diverse values can live with peace of mind. This time, we surveyed 1,000 parents working as full-time employees with children and 500 HR professionals to investigate the "gap" between the impact of children's school refusal or reluctance to attend school on parental employment and the awareness and response from the corporate side.

[Survey Overview]

◆ Survey Objective: To ascertain whether working parents can understand and utilize their workplace's systems and consult with them when their children are reluctant to attend school or refuse to go, and whether companies' HR departments are effectively disseminating information about these systems, fostering an environment conducive to consultation, and understanding their employees' situations, thereby clarifying the gap in mutual understanding.

◆ Survey Target: A total of 1,000 parents working as full-time employees with children [Breakdown] 500 males / 500 females

Of these, 500 parents (male and female) have or had children in elementary or junior high school who were truant or reluctant to attend school.

*Quotas: Based on region, age, gender, elementary/junior high school student status, and company size (number of employees)

A total of 500 HR professionals *Quotas: Based on number of employees, industry, and years of HR experience.

◆ Survey Period: June 2, 2026 (Tue) - June 9, 2026 (Tue) ◆ Survey Method: Internet survey utilizing a panel

Cybozu Social Design Lab, which supports children experiencing school refusal through initiatives like operating the free school "Cybozu no Gakko," is researching the challenges faced by parents of the increasing number of children experiencing school refusal and the support they seek.

According to the latest survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (FY2024, released October 2025), there are 353,970 elementary and junior high school students experiencing school refusal. This marks a new record high and has increased for 12 consecutive years. The number has risen by 7,488 from the previous year, nearly tripling from a decade ago.

As "school refusal-related job loss"—where parents quit their jobs when their children become truant—becomes more recognized, what can companies and society do to prevent unwanted job loss? We pose questions to both parents and HR professionals, the parties involved, to consider the "gap" in their perceptions.

《 Survey Results Summary 》

When unable to use available systems due to a child's school refusal, 33.0% of parents reported "could not consult with anyone." On the other hand, 53.4% of HR professionals stated "do not think there are (employees struggling)" or "are not aware," indicating a situation where the reality is difficult to see. Only 16.6% of companies have already begun taking action.

Parents' top request from companies is "proactive dissemination of usable systems" (53.6%). However, only 19.4% of HR professionals are proactively disseminating this information.

Reasons for not consulting with their workplace included "atmosphere where it's hard to bring up," "nothing would change even if I consulted," and "negative impact on evaluation," totaling 63.8%. Conversely, 45.8% of HR professionals consider their company a "workplace where consultation is easy," revealing a significant discrepancy in perception.

Triggered by school refusal or reluctance to attend school, one in four parents (24.8%) have taken action such as job changes,転職, reduced hours, or leave of absence. Meanwhile, 43.8% of HR professionals do not fully perceive this as a risk of job loss.

For 74.2% of parents who changed their work arrangements, household income decreased (one in three experienced a decrease of 20% or more). On the other hand, 33.2% of HR professionals find it difficult to be aware of the costs incurred by their company after an employee leaves.

1. 33% of Parents "Couldn't Consult Anyone" / 53% of HR Professionals Lack Visibility into the Situation

When facing a child's school refusal, regarding who they consulted when unable to use desired systems, the most common response was "could not consult with anyone" at 33.0%. Consultations with workplace supervisors were only 18.4%, and with HR/labor departments at 10.2%. This means approximately one in three working parents faced the barrier of systems alone when their child became truant. [Figure 1]

On the other hand, HR professionals' responses regarding children's school refusal or reluctance to attend school were "(no employees are struggling) I don't think so" (25.6%) and "probably there are, but I'm not aware" (27.8%), totaling 53.4% who find it difficult to grasp the situation. [Figure 2]

Given that approximately 3.9% of elementary and junior high school students are experiencing school refusal*, it is highly likely that the situation is "difficult to see" rather than "non-existent." This trend is more pronounced in smaller companies, with approximately 60% of HR professionals in companies with fewer than 100 employees responding "I don't think there are any." Furthermore, only 16.6% of companies are "already working" on employee support. [Figure 3]

* Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology "Results of the Survey on Issues in Student Guidance Such as Problematic Behavior and School Refusal Among Students in FY2024" (October 29, 2025)

[Figure 1] [Figure 2]

[Figure 3]

2. 53.6% of Parents Desire "Proactive Dissemination" / Only 19.4% of Companies Proactively Disseminate Information

The most requested item from companies by parents was "proactive dissemination of usable systems" at 53.6%. [Figure 4]

Meanwhile, only 19.4% of HR professionals are "proactively disseminating" information on how to use these systems. Over half of companies provided limited dissemination, with "information provided at onboarding/system explanation sessions" at 28.8% and "information provided upon application" at 27.4%. [Figure 5]

If systems are widely known, parents will find it easier to consider using them, which can also be expected to reduce job loss. This is the easiest gap to bridge.

[Figure 4] [Figure 5]

3. Reasons for Not Consulting: "Hard to Bring Up," "Nothing Would Change," "Negative Impact on Evaluation" (63.8%) / 46% of HR Professionals Believe It's a "Consultation-Friendly Workplace"

The reasons parents did not consult their workplace included "atmosphere where it was hard to bring up" (22.0%), "thought nothing would change even if I consulted" (29.6%), and "thought there would be a negative impact on my evaluation" (12.2%), totaling 63.8%. Difficulty in initiating conversation, resignation, and anxiety about evaluations hinder consultation. [Figure 6]

On the other hand, 45.8% of HR professionals consider their own company a "consultation-friendly workplace" (includes "think so" + "tend to think so"). There is a significant gap between the company's self-assessment and the "difficulty of consultation" felt by employees. This suggests that an atmosphere where it is difficult to bring things up exists in the workplace, deterring consultations. [Figure 7]

[Figure 6] [Figure 7]

4. One in Four Parents Take Action Such as Job Change / 44% of HR Professionals "Do Not Perceive It as a Risk of Job Loss"

Due to the impact of school refusal or reluctance to attend school, 24.8% (one in four) took action: 5.8% quit their jobs, 8.0% changed jobs, 7.8% reduced hours or changed roles, and 3.2% took a leave of absence. [Figure 8]

The proportion of those who took such action exceeded 20% for both men (22.8%) and women (26.8%), indicating that working fathers are not unaffected.

Meanwhile, 43.8% of HR professionals "rarely or not at all perceive" this as a risk of job loss. While parents are taking action, many companies may not be fully recognizing it as a risk of job loss. [Figure 9]

[Figure 8] [Figure 9]

5. 74% of Parents Who Changed Work Arrangements Experienced a Decrease in Household Income / 33% of Companies Find It Difficult to Recognize Their Own Costs

Among parents who changed their work arrangements, 74.2% experienced a decrease in household income (34.7% experienced a decrease of "20% or more"). [Figure 10]

It's not just household income that is lost.

When an employee leaves, companies also incur recruitment and training costs. However, 33.2% of HR professionals "rarely or not at all" are aware of these costs. Although job loss is a loss for both the family and the company, the pain is not yet fully shared. [Figure 11]

[Figure 10] [Figure 11]

Expert Comment (School Refusal Journalist, Shikou Ishii)

With school refusal exceeding a record 350,000 cases, the most overlooked issue is "parental isolation and job loss."

This survey revealed that approximately one in three parents responded "could not consult with anyone" when facing systemic barriers, highlighting the reality of struggling at the brink of their careers in silence.

On the other hand, over half of HR professionals are unable to grasp the extent of this issue, indicating a serious gap in perception between the two groups. However, conversely, this means that many parents can be helped if companies focus on "proactive dissemination of existing systems" and "creating an environment where it's easy to consult."

School refusal is not a family problem but a societal structural issue. I am confident that this survey will serve as strong evidence for companies to take steps towards preventing "parental isolation and job loss."

Summary

This survey, conducted separately with parents and HR professionals, has revealed the fact that there is still a significant gap between the challenges and hopes of parents and the awareness and responses of companies.

From these results, we believe the following two points are key to preventing unwanted job loss due to school refusal:

The first is "dissemination of existing systems," which can be addressed immediately. Parents with children experiencing school refusal desired "proactive dissemination of usable systems." When facing school refusal or reluctance to attend school, parents first focus their time and energy on "childcare." In such a state, it is not very practical for them to research internal systems or search for consultation points. Therefore, proactive dissemination of information about systems before such situations arise is crucial. Knowing that "there is a system available" provides working parents with a sense of security and prevents job loss. We feel that a "push-type" approach from the company is needed, rather than waiting until parents are pushed to their limits.

The second is "fostering a culture where consultation is easy." The reasons parents cited for not consulting their companies included "nothing would change even if I consulted" and "atmosphere where it's hard to bring up." These responses reveal a sense of resignation among working parents. Additionally, many respondents expressed concern that consulting about work hour adjustments or taking paid leave would have "a negative impact on their workplace evaluation or career." In today's society where dual-income households are the norm, it is difficult to continue working without bringing family matters into the workplace, not just for school refusal but for various reasons. For school refusal, which poses a high risk of talent outflow for companies, creating a culture where anyone can easily consult, and where those around them can understand with greater clarity, is essential. Furthermore, for us to not hesitate in sharing information will lead to preventing the isolation of working parents.

On the other hand, it also felt that school refusal-related job loss can be reduced. In response to the question, "If your child were to experience school refusal or reluctance to attend school, do you think you could continue working at your current job, or would you consider quitting?", the largest proportion, 36.4%, responded, "I think I could continue if adjustments were made."

Instead of placing the burden of these "adjustments" solely on individuals, how can we create them through the collective efforts of companies and society as a whole? We believe that by thinking about and implementing these measures, we can prevent unwanted job loss due to school refusal.

We hope that the real "voices of parents" and "voices of HR professionals" revealed by this survey will be useful in future corporate system development and in preventing parental isolation.

Cybozu Social Design Lab plans to release the second part of its survey report around August. We will continue to explore and work on approaches to address school refusal and parental job loss.

About Cybozu no Gakko

Cybozu no Gakko is a free school (alternative school) that values teamwork and fosters "the ability to live happily with friends." Classes are held in Kichijoji, Tokyo, for students from the 2nd to 6th grade of elementary school. We practice learning tailored to each child's individuality, combining a curriculum based on the Course of Study with unique content from Cybozu no Gakko. By utilizing Cybozu's cloud service kintone, we are also working to create an environment that allows for close communication between parents, children, and staff. Cybozu no Gakko (Official Website)

https://cybozu.co.jp/gakkou/

"Children's Place" to Start in Your Company -- Free Downloadable First Step Guide. Released in three parts: Reasons for Establishment, Free School Operation, and Reasons for Companies to Create a Place!

https://cybozu.co.jp/sodelab/news/2026/04/02-132.html

About Cybozu Social Design Lab

Our Social Design Lab, with the objective of "creating a society full of teamwork," conducts social experiments (seedling experiments) to ensure that people with diverse values can live with peace of mind through Cybozu's teamwork approach. We are working to create models for solving various social issues, including disaster support, regional revitalization, child abuse prevention, and children's school refusal. We aim to solve social issues by gaining empathy from many people for our seedling experiments and by having them used as evidence for policy-making by the government and administrative agencies.

https://cybozu.co.jp/sodelab/

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