Outline of Children's Home Elizabeth Saunders Home

Operation Policies

  • To establish a children's home as a welfare service institution operated in accordance with Christian values.
  • To protect the children’s rights and respect the children as an individual by assuring a safe and stable lifestyle for them.
  • To cultivate the mental and physical strength in children so that they can cope with difficulties as they lead an independent life in society.
  • To provide the children with the living environment to fit their needs according to the stages of growth, and to promote their ability to live in harmony with others.

Living at the Home

Living at the Home

As its name indicates, a children’s home is like the family’s home for children. They are always welcome home!

The children’s home is a “home” where children are living their daily life. And the staff living together are like their family.

For the staff as well, the home is both their workplace and a family-like place. They are both professional carers and like a family caring for the children.

Daily Schedule

Weekdays

Time Staff Children
6：30
  • Prepare breakfast
  • Wake up children
  • Wake up
  • Get ready for schools (get dressed, wash face, brush hair, etc.)
7：00
  • Eat breakfast, make lunch boxes
  • See children off to schools
  • Clean rooms (toilet, bathroom, living room, etc.), do laundry
  • Eat breakfast (some children make their own lunch boxes.)
  • Go to schools
9：30
  • Attend morning staff meeting (to share ESH schedules & information as to what's happening to children)
  • Take a recess while children are at schools
15：00
  • Help children do homework & prepare for next day
  • Prepare a snack
  • Play with children outdoors
  • Finish up housekeeping work (clean bathroom, do laundry, etc.)
  • Engage in extracurricular activities or work part-time after school
  • Return from schools
  • Do homework & prepare for the next day
  • Eat a snack
  • Free time (play in ESH backyard, play house, watch TV, play games inside dorms, etc.)
17：00
  • Remind children of bathing time
  • Help dry hair, assist toddlers to bathe, etc.
  • Bathe in turn
  • Some go to tutoring schools or other lessons
  • Help prepare dinner (wash hands, etc.)
17：30
  • Prepare dinner
18：00
  • Eat dinner
  • Do dishes, clean kitchen, do laundry, etc.
  • Eat dinner
  • After dinner, spend freely inside the dorms (watch TV, play games, etc.)
20：00
  • Put toddlers to sleep if necessary
  • Keep a journal on PC
  • Keep a record of children, etc.
  • Go to bed upon completing paperwork
  • Go to bed according to the following bed timetable:
  • 20:00 for toddlers,
  • 20:30 for 1st to 3rd graders of primary school,
  • 21:00 for 4th to 6th graders,
  • 22:00 for secondary schoolers,
  • 23:00 for high schoolers

Weekends

Time Staff Children
7：30
  • Prepare breakfast
  • Wake up children
  • Wake up
  • Get ready for the day (get dressed, wash face, brush hair, etc.)
8：00
  • Eat breakfast
  • Clean rooms (toilet, bathroom, living room, etc.), do laundry
  • Play with Children, etc.
  • Eat breakfast
  • Spend freely indoors (play outdoors after 10:00)
10：00
  • Church service
  • Attend church service with children
  • Play with children, finish up housekeeping work
  • Sweep yards
  • Attend church service
  • Secondary & high schoolers can join worship service at church with primary schoolers
  • Spend free time after the services
  • Sweep yards
11：30
  • Prepare lunch
  • Return to dorm & help staff prepare lunch (wash hands, etc.)
12：00
  • Eat lunch
  • Clean kitchen (do dishes, clean dining tables, etc.)
  • Eat lunch
  • Remain inside dorm until 13:00, free to go outside after that
13：00
  • Help toddlers take a nap
  • Go shopping for groceries (snacks, household goods)
  • Toddlers take a nap
15：00
  • Prepare a snack, wake toddlers up
  • Play with children outdoors
  • Finish up housekeeping work (clean bathroom, do laundry, etc.)
  • Eat a snack
  • Spend free time (play outdoors within ESH, play house inside dorms, watch TV, play games, etc.)
17：00
  • Remind children of bathing time,
  • Help dry hair, assist toddlers to bathe
  • Bathe in turn
  • Help prepare dinner (wash hands, etc.)
17：30
  • Prepare dinner
18：00
  • Eat dinner
  • Do dishes, clean kitchen, do laundry
  • Eat dinner
  • After dinner, spend freely inside the dorms (watch TV, play games, etc.)
20：00
  • Put toddlers to sleep if necessary
  • Keep a journal on PC
  • Keep a record of children, etc.
  • Go to bed upon completing paperwork
  • Go to bed according to the following bed timetable:
  • 20:30 for toddlers,
  • 21:00 for 1st to 3rd graders of primary school,
  • 21:30 for 4th to 6th graders,
  • 22:30 for secondary schoolers,
  • 23:30 for high schoolers

Annual Events

Spring

April

  • School entrance ceremonies
  • Easter

May

  • Boys' Day
  • Church Service for Mother's Day
  • Short trip on Golden-week holidays
  • Field days for public primary & secondary schools
  • Church services on Ascension Day

June

  • Oiso-machi softball tournament
  • BUNTAI*1 table tennis tournament
    *1 Association to promote cultural and sports activities for children admitted to children's homes in Kanagawa-ken

Spring event photo

Spring event photo

Spring event photo

Summer

July

  • Invitation to Long Beach
  • Boat Festival (Summer Festival in Oiso-machi)
  • Tanabata Star Festival
  • Oiso-machi Firework Festival

August

  • Summer trips
  • BUNTA*1 baseball & softball tournaments

September

  • St. Stephen Schools Festival
  • Free Lake School*2
    *2 Schooling of assembling/dissembling and paddling of boats & kayaks held at Miyagase Lake, Kanagawa-ken

Summer event photo

Summer event photo

Summer event photo

Summer event photo

Autumn

October

  • Aobato Field Day
  • St. Stephen Schools Field Day
  • Oiso-machi softball tournament

November

  • Church services for All Saints' Day
  • Shichigosan ［Seven-five-three Ceremony］ to celebrate children's growth
  • Orange Ribbon Sash Relay Race
  • Church service for Thanksgiving Day
  • BUNTAI*1 Relay Race

December

  • Christmas
  • Year-end thorough house cleaning
  • Advent
  • Year-end mochi rice pounding

Autumn event photo

Autumn event photo

Autumn event photo

Autumn event photo

Winter

January

  • New Year's Holidays
  • New Year's first visit to shrines
  • Winter trips
  • Farewell Marathon

February

  • Setsubun ［Bean Throwing Day］ to mark the end of winter
  • Valentine 's Day
  • Regional Sagichou Festival
  • Asunaro Exhibition*3
    *3 Exhibition of stage performances and artistic works by the children admitted to children's homes in Kanagawa-ken

March

  • School graduation ceremonies
  • Girls' Day
  • Day to invite ESH supporters to express our gratitude
  • Church service for departing children

Winter event photo

Winter event photo