Urban childcare infrastructure in Japan: evaluating satisfaction from the perspectives of parents and childcare workers in Matsudo City

Abstract In a society like Japan, where the population is aging and birth rates are declining, childcare infrastructure in urban areas plays a vital role as a foundational pillar of the city, supporting children’s safety and well-being, enabling parents to continue working, and ensuring that childcare workers can perform their duties with stability. This study aimed to clarify the multidimensional structure of satisfaction with childcare facilities from the perspectives of both parents and childcare workers and to identify implications for the planning and development of childcare infrastructure in urban areas. A questionnaire survey was conducted at 41 childcare facilities in Matsudo City, Japan, and responses were obtained from 308 parents and 245 childcare workers. Three domains were evaluated: “facility equipment” (hereafter, “equipment”), “surrounding environment,” and “safety of the surrounding environment.” Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed. Satisfaction with equipment was most strongly associated with overall satisfaction, with standardized regression coefficients of β = 0.446 for parents and β = 0.429 for childcare workers. The regression models explained 41.9% of the variance among parents (R 2 = 0.419) and 52.6% among childcare workers (R 2 = 0.526). Both groups placed importance on safety and spaces for children’s activities; however, parents placed greater emphasis on commuting and drop-off/pick-up convenience, as well as convenience in daily life, whereas childcare workers placed greater emphasis on the quality of equipment, the work environment, and operational safety. These findings indicate the need for childcare facility planning that integrates the evaluation criteria of users (parents) and service providers (childcare workers). This approach is consistent with the aims of Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11), which seeks inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements. However, because this study was a cross-sectional survey conducted in a single city, the generalizability of the findings to other regions is limited, and causal relationships cannot be inferred.