Practice of Care to Ensure Well-Being and Home Nurturing of Children with Special Health Care Needs: A Single Case Study in a Japanese Infant Home

Background/Objectives: The number of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) has increased considerably owing to medical advances. However, the specifics of care that contribute to the well-being of CSHCN and their families and guarantee home nurturing have not been clarified. Methods: This exploratory single case study adhered to Yin's approach for case studies and used explanation-building methods for data analysis. Interviews were conducted with the staff in charge of CSHCN cases in a Japanese infant home, and information was collected from the records. Participant interview data and other data sources provided detailed case descriptions of care practices and outcomes. Results: Interviews on CSHCN with autoinflammatory diseases were conducted with three staff members and the child's mother. Data resources included childcare records, hospital visitation records, growth and development data, and case-related documents. The following factors were found to lead to a stronger system of care: accompanying growth through trial and error, supporting the family while sharing the child's growth and working with multiple agencies, and continuing to explore possibilities and support for family childcare. Conclusions: This case study describes the actual care provided to CSHCNs and their families in a single-infant home, revealing factors that lead to a stronger system of care. Here, the infant home provided a tried-and-true approach to CSHCNs and their families with multifaceted needs and attended to diverse child-development aspects while simultaneously supporting the family.