Children with Complex Medical Care Needs require coordinated support across healthcare, education, and social systems. Families, nurses, teachers, and many other stakeholders work together to support these children’s health, wellbeing, and opportunities to learn.

The OCCM Project was established at the University of Osaka to bring the work our team has been doing into one place—sharing research, insights, and resources with those involved in the care and education of children with complex medical care needs. Our aim is to make our research accessible to families and carers, as well as to healthcare professionals, educators, and policymakers, and to share emerging findings and practical implications.

The project is led by Ikuko Tomomatsu and Beverley Yamamoto, who have been working together to better understand the everyday lives of children with complex medical care needs and their families. Our research explores how recent policy developments—particularly the 2021 Act Support for Children with Complex Medical Care Needs and their Families—are shaping experiences and expectations for improved support, inclusion, and quality of life.

A key focus of our work is the role of nurses in school settings. As children with complex medical care needs increasingly attend mainstream schools, specially assigned nurses are becoming central to enabling safe participation and supporting inclusive education. Our research examines how this role is developing in practice in Japan, and how it can be strengthened. We also explored how nurses in other countries are working with children with complex medical care, enabling international comparison.

At the heart of this work are the perspectives of the families and children. Many families have high hopes for their children’s education—not only academic learning, but also social participation, personal development, and meaningful life experiences. They seek safe, welcoming school environments where their children can grow and reach their full potential.

Through this project, we are generating evidence that helps make these expectations a reality—supporting more inclusive, responsive, and effective systems for children with complex medical needs.