Purpose
 The purpose of this study was to elucidate the responses and support needs of working mothers whose children are ill.
Method
 A questionnaire was administered to mothers with children registered at nurseries and after-school childcare facilities in Hyogo prefecture.
Result
 Altogether, 1,804 valid responses were used for analysis. Most respondents took leave from work to attend to their sick children, but they faced difficulties such as lack of understanding at the workplace, loss of income, and the need to find a substitute worker. When they did not take leave, they encountered difficulty in finding baby sitters. Under such circumstances, the respondents wished to have a childcare facility that would accept children with symptoms such as a runny nose, a cough or a temperature of 38.0±0.4°C. They asked their parents to care for their sick children whenever possible, and they regarded the cost and the distance from home as important facets of care giving.
Conclusion
 It would be desirable to develop childcare facilities for sick and recuperating children in regular nurseries and in the after-school childcare facilities that the children normally attend. This would minimize disruption of the lifestyle patterns of both mothers and children, and would facilitate the recuperation of the children.