Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research journey explores the lived experiences of children who had previously been living on the street and were now part of a house being managed by two voluntary organisations. The caregivers and boys are incorporated as co-researchers in a participatory action research journey within a post-modern, social constructivist paradigm. The following research curiosities inform the study: • How do the caregivers and children in the house stand up to homelessness and poverty? • How do their stories reflect the notion of doing hope? Positioning myself within the research journey necessitates the discussion of beliefs and constructs that inform the paradigm, such as post-modernism, social constructionism, discourses and the deconstruction of discourses. According to Denzin and Lincoln (1994:14), the research strategy comprises the practical application of the assumptions underlying the paradigm through the use of certain skills, and can be regarded as the paradigm in action which provides the methods for the researcher to engage in the research journey. In this study, a qualitative method is used to describe and understand human behaviour and the meaning attached to it in the participant's own terms. The coresearchers participate during all the aspects of the research journey, and the cyclical nature of participatory action research described by Babbie and Mouton (2001:315- 316) is honoured. The narrative approach is used in conducting the conversations. According to White (1991:28), it is a non-recriminatory, power-sharing way of interaction that provides a context where the consciousness and knowledges of the person are at the centre of the process of consultation. An opportunity is created for the boys and caregivers to story their experiences and to explore the meanings that they attach to these experiences. The main ethical principles that operate are autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence and validity. Tape-recordings, transcriptions, reflections and letters are used to document the research journey. Homelessness and poverty had been dictating certain behaviours to the boys, and it was even dictating their lived identities. At the time of the research journey, the caregivers are creating a community of support that is effectively doing hope for the boys, thus enabling them to loosen the grip of poverty and homelessness. Personal reflections indicate that I as researcher am not unaffected by the research journey. Although obstacles present themselves during the research journey, new possibilities are opened up for further exploration. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingsreis ondersoek die ervarings van kinders wat voorheen op straat gewoon het en wie nou in 'n huis woon wat deur twee vrywillige organisasies bestuur word. Die versorgers en seuns word betrek as medenavorsers in 'n deelnemende aksienavorsingsreis binne die raamwerk van 'n postmodernistiese, sosiaal konstruktivistiese paradigma. Die studie word toegelig deur die volgende navorsings-ondersoeke: • Hoe weerstaan die versorgers en kinders in die huis die impak van woningloosheid en armoede? • Hoe reflekteer die stories wat hulle vertel die idee van 'hoop doen'? Ten einde myself binne die navorsingsreis te posisioneer noodsaak 'n bespreking van die oortuigings en samestellings onderliggend aan die paradigma, soos postmodernisme, sosiaal konstruktivisme, diskoerse en die dekonstruksie van diskoerse. Volgens Denzen en Lincoln (1994:14) behels die navorsingsstrategie die praktiese uitvoering van die opvattings onderliggend aan die paradigma deur die toepassing van sekere vaardighede. Die navorsingsstrategie kan beskou word as die paradigma in aksie deurdat dit die metodes vir die navorser verskaf om betrokke te raak by die navorsingsreis. 'n Kwalitatiewe metode word tydens hierdie studie gebruik om menslike gedrag te beskryf en te verstaan en om vas te stel watter betekenis die deelnemers self aan hulle belewenisse heg. Die medenavorsers neem deel aan alle aspekte van die navorsingsreis en die sikliese aard van deelnemende aksienavorsing soos beskryf deur Babbie en Mouton (2001:315-316) word gerespekteer. 'n Narratiewe benadering word tydens die gesprekke gebruik. Volgens White (1991:28) is die narratiewe benadering nie-blamerend en is daar 'n gelyke verdeling van mag. 'n Konteks word geskep waar die bewustelikhede en kennisse van die persoon sentraal geplaas word in die konsultasieproses. 'n Geleentheid word geskep vir die seuns en versorgers om hulle ervarings te vertel en om die betekenisse wat hulle aan die ervarings heg te eksploreer. Hoofsaaklik word outonomie, niekwaadwilligheid, goedgesindheid en geldigheid as etiese beginsels gerespekteer. Bandopnames, transkriberings, refleksies en briewe word gebruik om die navorsingsreis te dokumenteer. Woningloosheid en armoede het vantevore die gedrag van die seuns, sowel as die identiteite wat hulle uitgeleef het, voorgeskryf. Ten tye van die navorsingsreis is die versorgers besig om 'n gemeenskap van ondersteuning te skep wat effektief hoop doen vir die seuns en wat hulle in staat stel om die greep van woningloosheid en armoede te verbreek. Persoonlike refleksies dui aan dat ek as navorser nie onaangeraak gelaat word deur die navorsingsreis nie. Struikelblokke verskyn tydens die navorsingsreis, maar nuwe moontlikhede baan die weg vir verdere eksplorasie.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T14:32:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pedro Pereira dos Santos.pdf: 1060793 bytes, checksum: 994155418d1ec253d01509f94f7538c4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-12-11 / Fundação Ford / The present research has the purpose of identify and analyze the representation of the social educators about the homeless children and teenager. According to this objective, we try to reflect with the educator about the many tagging looks, socially built for the students of the popular classes; specially for those who are homeless. We hope that the reflection about the stereotypes helps the educative practice of the educator to be able to promote the children and the teenager as subjects with rights, in the sense that they are conditioned by social-historical and cultural facts, however being capable of going further these conditions. In order to it, the investigation in the Fundação da Criança e da Família Cidadã FUNCI has been conducted in Fortaleza CE, having one of its projects as the locus of the research: the Ponte de Encontro. Here, nine educators have taken part of a research about quality that has been developed by the technic of Grupo Focal, utilized for the capture of the data, which has been analyzed by Análise de Conteúdo. For this paper, the Moscovici s Theory of the Social Representations (1995, 2001, 2003, 2005) has been adopted. However, the mental universe (thoughts) of a social subject brings great influences of others theoretical sourceswhich must be recognized and valorized in their trajectory. We quote some of them, then: Makarenko (1986), Freire (1987, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2005, 2006), Costa (1989, 1991, 1999), Rizzini (1997, 2003) Graciani (2001), Lucchini (2003) e Oliveira (2004). Recently, we have dialogued with Brito (1998), Feldmann (1984, 1999), Sacristán (1999, 2002), Fazenda (2001, 2003, 2004, 2006) and Japiassú (2006). All these authors and others who are not mentioned in this abstract, but are in the paper, have contributed in the net of ideas which constitute the mental universe of the researcher. My involvement with this theme begins in 1999, when I acted as a street educator in Fortaleza CE. This work is created to be a small contribution to the social educators and to those who wish to know this work and to get over the social representations that consider children and teenagers as victims and social aggressors / A presente pesquisa tem como propósito identificar e analisar as representações dos educadores sociais sobre a criança e o adolescente em situação de rua. Em conformidade com tal objetivo, pretende-se contribuir com o educador no sentido de refletir com ele sobre os diversos olhares rotulantes, construídos socialmente acerca dos educandos das classes populares, em especial, daqueles que se encontram em situação de rua. Espera-se que a reflexão em torno dos estereótipos contribua para que a prática educativa do educador seja capaz de promover a criança e o adolescente como sujeitos de direitos, imanentes e transcendentes, no sentido de que são condicionados pelos fatores sócio-histórico e cultural, todavia são também capazes de ir além de tais condicionamentos. Para tanto, realizou-se a investigação na Fundação da Criança e da Família Cidadã-FUNCI-em Fortaleza-CE, tendo como lócus de pesquisa um de seus projetos: o Ponte de Encontro. Deste, nove educadores participaram da pesquisa qualitativa que se desenvolveu por meio da técnica de Grupo Focal, utilizada para a captura dos dados, que foram interpretados pela Análise de Conteúdo. Para a efetivação deste trabalho dissertativo, adotou-se a Teoria das Representações Sociais de Moscovici (1995, 2001, 2003,2005). Todavia, o universo mental (pensamento) de um sujeito social traz fortes influências de outras fontes teóricas que devem ser reconhecidas e valorizadas na sua trajetória. Citam-se, então, algumas delas: Makarenko (1986), Freire (1987, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2005, 2006), Costa (1989, 1991, 1999), Rizzini (1997, 2003), Graciani (2001), Lucchini (2003) e Oliveira (2004). Recentemente dialogou-se também com Brito (1998), Feldmann (1984, 1999), Sacristán (1999, 2002), Fazenda (2001, 2003, 2004, 2006) e Japiassú (2006). Todos esses autores e outros não citados neste resumo, mas presentes neste trabalho, contribuíram na tessitura de idéias que, entrelaçadas, constituem o universo mental do pesquisador. O meu envolvimento com o tema data de 1999, período em que atuei como educador de rua em Fortaleza-CE. Este trabalho surge como uma pequena contribuição aos educadores sociais e àqueles desejosos de conhecer um pouco o trabalho a fim de superar as representações sociais que consideram as crianças e adolescentes como vítimas e agressores sociais

There has been a lot of research highlighting the plight of street children throughout the world in the past few years. A review of the literature on street children reveals that the problem is worse in developing countries. The number of street children can be expected to increase in South Africa as a result of rapid urbanisation and development. This will certainly pose a problem for the government and other organisations concerned with the welfare of street children. In order to combat the proliferation of the number of children in the streets, concerned parties need to know more about street children before intervention and effective policies can be designed. This study was initiated to serve that purpose: to provide information on how street children perceive themselves. The information gathered and results of the study can be used by service providers to design effective intervention programmes. Twenty street children from the Pietermaritzburg central business district and the comparison group of twenty children from a "place of safety" in Pietermaritzburg were interviewed and assessed. Children from the "place of safety" were chosen as a comparison group because their familial histories have many factors which are common to street children as well. Assessment ofthe two groups of children entailed measuring the children's self-concepts by using the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. Human Figure Drawings were used to identify signs and levels of emotional distress using the Koppitz Emotional Indicators procedure. Furthermore, an unstructured interview was conducted with each child. The data was analysed quantitatively using statistical sub-programs of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The following statistical tests were computed: means to measure central tendency, independent t-tests to determine the statistical significance of the difference between the two groups' self-concept scores and emotional indicators. Quatro Pro and Harvard Graphics software packages were used to analyse the data qualitatively and present it graphically . Statistical analyses of the results reveal no significant differences between the self-concept of street children and that of the comparison group of placed children. Both groups' scores on the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale are within the average range. This means that street and placed children's perceptions of themselves, as measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, are similar to those of other children in the general population. Signs and levels of emotional distress as measured by Koppitz' list of Emotional Indicators are within the non-pathological range for both groups. This indicates that street and placed children's levels of emotional distress are similar to those found in other children in the normal population. It is therefore concluded that despite being exposed to hazardous situations and having lived in deprived and abusive situations, street children do not display significant levels of measured emotional distress. Street children are found not to be as disturbed as previously assumed by journalists and fiction writers who tend to romanticise or politicise their plight. Placed children, who also share some of the predicaments that street children have endured in terms of turbulent childhoods, do not seem to show deficits in their self-concepts and emotional functioning either. Recommendations on how to plan intervention programmes for street children are also offered. Moreover, the standardisation of the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale on local populations is recommended. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-University of Natal, Pietermartizburg, 1996

This study had the dual purpose of determining the anthropometric and motor development status of street children as well as to establish the effect of an intervention programme on their motor development. The first aim of the study was to determine the anthropometric and motor development status of street children. The children were selected from a sample of street children living in a state-run shelter. Twenty eight children (20 boys and 8 girls) between the ages of 7 and 14 were measured to determine their anthropometric and motor development status. The anthropometric measures included stature, mass, body-mass index (BMI), and two skin folds (subscapular and triceps). The measurements were performed according to the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). The results of the anthropometric measurements showed that the street children are shorter, lighter and have a lower BMI and smaller skin folds than the norm for children of the same age. The sample exhibited a prevalence of malnutrition. The same subjects who were tested to determine the anthropometric composition (except for four children, who had since left the shelter) were used to determine the motor development status. The gross motor, fine motor and neuromotor functions were tested to determine the motor development status. This was determined by means of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test II of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), the Sensory Input Screening Instrument and a section of the Quick Neurological Screening Test II. The results showed that the motor (gross motor, fine motor and neuromotor) development of the street children is below the standard norms. The second aim of the study was to determine the effect of an intervention programme on the motor development of street children. The same subjects who were tested to determine the motor development status (except for four children, who had since left the shelter) were used to determine the effect of a motor intervention programme. Seventeen boys and 7 girls between the ages of 7 and 14 years were randomly selected and divided into an experimental (n=13) and a control group (n= 11). A 10-week motor intervention programme that consisted of bi-weekly sessions of 45 minutes was implemented. The affectivity of this was evaluated by a post-test. The programme consisted of perceptual motor, sensory integration and task specific activities using the integrated method. The main components, which were addressed in the lessons, were bilateral integration, response speed, hand skills, muscle tone, motor planning, equilibrium, vestibular function and vision strengthening activities. The program was presented by a qualified kinderkineticist. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), the Sensory Input Screening Instrument and a section of the Quick Neurological Screening Test I1 were applied to determine the effect of the intervention programme. Covariance of analysis, correcting for pre-testing differences between the groups, indicated improvement of the Bruininks-Oseretsky-Test Total as well as in fine motor skills and upper limb speed in the experimental group. Vestibular and vision functions also increased significantly in this group, which might have contributed to the improvement in fine motor development. All these improvements showed a high practical significance (ES>0.8). Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the physical growth and motor development deficits as well as the positive effects of the intervention program, as identified in this study be brought under the attention of relevant persons in state organizations and private institutions, which are involved with street children. / Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

This study had the dual purpose of determining the anthropometric and motor development status of street children as well as to establish the effect of an intervention programme on their motor development. The first aim of the study was to determine the anthropometric and motor development status of street children. The children were selected from a sample of street children living in a state-run shelter. Twenty eight children (20 boys and 8 girls) between the ages of 7 and 14 were measured to determine their anthropometric and motor development status. The anthropometric measures included stature, mass, body-mass index (BMI), and two skin folds (subscapular and triceps). The measurements were performed according to the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). The results of the anthropometric measurements showed that the street children are shorter, lighter and have a lower BMI and smaller skin folds than the norm for children of the same age. The sample exhibited a prevalence of malnutrition. The same subjects who were tested to determine the anthropometric composition (except for four children, who had since left the shelter) were used to determine the motor development status. The gross motor, fine motor and neuromotor functions were tested to determine the motor development status. This was determined by means of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test II of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), the Sensory Input Screening Instrument and a section of the Quick Neurological Screening Test II. The results showed that the motor (gross motor, fine motor and neuromotor) development of the street children is below the standard norms. The second aim of the study was to determine the effect of an intervention programme on the motor development of street children. The same subjects who were tested to determine the motor development status (except for four children, who had since left the shelter) were used to determine the effect of a motor intervention programme. Seventeen boys and 7 girls between the ages of 7 and 14 years were randomly selected and divided into an experimental (n=13) and a control group (n= 11). A 10-week motor intervention programme that consisted of bi-weekly sessions of 45 minutes was implemented. The affectivity of this was evaluated by a post-test. The programme consisted of perceptual motor, sensory integration and task specific activities using the integrated method. The main components, which were addressed in the lessons, were bilateral integration, response speed, hand skills, muscle tone, motor planning, equilibrium, vestibular function and vision strengthening activities. The program was presented by a qualified kinderkineticist. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), the Sensory Input Screening Instrument and a section of the Quick Neurological Screening Test I1 were applied to determine the effect of the intervention programme. Covariance of analysis, correcting for pre-testing differences between the groups, indicated improvement of the Bruininks-Oseretsky-Test Total as well as in fine motor skills and upper limb speed in the experimental group. Vestibular and vision functions also increased significantly in this group, which might have contributed to the improvement in fine motor development. All these improvements showed a high practical significance (ES>0.8). Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the physical growth and motor development deficits as well as the positive effects of the intervention program, as identified in this study be brought under the attention of relevant persons in state organizations and private institutions, which are involved with street children. / Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Sabemos que muitas das crianças abrigadas em instituições para abandonados, infelizmente, não serão beneficiadas pelos Programas de Colocação em Lar Substituto (guarda, tutela e adoção). Desse modo, passam a viver na instituição até que completem a maioridade quando, inevitavelmente, terão que ser desligadas. Este estudo vem focalizar, portanto, a experiência de adolescentes abandonados e institucionalizados frente ao desligamento institucional, em função da maioridade. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa de base fenomenológica onde buscamos trabalhar com depoimentos de jovens que estão vivenciando o processo de desligamento. A partir da perspectiva destes, estabelecemos uma discussão/reflexão em torno do significado/representação do desligamento na vida dos adolescentes e do papel dos educadores no conjunto das práticas institucionais, encaminhando-nos para possíveis alternativas que viabilizem processos de desligamentos mais satisfatórios tanto para os adolescentes quanto para a equipe de profissionais que com eles trabalham / We are aware that the substitute home placement programs (Keepers, guardianshipo or adoption) will not, unfortunately, benefit many of the children living in abandoned/child institutions. For that reason, they remain at the institution until they are legally of age (majority), when they will be, inevitable, dismissed. The present study focuses, therefore, on the experience of abandoned and institutionalized adolescents in face of being disconnected from the institution due to becoming legally adults. This will be a qualitative research, based on the phenomenology approach, analyzing depositions of teen-agers who are experiencing the disconnection process. Considering their perspective, we establish a discussion/reflection on the meaning/representation the adolescents have of the institutional disconnection and on the role played by the educators in the complex of institutional practices. We point to possible alternatives which will enable more satisfactory disconnection processes for the adolescents as well as for the professionals that work with them

No description available.

Detta är en kvalitativ studie om hur socialsekreterare arbetar med barnperspektivet i mötet med hemlösa barn. Genom fyra semi-strukturerade intervjuer med anställda på socialtjänstens boendeenhet undersöks hur handläggaren beskriver att hen arbetar med barnperspektivet utifrån delvis Barnkonventionen men även hur handläggaren tillgodoser barns rättigheter och medborgarskap. Det insamlade materialet kommer analyseras med hjälp av Theory of citizenship (Lister 2008) men även barndomssociologiska begrepp human being och human becoming samt agency (Qvortrup 1990; Lee 2001). Som ett komplement används Annika Staafs (2011) definition av rättssäkerhet för att utöka förståelsen för barns medborgarskap och rättssäkerhet. Resultatet visar på bristande arbete med barns rättigheter samt att organisationens struktur har betydelse för vilka möjligheter handläggaren har att tillgodose barns rättigheter och säkra barns medborgarskap. I den avslutande diskussionen tas upp att socialsekreterarnas arbetsmiljö leder till att barn inte får komma till tals i den utsträckning som anses vara nödvändigt samt att en väg framåt i arbetet med barns rättigheter vore att Barnkonventionen blir svensk lag. Detta skulle medföra att Konventionen om barns rättigheter får en starkare ställning i Sverige. / This is a qualitative study of how social workers work with the children's perspective in the meeting with homeless children. This will be investigated through four semi-structured interviews with employees at the social housing unit. The purpose of the study is to investigate how the practitioner describes how they work with the child perspective based partly on the Children's Convention, but also investigate how the prosecutor caters for children's rights and citizenship. The collected material will be analysed using Theory of citizenship (Lister 2008), but also childhood sociological concepts human being and human becoming as well as agency (Qvortrup 1990; Lee 2001). As a complement, Annika Staaf's (2011) definition of legal certainty is used to expand the understanding of children's citizenship and legal certainty. The result shows the lack of work with children's rights, and the structure of the organization is important for the ability of the prosecutor to meet children's rights and secure children's citizenship. In the final discussion it is stated that the social security staff's working environment means that children can not be heard in so far as is considered necessary, and that a way forward in the work on children's rights would be that the Children's Convention becomes Swedish law. This would mean that the Convention on the Rights of the Child gained a stronger position in Sweden.

Social workers who work with homeless children need to understand the challenges in the homeless culture. The purpose of this study was to discover the needs that were reported by homeless children who live in motels, in order to provide agencies with information that will help them better provide services to this population.

The aim of this investigation was threefold : to determine origins and perceptions of the street child problem nationally and internationally ; to explore the way in which children experience life in the streets ; and to devise strategies to enable these children to develop optimally. Literature indicates that the street child phenomenon is a global issue that presents many challenges. It is a socio-educational problem precipitated by multi-factorial events in the home, community and by children's personality attributes. Street children experience rejection, suffering, shame and anxiety. Deprivation of an environment conducive to positive development leads to maladjustment, anti-social behaviour and marginalisation. The empirical research was undertaken by means of semi-structured interviews conducted among fourteen children of the Khayalethu shelter and by administering questionnaires in the community of Port Shepstone. The findings culminate in recommendations for suitable assistance programmes and strategies to handle the problem in South Africa. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.(Socio-Education)