The purpose of this study was to conduct a needs assessment of homeless children and explore possible solutions to better meet the needs of homeless children and reduce the risks of intergenerational homelessness in San Bernardino County.

This study identified the needs of homeless children in the Hospitality House shelter of the Salvation Army in San Bernardino. This study explored the current services provided to satisfy the homeless children's needs. The study also assessed the extent to which the shelter supervisors were familiar with the Mckinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and types of services they are mandated by the Act to provide for homeless children in shelters.

Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study attempts to gain insight into social welfare programmes for street children. In order to achieve this, a literature study was undertaken to explore social welfare programmes for street children and to describe street children as a social phenomenon. An empirical study was undertaken by means of interviewing through a structured questionnaire. The study indicates that the majority of street children have contact with their parents. The street children are mostly males between 13 and 16 years of age. The dominant socioeconomic aspects contributing to this social phenomenon are housing problems, unemployment and a lack of means. The following socio-cultural aspects were identified: the composition of the family, social pathology as well as an absent father figure. The majority of the street children have limited education and were not encouraged to continue their education. It was found that the street children and their families did not take part in prevention programmes that focus on the direct causes of family disintegration and support services. Welfare organisations had been involved with the majority of the families even before the children moved to the streets. The street children have the necessary knowledge regarding outreach programmes and take part in such programmes. It was found that street children would like to contribute to the compilation of these programmes. The study indicates that educational as well as occupational and vocational programmes are experienced as an opportunity for self-maintenance. It was found that the majority of street children do not want to return to their families and seek alternative care. It was concluded that street children come from families that do not have definite boundaries and structures. The majority of the street children do not experience their family setup as pleasant. The children developed insight into the correlation between education and selfimprovement only after they had left school. The needs of street children can be divided into two categories, namely the need for self-development and the need for better family circumstances. Recommendations are made regarding social welfare service / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie is ondersoek na die maatskaplikewerkprogramme vir straatkinders ingestel. 'n Literatuurstudie ten opsigte van die straatkind as maatskaplike verskynsel en maatskaplikewerkprogramme vir straatkinders is onderneem. Daarna is 'n empiriese studie deur middel van onderhoudvoering met 'n gestruktureerde vraelys gedoen. Navorsing dui aan dat die meerderheid straatkinders wel kontak met hulle ouers het. Die straatkinders is meestal seuns tussen die ouderdom van 13 en 16 jaar. Die prominentste sosio-ekonomiese aspekte wat tot hierdie maatskaplike verskynsel aanleiding gee, is behuisingsprobleme, werkloosheid en 'n gebrek aan bestaansmiddele. Die volgende sosiokulturele aspekte is ge'identifiseer: gesinsamestelling, sosiale patologie, en die afwesige vaderfiguur. Die meerderheid straatkinders het beperkte skoolopleiding ontvang en is nie aangemoedig om terug te keer skool toe nie. Daar is bevind dat straatkinders en hulle gesinne nie ingeskakel het by voorkomingsprogramme wat op die direkte oorsake van gesinsverbrokkeling en ondersteuningsdienste fokus nie. Welsynsorganisasies was reeds by die meeste van die gesinne betrokke voordat die kinders na die straat beweeg het. Die straatkinders is bekend met en neem deel aan uitreikprogramme. Daar is ook bevind dat die straatkinders wel 'n bydrae tot die samestelling van sodanige programme wil lewer. Die navorsing dui daarop dat opvoedkundige programme asook beroeps- en ambagontwikkeling beskou word as 'n ontwikkelingsgeleentheid om selfonderhoudend te wees. Daar is bevind dat die meerderheid straatkinders nie na hulle ouerhuis wil terugkeer nie, maar van alternatiewe versorging wil gebruik maak. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat straatkinders uit gesinne kom waar daar nie definitiewe grense en strukture in plek is nie. Die meerderheid van die straatkinders ervaar nie hulle gesinsopset as positief nie. Nadat die straatkinders die skool verlaat het, het insigontwikkeling plaasgevind rakende die verband tussen skoolopleiding en die verbetering van eie funksionering en ontwikkeling. Die behoeftes van straatkinders kan in twee kategoriee verdeel word, naamlik die behoefte aan eie ontwikkeling en die behoefte aan beter gesinsomstandighede. Aanbevelings word ten opsigte van maatskaplikewerkdienslewering in gasheergemeenskappe asook gesinsherenigings- en voorkomingsdienste gemaak.

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.

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.

This study examines the conditions of hopelessness in the city of San Bernardino. The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which women and men's accessing of services for homelessness differ. This study employs a survey administered at an event given specifically for the homeless population in San Bernardino, and the differences between men and women and their access to support is documented.