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)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Os meninos de rua apontam para uma complexa trama de exclusão social a que estão submetidos milhares de crianças e de adolescentes. Uma realidade que, perpassada e constituída por fatores sociais, econômicos, políticos, culturais e históricos, tendem a ocultar o que há de singular na história, no sofrimento, nas dinâmicas familiares, nas trajetórias de sujeitos que, face aos conflitos vivenciados e ao lugar de dejeto que ocupam no meio social, adotam a mesma saída para poderem existir (CAMPOLINA, 2001): a rua. Crianças e adolescentes, portanto, relegados a um lugar que lhes revela a faceta mais crua e real da exclusão, do abandono, da miséria, da violência que tende a ser reproduzida na circulação pelos vários espaços a casa, a rua, as instituições em busca de um lugar possível de endereçamento que os inscreva enquanto sujeitos. Nesse sentido é que esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida, a partir da experiência numa instituição que atende crianças e adolescentes em situação de rua. Vinculada ao projeto de pesquisa de Frej (2007), intitulado Limites, fronteiras e endereçamentos entre mãe e criança, este estudo teve como objetivo compreender a demanda endereçada por crianças e adolescentes em situação de rua à instituição. As contínuas transgressões, a destrutividade na relação com a instituição, além de expressões como Vê se me desimbaça, Você é uma cata-lixo, fazem supor manifestações de apelo, demandas endereçadas à instituição. A teoria psicanalítica, sobretudo as formulações de Freud e Lacan, bem como de Bergès e Balbo, trouxe contribuições importantes no que concerne à demanda, ao apelo, ao endereçamento, ao jogo de posições entre o sujeito e o Outro. A pesquisa utilizou-se de dados colhidos nos registros da instituição para contextualizar o público e apontar especificidades do atendimento. Além disso, apresentou três casos clínicos, com o objetivo de, no percurso dos adolescentes na instituição, articular questões concernentes à demanda por eles endereçada. A partir das discussões feitas, apontamos a instituição como um lugar de endereçamento (tesouro de significantes) que, ao fazer a hipótese de um apelo nos gritos de socorro de crianças e adolescentes em situação de rua, constitui-se enquanto lugar que acolhe, interdita, nomeia, delimita e simboliza para além do real da rua. Um lugar que, ao inscrever o sujeito no campo da palavra portanto, numa outra posição , institui a aposta e a possibilidade de, no apelo Vê se me desimbaça, entrever a construção e o endereçamento de demandas à instituição / The street boys are related to a complex reality of social exclusion to which thousands of children and adolescents are submited. This reality, perpassed and constitued by social, economicals, politics, cultural and historical factors, has a tendency to occult what exists as singular in the history, in the suffering, in the families dynamics, in the lives of subjects that, in front of experienced conflicts and also considering the role of dejection in the social context, adopt the same exit in order to the existence be possible (CAMPOLINA, 2001): the street. Children and adolescents, thus, left in a way that reveal to them the most rude and real face of the exclusion, of the abandonment, of the poverty, of the violence which has a tendency to reproduce in the circulation among different spaces the house in the street, the institutions but also trying to find a possible way of addressing that recognize them as subjects. If this search always exists, or if they are searching. This research was developed in this way, based in an experience at one institution that takes care of children and adolescents in streets situation. Vinculated to the research project of Frej (2007), Limits, barriers and addressment among mother and child, this research had as objective understand the demand addressed by children and adolescents in streets situation to the institution. The continuous transgression, the destructiveness in the relationship with the institution, furthermore, the expressions as Make me blurred anymore, You are a search-trash, make possible suppositions about appeal, demands addressed to the institution. The psychoanalitic theory, fundamentally the formulations of Freud and Lacan, as well as Bergès e Balbo, brought important constributions to understand the demand, the appeal, the addressment, the play of positions between the subject and the Other. The research analysed data from the registers of the institution with the major purpose to contextualize the public and consider especificities in the attendance. Moreover, discussed three clinical cases, with the objective to, in the passage of the adolescents in the institution, articulate questions concernents to the demand that they have addressed. From the discussions made, we suggested that the institution as a space of addressment (treasure of significants) which, making a hypotheses of an appeal to the shouts of help of children and adolescents in streets situation, constitue itself as a place that receive, interdict, nominate, delimitate, and symbolize beyond of the real of the street. A place that when register the subject in the language domain thus, in another position -, institute the bet and the possibility that, in the appeal Make me blurred anymore see indistinctly the building and the addressment of demands to the institution. Key-words: Children and adolescents in streets situation, appeal, demand, institution, addressment

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:04:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ida Kuroki Borges.pdf: 479634 bytes, checksum: 43eba1b4260a208f19dbcb96d34bedda (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-12-13 / Adolescents in street situation likely exposed to STD/AIDS because the street world is favorable for violence use and traffic of drugs sexual exploration and also they had difficulties to assimilate information about this subject and to access health services These aspects had been discussed from the knowledge produced by health and social sciences about the sexuality vulnerability and exposition for the STD/AIDS of sheltered adolescents with previous life experience in the streets In this study we sough to identify and to analyze the social representations of prevention DST/AIDS for a group of adolescents with experience of life in the streets living in a shelter institution in Goiânia Goiás Brazil This inquiry has been based on social approach of qualitative research in health which social representations as methodological principle The data was collected by in-depth interview with a group of sheltered adolescents of both genres and diary-field notes from participant observations and analyzed by thematic modality of the content analysis As results we identified three thematic categories: omnipotence and finite prevention and risks bodies changes the knowledge of STD/AIDS to the adolescents prevention and sexuality in order to we verify that AIDS is better known among them than other STD In their understanding AIDS appears as incurable disease leading to death Although they know about risks they do not adopt a prevention behavior The risk factors are linked to their own powerful beliefs ignorance use of inject able drugs or others and difficulties to get condoms makes that diminishes the risks perceptions threshold and consequently also their protection attitudes The knowledge about sexuality is restricted to the physical and biological modifications not knowing exactly what is happening with their body in each phase of their physical affective sexual and social development Considering the irregularity that initiates their sexual life time some limitations to preventing their selves against STD appears These results allow us to consider about our responsibility to extending our activities beyond the limits of Academy and thus contributing to Public Policy elaboration through accords with governmental and non-governmental organizations by a community effort to propose effective projects of interventions for this population still unknown for great part of the society inside of its historical context / Os adolescentes em situação de rua apresentam maior vulnerabilidade às DST/HIV/AIDS por conviverem com a violência tráfico de drogas e exploração sexual inerentes ao universo das ruas e também devido às dificuldades de assimilação de informações sobre o assunto e acesso aos serviços de saúde Estes aspectos foram aprofundados com base no conhecimento produzido por diversas áreas quanto aos aspectos da sexualidade vulnerabilidade e exposição para as DST/AIDS de adolescentes abrigados com experiência pregressa de vida nas ruas O objetivo geral do estudo foi identificar e analisar as representações sociais da prevenção DST/HIV/AIDS por um grupo de adolescentes com experiência de vida nas ruas que vivem em uma instituição abrigo na cidade de Goiãnia Fundamentamos a investigação na abordagem social da pesquisa qualitativa em saúde tendo como princípio metodológico as representações sociais Os dados foram coletados por meio da entrevista semiestruturada junto a um grupo de adolescentes de ambos os sexos abrigados e observação participante anotadas em diário de campo O tratamento dos dados baseia-se na modalidade temática da análise de conteúdo Identificamos três categorias temáticas: os adolescentes e o conhecimento para as DST/HIV/AIDS prevenção e sexualidade através das quais verificamos que a AIDS é mais conhecida entre eles em detrimento de outras DST Na suas concepções a AIDS aparece como incurável levando fatalmente à morte Apesar de saberem dos riscos não utilizam dos meios de prevenção Os fatores de riscos ligados à crença de onipotência desinformação o uso abusivo de drogas injetáveis ou não dificuldade de acesso aos preservativos faz com que diminua o limiar da percepção de riscos e consequentemente a adoção de proteção O conhecimento da sexualidade é restrito às modificações físicas e biológicas não sabendo como lidar com o corpo nas fases de seu desenvolvimento físico afetivo sexual e social Pela irregularidade com que iniciam a vida sexual fazem com que de alguma maneira haja limitação no modo de se prevenirem contra as DST Estes resultados nos levam a considerar a responsabilidade de extendermos nossas atividades além dos limites da academia contribuindo assim com as Politicas Públicas através de convênios mantidos com organizações governamentais ou não no sentido de num esforço conjunto traçarmos projetos efetivos de intervenções para esta população ainda desconhecida dentro de seu contexto histórico por grande parte da sociedade

The years 2010 and 2011 recorded a number of incidents of natural disasters around the globe. These disasters resulted in death, injuries and loss of family members. Children, a vulnerable group of persons, found themselves caught up in the chaos of the natural disasters. Some children lost family members, others became separated from their families and caregiver(s) as a result of the disaster, and those who were "alone" prior to the natural disasters became completely exposed to serious physical and psychological harm. Yet, every child has the right to a family. States have a duty to protect separated and unaccompanied children. Such protection involves prevention of separation, assessment of the child's situation, registration, documentation, family tracing, verification and reunification, emergency care arrangements, and permanent care arrangements. Based on the premise that every child has a right to grow up in a family environment this dissertation attempts to answer the question: How can separated children and unaccompanied children, in the African context, be protected in the event of natural disasters such that their right to a family is promoted and protected? In so doing, it presents an explanation of the concepts of separated children and unaccompanied children through investigation xii into the practical effects of separation on children. It also presents discussions on the concept "natural disasters" and some of the effects of natural disasters on separated children and unaccompanied children. There is an attempt at defining the concept "family" based on its internal and external constitution and function, and a consideration of the needs which a family should satisfy in a child. Familial rights enjoyed by children are presented and analysed as rights which exist under the canopy of the "right to a family". In line with the Interagency Guiding Principles, the different stages of protection in natural disasters are highlighted and particular attention is given to intercountry adoption and the implications of placing moratoriums on intercountry adoptions at different stages of the intercountry adoption process, following events of natural disasters. The study stresses the need to balance the importance of protecting the child with the need to provide the child with a permanent family. Copyright / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Private Law / unrestricted

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:08:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_paula_cristina.pdf: 2325010 bytes, checksum: 624c0588db2e1486499309d0bb39d579 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-05-07 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The street boys are related to a complex reality of social exclusion to which thousands of children and adolescents are submited. This reality, perpassed and constitued by social, economicals, politics, cultural and historical factors, has a tendency to occult what exists as singular in the history, in the suffering, in the families dynamics, in the lives of subjects that, in front of experienced conflicts and also considering the role of dejection in the social context, adopt the same exit in order to the existence be possible (CAMPOLINA, 2001): the street. Children and adolescents, thus, left in a way that reveal to them the most rude and real face of the exclusion, of the abandonment, of the poverty, of the violence which has a tendency to reproduce in the circulation among different spaces the house in the street, the institutions but also trying to find a possible way of addressing that recognize them as subjects. If this search always exists, or if they are searching. This research was developed in this way, based in an experience at one institution that takes care of children and adolescents in street s situation. Vinculated to the research project of Frej (2007), Limits, barriers and addressment among mother and child , this research had as objective understand the demand addressed by children and adolescents in street s situation to the institution. The continuous transgression, the destructiveness in the relationship with the institution, furthermore, the expressions as Make me blurred anymore , You are a search-trash , make possible suppositions about appeal, demands addressed to the institution. The psychoanalitic theory, fundamentally the formulations of Freud and Lacan, as well as Bergès e Balbo, brought important constributions to understand the demand, the appeal, the addressment, the play of positions between the subject and the Other. The research analysed data from the registers of the institution with the major purpose to contextualize the public and consider especificities in the attendance. Moreover, discussed three clinical cases, with the objective to, in the passage of the adolescents in the institution, articulate questions concernents to the demand that they have addressed. From the discussions made, we suggested that the institution as a space of addressment ( treasure of significants ) which, making a hypotheses of an appeal to the shouts of help of children and adolescents in street s situation, constitue itself as a place that receive, interdict, nominate, delimitate, and symbolize beyond of the real of the street. A place that when register the subject in the language domain thus, in another position -, institute the bet and the possibility that, in the appeal Make me blurred anymore see indistinctly the building and the addressment of demands to the institution. Key-words: Children and adolescents in street s situation, appeal, demand, institution, addressment / Os meninos de rua apontam para uma complexa trama de exclusão social a que estão submetidos milhares de crianças e de adolescentes. Uma realidade que, perpassada e constituída por fatores sociais, econômicos, políticos, culturais e históricos, tendem a ocultar o que há de singular na história, no sofrimento, nas dinâmicas familiares, nas trajetórias de sujeitos que, face aos conflitos vivenciados e ao lugar de dejeto que ocupam no meio social, adotam a mesma saída para poderem existir (CAMPOLINA, 2001): a rua. Crianças e adolescentes, portanto, relegados a um lugar que lhes revela a faceta mais crua e real da exclusão, do abandono, da miséria, da violência que tende a ser reproduzida na circulação pelos vários espaços a casa, a rua, as instituições em busca de um lugar possível de endereçamento que os inscreva enquanto sujeitos. Nesse sentido é que esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida, a partir da experiência numa instituição que atende crianças e adolescentes em situação de rua. Vinculada ao projeto de pesquisa de Frej (2007), intitulado Limites, fronteiras e endereçamentos entre mãe e criança , este estudo teve como objetivo compreender a demanda endereçada por crianças e adolescentes em situação de rua à instituição. As contínuas transgressões, a destrutividade na relação com a instituição, além de expressões como Vê se me desimbaça , Você é uma cata-lixo , fazem supor manifestações de apelo, demandas endereçadas à instituição. A teoria psicanalítica, sobretudo as formulações de Freud e Lacan, bem como de Bergès e Balbo, trouxe contribuições importantes no que concerne à demanda, ao apelo, ao endereçamento, ao jogo de posições entre o sujeito e o Outro. A pesquisa utilizou-se de dados colhidos nos registros da instituição para contextualizar o público e apontar especificidades do atendimento. Além disso, apresentou três casos clínicos, com o objetivo de, no percurso dos adolescentes na instituição, articular questões concernentes à demanda por eles endereçada. A partir das discussões feitas, apontamos a instituição como um lugar de endereçamento ( tesouro de significantes ) que, ao fazer a hipótese de um apelo nos gritos de socorro de crianças e adolescentes em situação de rua, constitui-se enquanto lugar que acolhe, interdita, nomeia, delimita e simboliza para além do real da rua. Um lugar que, ao inscrever o sujeito no campo da palavra portanto, numa outra posição , institui a aposta e a possibilidade de, no apelo Vê se me desimbaça , entrever a construção e o endereçamento de demandas à instituição

Cette thèse traite de la question des enfants des rues au Mexique, de son histoire, de sa construction en enjeu social et de l’expérience des jeunes aux marges des villes de Mexico et de Tijuana. Symbole de « l'enfance délaissée » dans les pays en voie de développement, cette catégorie sociale a été l'une des « priorités officielles » du premier gouvernement élu démocratiquement à la tête du pays en 2000. La thèse montre comment se configure le monde des enfants des rues en analysant les acteurs de l’intervention sociale auprès des jeunes mais également la façon dont se déploient les existences de ces jeunesses urbaines marginales dans un pays traversé par d’importantes reconfigurations politiques et sociétales. Par une approche sociohistorique de 1880 à nos jours, cette thèse se penche en premier lieu sur l'émergence de cette catégorie dans l’espace public et sa mise en problème qui s'articulent aux transformations sociopolitiques du pays. L’analyse de plusieurs supports iconographiques et documentaires révèle une tension constante entre les figures de la victime et du délinquant qui va de pair avec les angoisses que produit l’important développement urbain du Mexique. L'enquête ethnographique réalisée à Mexico et Tijuana entre 2003 et 2010 montre la pertinence de l'étude à l'échelle de la ville pour comprendre comment s'articulent les politiques, les représentations et les expériences sociales. L'analyse met au jour les spécificités de ces deux villes dans l'appréhension et le traitement du problème, mais également dans les modes d’individuation et les trajectoires biographiques de ces jeunes : si un « effet de frontière » est observé à Tijuana, la dynamique du monde des rues à Mexico se caractérise plutôt par un « effet de capitale ».Finalement, l'analyse par le genre met en évidence les tensions à l'œuvre entre la traduction du langage des droits dans les pratiques quotidiennes des organisations qui travaillent avec cette population et la permanence d'un imaginaire de la famille sexué et hiérarchisé, qui s'articule au récit national. / This thesis deals with the history and construction of the social problem of Mexican street children and with the actual experience of marginalised youth in Mexico City and Tijuana. Symbol of the issue of “abandoned children” in developing countries, this social category has become one of the priorities of the first democratically elected Mexican government in 2000. The thesis examines how the world of “street children” is shaped by analysing the actors of social intervention and the effects of the country’s deep political and societal changes on these marginalised urban youth.Through a socio-historic approach from 1880 to nowadays, this thesis firstly studies the emergence of this category within the public space and its construction as a social problem, embedded in the socio-political transformations of the country. By exploring iconographic and documentary supports, the analysis identifies a constant tension between the figure of ‘victim’ and of ‘delinquent’, a tension which goes hand in hand with the anxiety produced by the tremendous urban development of Mexico.This ethnographic research, carried out in Mexico and Tijuana between 2003 and 2010, demonstrates the relevance of observing at city level in order to understand how the policies, representations and social experiences articulate. The analysis brings to light the specific features of these two cities in their perception and treatment of the problem as well as in the resulting individualisation modes and biographies of these young people. In Tijuana, a “border effect” is observed, whereas the streets dynamics in Mexico City are characterised by a “capital effect”. Finally, the gender analysis demonstrates the tensions between the appropriation of a law terminology in the everyday practices of the organisations working with this population and the traditional image of a sexualised and hierarchic family, embedded in the national narrative.

This study investigated the psychological approach and the classroom methodology needed by an educator to teach street children effectively in a special school created for them. Street children with their psychological trauma, their independent, self-sufficient outlook and educational deprivation make their adaption to the methods and educational environment of mainstream schooling difficult. To meet the special educational, psychological and emotional needs of street children, Masupatsela School was started. The study was carried out in this school. The qualitative research methodology used an action research design which consisted of a reconnaissance phase and three cycles. Each cycle made use of a planning, implementation and evaluation phase. A general plan was formulated after the reconnaissance phase and revised after each cycle. The teaching was done by the researcher using four grades of street children ranging form grade 7 to grade 10. Because of their specific psychological makeup, street children, who have lacked close, comforting and trusting relationships and role models, require a classroom environment, atmosphere and a relationship with the educator which is supportive, caring, warm and firm. To achieve this a client centred approach was used based predominantly on the therapeutic principles of congruence, empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard. The interaction with the children was based on openness, tolerance, the affirmation of others and honest firmness. The teaching methodology was an eclectic one which made use primarily of a cognitive teaching style which was introduced incrementally over the three cycles. The main components of this style consisted of cognitive questioning, cooperative learning and strategic reading for information. The results of the study showed that both the psychological and educational approach in the classroom to be very appropriate and successful. However the wider negative contextual influences such as the school organization, staffing and curriculum made the classroom strategies difficult to sustain. It is recommended that a programme using these educational and psychological approaches and incorporating functional literacy and numeracy, vocational skills, recreation and a therapeutic programme be incorporated when designing a programme for street children in a formal setting. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

This study investigated the psychological approach and the classroom methodology needed by an educator to teach street children effectively in a special school created for them. Street children with their psychological trauma, their independent, self-sufficient outlook and educational deprivation make their adaption to the methods and educational environment of mainstream schooling difficult. To meet the special educational, psychological and emotional needs of street children, Masupatsela School was started. The study was carried out in this school. The qualitative research methodology used an action research design which consisted of a reconnaissance phase and three cycles. Each cycle made use of a planning, implementation and evaluation phase. A general plan was formulated after the reconnaissance phase and revised after each cycle. The teaching was done by the researcher using four grades of street children ranging form grade 7 to grade 10. Because of their specific psychological makeup, street children, who have lacked close, comforting and trusting relationships and role models, require a classroom environment, atmosphere and a relationship with the educator which is supportive, caring, warm and firm. To achieve this a client centred approach was used based predominantly on the therapeutic principles of congruence, empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard. The interaction with the children was based on openness, tolerance, the affirmation of others and honest firmness. The teaching methodology was an eclectic one which made use primarily of a cognitive teaching style which was introduced incrementally over the three cycles. The main components of this style consisted of cognitive questioning, cooperative learning and strategic reading for information. The results of the study showed that both the psychological and educational approach in the classroom to be very appropriate and successful. However the wider negative contextual influences such as the school organization, staffing and curriculum made the classroom strategies difficult to sustain. It is recommended that a programme using these educational and psychological approaches and incorporating functional literacy and numeracy, vocational skills, recreation and a therapeutic programme be incorporated when designing a programme for street children in a formal setting. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

La thèse porte sur le phénomène des enfants accusés de sorcellerie au Katanga à l'aide d'une démarche socio-anthropologique. Dans la première partie les cadres théorique et historique sont donnés. La deuxième partie se concentre sur les enfants de la rue de Lubumbashi (Katanga, RDC) et le rôle joué par les églises pentecôtistes dans les accusations de sorcellerie dont les enfants font l'objet. Dans la troisième partie des études de cas sont présentées. / The PhD dissertation is about the phenomenon of the children accused of witchcraft in Katanga analysed through a socio-anthropological approach. In the first part the theoretical and historical frameworks are presented. The second part focuses on the street children issue in Lubumbashi (Katanga, DRC) and on the role played by Petecostal churches in the accusations perpetrated on children. The third part presents three case studies. / Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Street children are present in every metropolitan city around the world. Their presence has provoked varied responses from academics, the media and others. However, despite the proliferation of responses, current solutions are not always commensurate with the resources expended in this area. Are current responses a part of the problem or a part of the solution? Following the precedence established by other researchers and calls for greater reflexivity, this study attempts to provide a critical analysis of selected South African writings on and about street children. Particular focus is accorded to how selected academic and popular writings construct street children. The specific aim is to facilitate an examination of the underlying discourses that inform South African writings on street children. The role that academic and popular writings fulfil in selectively maintaining the status quo over which their authors sometimes voice disapproval is also examined. Wherever possible the origins of such discourses and the powers that maintain them are referred to. The extent to which the discourses evident in writings on South African street children converge with the dominant discourses present in developmental psychology as a whole are reviewed. The complimentary techniques of transformative inquiry and discourse analysis are at the heart of the methodology in this study. As an analytical tool discourse analysis is used to deepen current understanding of perceptions of street children. Discourse analysis helps to chart the underlying discourses drawn on in texts and shows how writings have influenced, intentionally or otherwise, the perceptions of subjects of research. Transformative enquiry as a significant · complimentary, albeit implicit, feature of discourse analysis enables a reflection on the research process itself. Four main discourses are discussed, each of which is centred around several sub-discourses. The first discourse, "He who pays the piper calls the tune" involves an objectification of street children, conveying negative' images of street children. The second discourse, "St. Jude the Patron Saint of Lost Causes" is rooted in the ideas of hopelessness, helplessness, victimology and ubiquitousness. The third discourse, "natured versus nurtured" is located in ideas of biological determinism within which street children are described as bestial, abnormally sexual, inherently racially inferior and unresponsive to initiatives designed to provide shelter for them. The fourth discourse, "Us and them cum us against them" arises from ideas that view street children as inherently different to mainstream children and adults, thereby pitting street children against society at large and representing them as enemies. These four interrelated discourses ultimately converge to produce both enabling and constraining effects that are sometimes contradictory in nature. Discourses intended to render street children visible sometimes ironically make them and their plight invisible. The study is concluded with discussions of methodological limitations, suggestions for future investigation and the pyscho-emotive shifts I experienced during the research process. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)