<p>Includes bibliographic references (leaves 70-80).&quot / The goal of this research was to explore and describe the experiences and perceptions of the street children about the cyclical pattern of recidivism. To gain in- depth information regarding this issue, a qualitative research approach was followed. Data were collected by means of story-telling, guided by two foundational question themes. Firstly, experiences of family life and schooling and secondly, experiences of survival on the street and repeated criminal involvement. Data were analyzed according to the guideline discussed in Creswell (l998). Data were verified by means of measures suggested by Creswell (l998). Findings indicated that participants in this study suffered severe emotional and physical and material deprivation in their family contexts before moving to the street. Survival on the street depended on befriending other street children / begging on the street / abusing substances and getting involved in crime...&quot / </p>

<p>Includes bibliographic references (leaves 70-80).&quot / The goal of this research was to explore and describe the experiences and perceptions of the street children about the cyclical pattern of recidivism. To gain in- depth information regarding this issue, a qualitative research approach was followed. Data were collected by means of story-telling, guided by two foundational question themes. Firstly, experiences of family life and schooling and secondly, experiences of survival on the street and repeated criminal involvement. Data were analyzed according to the guideline discussed in Creswell (l998). Data were verified by means of measures suggested by Creswell (l998). Findings indicated that participants in this study suffered severe emotional and physical and material deprivation in their family contexts before moving to the street. Survival on the street depended on befriending other street children / begging on the street / abusing substances and getting involved in crime...&quot / </p>

Thesis (PhD)-Open University. BLDSC no. DXN119968.

The goal of this research was to explore and compare the perspectives of both parents and street children regarding the factors in the family systems that contribute to children leaving home and living on the streets. The study was done within the qualitative research approach and was applied research. It was a comparative study, comparing the perspectives of children and their parents/guardians. A literature review was conducted and formed the basis for a semi-structured interview schedule. A non-probability sampling method and a purposive technique were used in the selection of participants in this study. They met the following criteria. <ul> <li>They were boys and girls between ten and eighteen years of age.</li> <li>They had been benefiting from the Leratong and Itumeleng shelter services for at least six months and more.</li> <li>They had a family that consistsed of both parents, either single parent or at least a guardian who would be included as a respondent in the study.</li> <li>Their families were located around Pretoria for accessibility.</li> <li>They did not have constant contact with their families.</li></ul> The phenomenological strategy was suitable for this study and aimed to explore and understand the factors contributing to children living and working on the streets, thus understanding and interpreting the meaning that children living and working in the streets, together with their families, give to their everyday lives. The researcher found different family factors contributing to the street child phenomenon: <ul> <li>Poverty;</li> <li>Unemployment;</li> <li>Lack of effective communication between children and parents,</li> <li>Mischievousness by children;</li> <li>Step-family relationships;</li> <li>Child abuse and ill-treatment by parents/guardians; and</li> <li>The majority of the parents/ guardians were of the opinion that the government should provide intervention to solve the problem of street children.</li> </ul> / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

M.A. / Mental health workers are becoming more and more aware of the need to address all youths at risk in South Africa. While different contexts place youths at different types of risks, of particular interest in this study, is the phenomenon of street youths – a visible manifestation of a disrupted political and socio-economic society. Over time, it has come to be recognised that it is not enough to simply place these children in institutions, but that it would be more helpful to understand who these children are as individuals. Knowing how they function on an emotional and psychological level, their culture, their values and their dreams has profound implications for interventions that aim at improving the quality of their lives. Moreover, understanding the needs of these youths in more depth provides them with the opportunity to be included in decision-making processes pertinent to their future as contributing members of society. In view of the above, this study examines the personality development of street youths with the purpose that mental health workers combine developmental principles into their interventions. Thus, it is argued that by building on the knowledge that these youths already have of themselves and their lives, and by carefully examining their developmental needs, more appropriate and responsible programs can be created. Many studies on street youths have found that there is a high incidence of pathology in street youths. Much of this has been attributed to the abusive, dysfunctional and neglected home environments that these youths come from, and is generally exacerbated by the life style they lead on the streets. Therefore, this study examines the context from which street youths have emerged with particular emphasis on family systems, social contexts, beliefs and values, and the general infrastructure of the community at a government level. It was decided to use projective testing on a sample of street youths in the hope of identifying to what extent these youths' development has been compromised. In this respect, their needs, traits, strengths, conflicts and defenses were examined. The results were then integrated with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as well as Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory, and then examined against the backdrop of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory. The results of this study found that generally, healthy development in these youths has, indeed, been compromised. Any need for achievement, autonomy, dependency or security was found to be absent in these youths. It has therefore, been argued that these youths have been arrested at their first level of development, mainly because their primary focus is on fulfilling their basic physiological needs, to the extent that any higher order needs cannot be met. The results did, however, find that the majority of the youths in this sample are extroverted and flexible, and despite their living conditions, they are not negative or evasive. Whether these traits are inherent or learned is unknown, however, it is argued that these traits assist them to survive more successfully on the street. It was also found that, although these youths are not very adaptable, they are accessible, a possible survival skill making them more receptive to both welfare institutions and the public, on whom they depend on for their survival. Interestingly, it was found that a significant percentage of these youths indicate a presence of organicity. While the source of this may be due to extensive substance abuse, physical abuse or birth defects, its presence may also explain the presence (or absence) of other traits and conflicts in this sample. As such, these youths do indicate any significant pathological conflicts, except for paranoia. The presence of paranoia is to be expected in these children because, in order to survive, these youths need to be constantly alert to the dangers in their environment. This finding also lends support to the fact that these youths should not be pathologised but must rather be seen within the larger context of societal problems and issues. Finally, it was found that the youths in this sample do not indicate defenses. This is an unusual finding as by the time they reach adolescence, these youths should have developed certain defenses in order for successful negotiation of the environment to occur. Further study could shed light on why defenses were absent in these youths. In conclusion, it has also been argued that it is important to note that, because different studies indicate different results, it must be recognised that street youths experience street life differently, and that not all street youths experience negative life circumstances as equally stressful. Thus, it can be concluded that healthy personality development of street youths is not solely based on their experiences at home or on the street. It may also depend on predispositional traits, how they perceive their situations, how they construe themselves, their internal locus of control, their resilience levels and their social support systems.

in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Educational Psychology) / A substance abuse problem among street children has been acknowledged and treatment has not proved beneficial. The general aim of this study was to investigate their drugging habits and attitudes to drugging and treatment, in order to elucidate reasons for this failure and provide direction for an effective treatment approach. An exploratory study utilizing a non-probability sample (N=16) of male street children, aged 12 to 16, from a Johannesburg shelter, was carried out. An unconventional approach to gathering information was developed, within the framework of one-hour group discussions heId over seven weeks. Questions devised by the researcher were presented as stimuli for group discussion, story telling, and drawings. Data were also collected through a voting procedure. Results confirm regular substance abuse and dependency which merits attention. Maintaining factors were the suppression of emotional ...., low self esteem, and socialmotivators, i.e., to gain confidence and maintain networks. Risks and actual negative effects of substance abuse were vaguely perceived. These findings must be regarded as tentative, due to the small sample. More research, utilizing subjects not living in shelters and those in other shelters, should be done to find out if these findings are replicated . .A suggested treatment modality is group therapy and the changing of group norms, Groups would be conscientising. Specific aims could be formulated hy the group members, but could include general life skills and the development of alternative reinforcing activities. Peer mentoring could be considered. / Andrew Chakane 2018

This study attempts to explore both the pre-street and the current lived experiences ofunaccompanied migrant children on the streets of Accra and the motivations, contributions,perceptions and the challenges these children face at the point of destination. The study furtherexplores street children‟s views on their rights in terms of their schooling, health care andeconomic participation. The overarching perspective of the study is based on the philosophy and tenets of the socialstudies of childhood. A number of concepts and theories which are very prominent in the studyof children and childhood were used as the underpinning framework of the study. These conceptsare; concepts of agency, participation, social structure, street children, working children, andmigration theory. Unaccompanied migrate children become street children as a result ofmigration. The various social structures that confront these children inflame the agency andcompetent spirit which pushes children to engage in economic participation for their existenceand survival in an unknown destination. These concepts and theories will help in making cogentanalysis and also help put my discussions in focus. One major aim of my study was to give children the voice and the platform to air their views inissues that concerns their own lives. In this child focus research, qualitative research approachand specifically the ethnographic method were adopted in the data collection process becausethese approaches give in-depth analysis on social issues. Data collection tools used includesinterviews, participant observation and focus group discussion. My field work was in Accra(Ghana). In all 15 informants made up of both genders were sampled from two research sites, amarket and a lorry station. The analysis of the study revealed that, there exists manifold variety of childhoods. Children‟slived experiences involve work no matter where they are, either with their families or on thestreet as indicated by the study. The results also indicated that, children‟s motives for migratingcan be linked to personal, family and structural conditions which serve as both push and pullfactors, from and to their destination point. Additionally, the results indicated that children‟swork in their destination point is one of the major activities in their daily lives. Again peerrelations on the street are used as a means to support one another in times of need, and play wasidentified to be a part of children‟s street life. Also evidences from the study indicated thatchildren make contributes towards the well being and the development of themselves, theirfamilies and the society as well. Majority of the children living on the street have no classroomeducation, neither do they have access to “proper” medical care. Finally the study revealed that,children face a number of challenges as a part of their lived experiences on the street. Furthermore the following lessons and conclusions from the study are drawn. It was clear thatstreet children need their work in order to survive because children in the Global Southexperience particular structural conditions which necessitate them to work. The universal modelof childhood cannot be applicable to some categories of children, like the informants in mystudy. Aside the adults‟ defined spaces for children, there exist different spaces in the GlobalSouth were children can occupy, such as the street.

The focus of this study is to explore what I, a Canadian educator, can learn about development deriving from my relationship with five Burkinabé street youth and from participating in a development project. Furthermore, this thesis explores the following questions: What are the possibilities and challenges associated with Participatory Development according to my experiences during my project? What can be learned from my development experiences? How can my international “development” experience influence my practice in the Canadian classroom? Two conceptual frameworks have guided this thesis: Narrative Inquiry and Participatory Development. The latter was selected for two reasons; firstly, the non-profit development organization I represented and worked with in Kingston, Ontario strongly believe in working with partner organizations in a participatory fashion. Secondly, I was personally interested in exploring whether a participatory approach could be successful in eliminating the power relationships sometimes present in development work. The former was chosen because it offered the most flexibility in terms of writing design and supported the three levels of narrative: experience, telling, and interpreting (Polkinghorne, 1988). As such, this thesis is a self-study narrative that enabled me to present my story as a young teacher, volunteer and researcher. My research has been shaped by (1) my experiences, (2) stories of others, (3) my experiences with individuals who have impacted my journey, (4) my relationships with five Burkinabé street youth, and (5) finally my learning that took place before, during and after my three month volunteer project. ii My experience of volunteering in Burkina Faso has taught me that development is a complex field that should not be as easily accessible to those whom are inexperienced and unprepared to handle the challenges inherent in development work. My self-study cautions new researchers doing fieldwork abroad, volunteers and non-profit organizations of the possible negative effects such as harming the host community/culture, experiencing culture shock or reverse culture shock and practicing volunteer tourism while claiming to do development. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2010-08-24 16:49:22.151

Based on the recognition that children are important social actors, researchers within the geographical discipline are now calling for more research on children as a neglected grouping undergoing socio-spatial marginalisation.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008. / Prepared for: School of Social Work. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 289-320.