A Study of Shelters for Street Children from an Organizational ...

6.1.3 Conclusions Regarding Research Findings
It was observed in chapter four, dealing with research findings, that those shelter
managers or directors who involved the staff or children in the decision making process
raised the morale of the staff and invoked positive feelings among children in the
shelters on one hand, while on the other the managers who didn't consult with staff or
clients problematised working relationships. The style of leadership was the main
cause of the shelters problems. Consequently, the management structure of the shelter
needed to be re-oriented to reflect the participatory style of management whereby the
staff or the children did not feel left out in matters that affect their lives. Service delivery
depended on several factors and particularly on financial resources, which are linked to
the registration of the shelter as noted above. Most important is the hiring and
attracting of quality qualified staff to develop, manage, and implement service delivery
programs and skills training programs. The lack of such quality staff meant that shelters
remained wanting in he eyes of staff and children. Luck of quality supervision
exacerbated children abuse and Cockburn (1994: 11) argues that children get sexually
abused in prisons and police cells. Institutional abuse of children in this regard is not
uncommon. While shelters and children's homes have in place policies and
mechanisms to deal with such offences, where poor supervision of staff and children
prevailed, such unethical behaviour was found. Researchers have argued that It is
more important to define and describe what is sexual abuse from the point of view of a
child rather than from the adult perspective, to get to grips with what a child thinks,
feels, perceives in that world of sexual exchange and discover what drives the child
into such practises and behaviour (Cockburn, 1994:11; Morolong and Cowley, 1994: 3;
Skelton, 1994:3). Shelters need to build the capacity to deal with such offences, but
that depends on the hiring of quality staff, and staff training in the areas of children and
staff relationships and interaction, which links with the funding issue and shelters
financial resources. The location of shelters and the availability of recreational facilities
were among the concerns, which children raised. In this regard, shelters did not
adequately provide the necessary recreational or social facilities. Where such were
available they were available for limited time only. This is one of many dilemmas facing
shelters endeavouring to intervene and reorient children in the manner that will
empower them to be resourceful and constructive citizens. On the one hand, shelter's
interventions endeavour was to disorient children from the street culture, which is full of
risks and make the children vulnerable to insurmountable problems. For example, a
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