A Study of Shelters for Street Children from an Organizational ...
A Study of Shelters for Street Children from an Organizational ... A Study of Shelters for Street Children from an Organizational ...
contributing factor and cannot be ignored in any study of the phenomenon. It has also posed new challenges in the area of shelters care programs and intervention strategies. Shelters have to cater for the reintegration of children into mainstream society, care for the increasing orphan population, and at the same time provide specialized care for those children already infected or showing symptoms of the disease. As a result, the challenges of the HIV/AIDS pandemic place additional burdens on shelter staff and finances (Boikanyo and Donnell, 1997; Desmond and Gow, 2001). WHO has developed a training manual for street educators or people who work with children living and working on the streets in response to the challenges of HIV/AIDS (http://www.who.intlstreet_children:21/2/2002). Some researchers argue that the pandemic will increase the number of children living or working on the streets (http://www.cyc-net.org/today2002:22/21/2003).This factor needs further research to empirically support the claim and in particular in contemporary South Africa. Much work has been done regarding the factors which give rise to the phenomenon of children living or working on the streets, how the children live on the streets and what can be done about them (Acker, 1986; Agnelli, 1986; Ndhlovu, 1999; Richer, 1991; Swart, 1991). In a report to the World Bank Institute, Volpi pointed out that the phenomenon is spreading into other areas of the world where it was previously unknown, and according to her, the obvious causes are dysfunctional family ties and communities who succumb to adverse economic situations, which widen the gap between the very rich and the very poor. The phenomenon of children living and working on the streets is an alarming signal for economic and social redress so that the children do not continue to be marginalized, and this can be achieved through action to relieve the hardships of those already on the streets (http://www.worldbank.org: 27/5/2003). The World Bank only recently contemplated engaging with the plight of children living and working on the streets. Wolfensohn (2000), the president of the World Bank, acknowledged that children living and/or working on the streets were a growing concern and of particular interest to his institution, and added, 'The Bank does not want to displace anybody operating in this field but to be an adjunct, an ally and support and to bring in the weight of this institution behind this issue." (http://wbln0018.worldbank.org: 10/5/2003). According to Wolfensohn, the implication is that the World Bank would not interfere with organisations dealing with children living and working on the streets, but show a commitment through including the phenomenon 3
specifically in its policies (http://www.streetchildafrica.org.uk: 10/5/2002). It is noteworthy that the comment was made in the year 2000, approximately two decades since literature first appeared regarding the plight of children living and/or working on the streets (Agnelli, 1986; Aptekar, 1988). It appears that the phenomenon of children living and working on the streets is gradually being recognized as a challenge all over the world, which demands combined efforts of governments, NGOs and other stakeholders. Worldwide, the organisations that have responded to this challenge initiated shelter programs of intervention and reintegration. In this regard, shelters together with their programs of intervention and integration are significant to study because they intervene, interface and interact with children living and working on the streets individually and as a group. 1.2 Context of the Study 1.2.1 Historical Background History of shelters as means of intervention on lives of children living or working on the streets is not recent, nor is the perception of them as vagrants and deviants in society. Children are either perceived as a nuisance or as criminals and are consequently filtered through the criminal justice system in this regard, children living and working on the street are perceived to be undesirable elements because of their potential to criminality (Ennew, 1994). Research confirms that living in/on the streets is itself considered delinquent, therefore, it follows that children living and working on the streets are delinquents. Delinquency itself is correlated with criminal activity and this necessitates their removal from the streets as reported by Peacock and Theron, (1992). The other perception of children living and working on the streets is that they are a batch of helpless children who need mercy and care from society. In this regard, services are designed to ease their plight. The two perceptions govern the mindset of public and society; but are diametrically opposed and correspond well to the nature of human service organizations discussed by Hasenfeld (1992: 3) who argues that the nature of human service organisations are perceived by the general public as a necessary welfare provider, but also as wasteful, foster dependency, obtrusive and agents of control. In this view, shelters for children living and working on the streets, together with their programs echo the symbolism of either a caring society, or a society bent on correcting their behaviour through instilling discipline. Arguably, shelters and 4
- Page 1: A Study of Shelters for Street Chil
- Page 4 and 5: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I extend my sincer
- Page 6: TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 0 NE 1 IN
- Page 9 and 10: LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Showing the
- Page 11: children's homes. In 1996 the Europ
- Page 15 and 16: Hosken, (2004) in an article titled
- Page 17 and 18: 1.5 The Purpose and Objective of th
- Page 19 and 20: names of the shelters have been ren
- Page 21 and 22: 1.8.2 Organizationalll1eory Shelter
- Page 23 and 24: Chapter Four: Data analysis. The ch
- Page 25 and 26: communities posing enormous challen
- Page 27 and 28: To perceive human social reality as
- Page 29 and 30: Shelter's intervention/reintegratio
- Page 32 and 33: 2.4 Definitions The focus of the re
- Page 35: enforcement officers, outreach work
- Page 40 and 41: 3.1 Introduction CHAPTER THREE RESE
- Page 42 and 43: given to the demands of shelter pro
- Page 44 and 45: views and perceptions over the topi
- Page 46 and 47: 3.4 The Researcher in Qualitative I
- Page 48 and 49: which means children there, are sta
- Page 51 and 52: paid to the recording devices. The
- Page 53 and 54: esearchers need to agree or disagre
- Page 55 and 56: • Staff morale was high when moti
- Page 57 and 58: 3.11 Ethical Considerations Babbie
- Page 59 and 60: 4.1 Introduction CHAPTER FOUR OATA
- Page 61 and 62: 4.2. Shelters Services and Programs
specifically in its policies (http://www.streetchildafrica.org.uk: 10/5/2002). It is<br />
noteworthy that the comment was made in the year 2000, approximately two decades<br />
since literature first appeared regarding the plight <strong>of</strong> children living <strong>an</strong>d/or working on<br />
the streets (Agnelli, 1986; Aptekar, 1988). It appears that the phenomenon <strong>of</strong> children<br />
living <strong>an</strong>d working on the streets is gradually being recognized as a challenge all over<br />
the world, which dem<strong>an</strong>ds combined ef<strong>for</strong>ts <strong>of</strong> governments, NGOs <strong>an</strong>d other<br />
stakeholders. Worldwide, the org<strong>an</strong>isations that have responded to this challenge<br />
initiated shelter programs <strong>of</strong> intervention <strong>an</strong>d reintegration. In this regard, shelters<br />
together with their programs <strong>of</strong> intervention <strong>an</strong>d integration are signific<strong>an</strong>t to study<br />
because they intervene, interface <strong>an</strong>d interact with children living <strong>an</strong>d working on the<br />
streets individually <strong>an</strong>d as a group.<br />
1.2 Context <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Study</strong><br />
1.2.1 Historical Background<br />
History <strong>of</strong> shelters as me<strong>an</strong>s <strong>of</strong> intervention on lives <strong>of</strong> children living or working on the<br />
streets is not recent, nor is the perception <strong>of</strong> them as vagr<strong>an</strong>ts <strong>an</strong>d devi<strong>an</strong>ts in society.<br />
<strong>Children</strong> are either perceived as a nuis<strong>an</strong>ce or as criminals <strong>an</strong>d are consequently<br />
filtered through the criminal justice system in this regard, children living <strong>an</strong>d working on<br />
the street are perceived to be undesirable elements because <strong>of</strong> their potential to<br />
criminality (Ennew, 1994). Research confirms that living in/on the streets is itself<br />
considered delinquent, there<strong>for</strong>e, it follows that children living <strong>an</strong>d working on the<br />
streets are delinquents. Delinquency itself is correlated with criminal activity <strong>an</strong>d this<br />
necessitates their removal <strong>from</strong> the streets as reported by Peacock <strong>an</strong>d Theron,<br />
(1992). The other perception <strong>of</strong> children living <strong>an</strong>d working on the streets is that they<br />
are a batch <strong>of</strong> helpless children who need mercy <strong>an</strong>d care <strong>from</strong> society. In this regard,<br />
services are designed to ease their plight. The two perceptions govern the mindset <strong>of</strong><br />
public <strong>an</strong>d society; but are diametrically opposed <strong>an</strong>d correspond well to the nature <strong>of</strong><br />
hum<strong>an</strong> service org<strong>an</strong>izations discussed by Hasenfeld (1992: 3) who argues that the<br />
nature <strong>of</strong> hum<strong>an</strong> service org<strong>an</strong>isations are perceived by the general public as a<br />
necessary welfare provider, but also as wasteful, foster dependency, obtrusive <strong>an</strong>d<br />
agents <strong>of</strong> control. In this view, shelters <strong>for</strong> children living <strong>an</strong>d working on the streets,<br />
together with their programs echo the symbolism <strong>of</strong> either a caring society, or a society<br />
bent on correcting their behaviour through instilling discipline. Arguably, shelters <strong>an</strong>d<br />
4
Change language