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

Shelter's intervention/reintegration programs notably omit 'children's voice'.
Consequently, the omission of children's voices contravenes the rights of children in
residential care and as laid down in the manual on Minimum Standards of Child and
Youth Care (1998:13). Researchers emphasise that children's voice be heard, and
their contribution and participation be valued (Ennew, 1994). Children who participated
in a forum for street children in Brussels stated that "We, the young people from the
different countries that have participated in this forum, have for a long time been
thinking about the issues that concern us directly or indirectly". They identified health,
education, rights of children and young people, culture, social, sport, leisure, and
participation in politics, as issues that need the attention of governments, NGOs and all
those concerned with the welfare of children living and/or working on the streets
(http://www.enscw.org/eng/Forum: 5/5/2003).
2.3 Review of the Related Literature
The phenomenon of children living and/or working on the streets has been researched
and studies worldwide emphases different themes and responses to the challenges
children pose to societies. The studies are predominantly done after media highlights
the plight of children living and/or working on the streets. There is a noticeable trend
whereby the studies start by concentrating on difficulties of defining the subject matter,
who 'children living and/or working on the streets' are, the applicability of the label '
'street children' and how children themselves perceive the use of label (Agnelli, 1986;
Aptekar, 1988; Blanc, 1995; English, 2002; Swart, 1990; Swart-Kruger and Donald,
1994). Worth noting is that the studies recommend some form of intervention to
alleviate the plight of children. Studies by Corrizosa and Poertner (1992), Hansson
(1991), Hagan and McCarthy (1999), Hutson and Liddlad, (1994), Swart (1990), Swart­
Kruger and Donald (1994), emphasized the categorization children living and/or
working on the streets either as children in need of care and therefore to be mercifully
treated, or as potential criminals and a nuisance to the public. In this regard, the public
called for the children's removal from the streets, particularly in Durban beachfront area
for the sake of tourist business (http://www.suntimes.co.za: 24/5/2003). The use of
police to remove children from the streets has been discredited due to the conflict and
tensions it generates causing poor relations between them (Allsebrook and Swift, 1989,
Balanon, 1989; Bourdillon, 19995; Boyden and Holden 1991; Human Rights Watch,
1997; Lusk 1989). However, the role of the police cannot be dispensed with because of
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