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 ...
During festive seasons the number of children living and/or working on the streets increases considerably as holiday and festive seasons attracts more fun and people, consequently more children are likely to get lost. Also children living and/or working on the streets find it right time to be adventurous. Numbers fluctuate according to the period of festivities. Shelter D, as the first phase shelter, the resident numbers increased during the cold months, as children needed the shelter to keep warm. The shelter did not restrict its intake while other shelters did because they did not take children straight from the streets; their residents are mainly referred from the first phase shelter consequently they did not experience the same impact of residents fluctuations. Table 3 Resident Capacity and Gender of the Shelters 4.2.2 Objectives Resident Shelters Capacity Gender A 6-15 Girls B 30-40 Boys C 60-65 Boys D 80-120 Mixed Majority Boys Shelters shared same objectives. First, shelters desired to make it possible for children to come off the streets. It was perceived and unacceptable for children to live and/or work on the streets, because the street exposed children to hazards health conditions, deceases, unhealthy lives, violence, abuse, vulnerable and at risk habits, and potential criminality. Consequently, street life jeopardised the future of children and required intervention to redress or reverse the conditions and circumstances of the street. Shelters did not debate on the factors which brought children on the streets. They responded to children on the streets through programs of outreach work, drop-in centres and shelter services. The second objective was to meet the basic needs of children i.e. food, clothing, and shelter to live. The third objective was to re-unite 53
children with their families where possible or reintegrate them in the communities of origin or the mainstream society. The process of finding and identifying families or relatives was daunting but on going. Shelter faced dilemmas in fulfilling this objective. Social worker's role was crucial, as stipulated by government regulations (Child Care Act, 1983; http://www.acts.co.za/child_care/index.htm: 22/5/2003). HIV/AIDS pandemic compounded the challenges as children become affected and infected. Once the family was located then children and the family were re-oriented to prepare and accept the return of the child. The process of re-unification started with allowing families to visit their children in shelters and children visiting their families at home during weekends. 4.2.3 Shelter Services Basic needs of children include food, clothing and a place to sleep. Shelters endeavoured to meet these needs. Efforts were made to stabilize children emotionally and physically while initial assessment followed and children counselled. Shelter D is the only shelter where children from the street directly were placed. Shelter A also admitted children directly from the streets combining with accepting children from the first phase shelter. Children in the first phase shelter had two options open to them on entering the shelter they either leaved the shelter or stay promising to improve behaviour that made possible to be transferred to another shelter. If children chose not to stay in the shelters, they were free to return to the streets. Programs of intervention involved attempts to re-unite children with their families early to prevent children becoming street wise and where that was possible. Once children were above the age of 16 years, shelters were not able to keep them because they had become young adults. A suggestion to start skills training for children was made with an aim of providing children with skills that could give them hope for the future by empowering them to be employable or be self-employed. However, the project required the approval of various government departments and was taking considerable time to start, (Basson, 2001 :3). The process of children's referrals to other shelters depended on the needs of children and shelter's residential capacity. Other services included formal and informal learning opportunities. Formal schooling was arranged with surrounding public schools. Health care and counselling, health education including HIV/AIDS awareness, where 54
- Page 11 and 12: children's homes. In 1996 the Europ
- Page 13 and 14: specifically in its policies (http:
- 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: 4.2. Shelters Services and Programs
- Page 65 and 66: y the shelter's philosophy, goals,
- Page 67 and 68: 4.2.5 Shelter Routine and Regulatio
- Page 69 and 70: 4.2.6 Policy on Visitors The four s
- Page 71 and 72: children played; this was done depe
- Page 73 and 74: living and/or working on the street
- Page 75 and 76: 4.3.1 Structure and physical locati
- Page 77 and 78: Apart from management of shelters,
- Page 79 and 80: Regarding transparency, accountabil
- Page 81 and 82: Staff expressed that children shoul
- Page 83 and 84: was immediately reassuring to child
- Page 85 and 86: will to choose whether to or not li
- Page 87 and 88: Sangoma (traditional doctor) and I
- Page 89 and 90: Look at this shelter look at the do
- Page 91 and 92: preferable. Participants continued
- Page 93 and 94: It is okay when one is going with a
- Page 95 and 96: 5.1 Introduction CHAPTER FIVE DISCU
- Page 100 and 101: The challenges of children living a
- Page 102 and 103: differed greatly from the feelings
- Page 104 and 105: een on the streets for a very long
- Page 106 and 107: from the overseas. Some of the loca
- Page 108 and 109: programs to communities and familie
- Page 110 and 111: explained, was their priority. It i
During festive seasons the number <strong>of</strong> children living <strong>an</strong>d/or working on the streets<br />
increases considerably as holiday <strong>an</strong>d festive seasons attracts more fun <strong>an</strong>d people,<br />
consequently more children are likely to get lost. Also children living <strong>an</strong>d/or working on<br />
the streets find it right time to be adventurous. Numbers fluctuate according to the<br />
period <strong>of</strong> festivities. Shelter D, as the first phase shelter, the resident numbers<br />
increased during the cold months, as children needed the shelter to keep warm. The<br />
shelter did not restrict its intake while other shelters did because they did not take<br />
children straight <strong>from</strong> the streets; their residents are mainly referred <strong>from</strong> the first phase<br />
shelter consequently they did not experience the same impact <strong>of</strong> residents fluctuations.<br />
Table 3 Resident Capacity <strong>an</strong>d Gender <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Shelters</strong><br />
4.2.2 Objectives<br />
Resident<br />
<strong>Shelters</strong> Capacity Gender<br />
A 6-15 Girls<br />
B 30-40 Boys<br />
C 60-65 Boys<br />
D 80-120 Mixed Majority Boys<br />
<strong>Shelters</strong> shared same objectives. First, shelters desired to make it possible <strong>for</strong> children<br />
to come <strong>of</strong>f the streets. It was perceived <strong>an</strong>d unacceptable <strong>for</strong> children to live <strong>an</strong>d/or<br />
work on the streets, because the street exposed children to hazards health conditions,<br />
deceases, unhealthy lives, violence, abuse, vulnerable <strong>an</strong>d at risk habits, <strong>an</strong>d potential<br />
criminality. Consequently, street life jeopardised the future <strong>of</strong> children <strong>an</strong>d required<br />
intervention to redress or reverse the conditions <strong>an</strong>d circumst<strong>an</strong>ces <strong>of</strong> the street.<br />
<strong>Shelters</strong> did not debate on the factors which brought children on the streets. They<br />
responded to children on the streets through programs <strong>of</strong> outreach work, drop-in<br />
centres <strong>an</strong>d shelter services. The second objective was to meet the basic needs <strong>of</strong><br />
children i.e. food, clothing, <strong>an</strong>d shelter to live. The third objective was to re-unite<br />
53
Change language