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

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4.2.5 Shelter Routine <strong>an</strong>d Regulations<br />

Each shelter followed a regular routine there were times to wake up, make the beds,<br />

shower, <strong>an</strong>d then have breakfast. Those children who attended <strong>for</strong>mal school would<br />

get ready early <strong>for</strong> school. Some shelters had tr<strong>an</strong>sport to <strong>an</strong>d <strong>from</strong> school while in<br />

others children walked. Once a child was admitted, part <strong>of</strong> the re-orientation process<br />

was to make the shelter regulations known to the child, <strong>an</strong>d the child to pledge<br />

adherence to the laid down rules. Some children kept the rules while others did not <strong>an</strong>d<br />

those were mainly the absconders. Absconding was widely evident in shelters 0 <strong>an</strong>d A<br />

<strong>an</strong>d the factors that influenced the behaviours were noted as:<br />

1 the respect <strong>of</strong> a child's right <strong>of</strong> choice to freely stay in the shelter<br />

2 boredom, particularly <strong>for</strong> children who did not attend mainstream school or <strong>an</strong>y<br />

in<strong>for</strong>mal learning, the lack <strong>of</strong> not attending <strong>an</strong> institution <strong>of</strong> learning was linked to<br />

the age <strong>of</strong> a child, the level <strong>of</strong> education, the period a child had been on the<br />

streets <strong>an</strong>d the time <strong>of</strong> admission in the shelters<br />

3. children's desire to earn money on the streets <strong>an</strong>d<br />

3 the desire to be with either their boy or girl friends.<br />

While shelters had a policy regarding absconders, they found it difficult not to re-admit<br />

children after absconding considering the risks to the lives <strong>of</strong> children on the streets.<br />

Absconding was also influenced by children's freedom to chose to remain in a shelter<br />

or not.<br />

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