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

streets. Programs should also include follow-up programs to ensure that children did
not once more come into the streets and monitor the progress children were making.
In this regard, shelter programs had room for further developments, improvements and
expansion. However, participants did not entirely rule out changes and improvements,
they felt that in the following areas shelters essentially needed adjustments:
a) Structural changes particularly the dormitories and the bathrooms. The
dormitories had no lockers to secure children's particularly the older ones, their few
valuables as a result, children often complained that they had lost their items and
suspected other children were responsible. Improving the dormitories in this manner
would resolve the friction, quarrels and fights among children.
b) Participants argued that shelters flow of finances needed improvements
otherwise programs of intervention and integration had become difficult, but not
impossible to implement. Participants did not know how the financial situation could be
improved.
c) Participants felt that staff recruitment, employment and remuneration needed
changes to harmonize remuneration with qualifications and skills.
In their view, were shelters able to make the above changes that would have fitted well
with the stated objectives and would enhance the intervention/reintegration programs
through improving the conditions and working environment staff were under.
4.4.3 Admission and Children's Needs
Participants expressed that shelters should never exceed their residential capacity.
However, they observed that shelter's capacity left out many children living and/or
working on the streets. Those children who had been admitted were lucky not continue
living on the streets. Participants had different opinions regarding children's needs and
the best means to meet those needs. This trend replicated itself in all focus group
discussions and generated arguments for and against the different opinions. The issue
was whether physical growth and spiritual development formed part of children's
needs. Some participants held the opinion that physical growth and spiritual
development were inseparable. Consequently argued and advocated for their inclusion
in all shelters programs. However, they were quick to point that different religions and
denominational backgrounds would have to be accommodated in the programs. They
expressed that shelters resources should be more focused on children's physical and
material conditions. They argued that meeting children's physical and material welfare
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