Institutionalized and

Street Children
Gloria Marisse B. Gamalo
Ateneo de Davao University
Street Children:
Who are they?
× ‘homeless youth’, ‘runaways’ , ‘throwaways’
× ‘parking boys’ (in Kenya),
× ‘palaboy boys’ (in Philippines),
× ‘pivetes’ (in Brazil),
× ‘ragpickers’ or ‘sadak chaap bachche’ (in India),
× ‘gamines’ (in Bogota)
× ‘scugnizzo’ (in Naples),
× ‘pajaro frutero’ (in Peru),

2
3
UNICEF has divided street
children into three
operational categories:
1. Children on the Street: Forming the largest
category, these are largely working children who
have homes; most return to their families at the
end of the day.
2. Children of the Street: These children are a group
who has chosen the street as their home and it is
there that they seek shelter, livelihood, and
companionship. They have occasional or rare
contacts with their families.

4
3. Abandoned Children: These children have
no contact with their families. They are
entirely on their own, not only for material
survival but also for emotional and
psychological support. They include orphans,
runaways and lost or destitute children.
Often these children are also referred to as
“nowhere” children because they may not be
traceable.

5
6
When working with street
children, remember the 4
rules which accompany it
× Do no harm to any of the areas of development
through your intervention.
× Contribute positively to these areas of development
through your intervention.
× Remember the evolving capacities of the child: a 7-
year-old is at a different developmental level to a 17-
year-old.
× Remember the individuality of each child: even
children of the same age have different natural
abilities and additionally some may have experienced
uneven child development through their upbringing.
7
Institutionalized Children
Why are children sent to institutions?
× Poverty
× War and Social Unrest
× HIV and AIDS
× Rapid Social Change
× Violence and Assault
× Children with disabilities
× Attraction to institutions

8
Objectives for measures
at children who live in
institutions are that:

• No child should need to grow up in an

institution.
• Measures for children should be provided
mainly within the family framework.
• Children living in institutions should be
guaranteed the rights due to them under
the Convention

9
Article 20
× 1. A child temporarily or permanently deprived of his
or her family environment, or in whose own best
interests cannot be allowed to remain in that
environment, shall be entitled to special protection
and assistance provided by the State.
× 2. States Parties shall in accordance with their national
laws ensure alternative care for such a child.
× 3. Such care could include, inter alia, foster
placement, kafalah of Islamic law, adoption or if
necessary placement in suitable institutions for the
care of children. When considering solutions, due
regard shall be paid to the desirability of continuity in
a child's upbringing and to the child's ethnic, religious,
cultural and linguistic background.

10
Article 6
1. States Parties recognize that every child has the
inherent right to life.
2. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent
possible the survival and development of the child.

11
Article 9
1. States Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be
separated from his or her parents against their will,
except when competent authorities subject to judicial
review determine, in accordance with applicable law
and procedures, that such separation is necessary for
the best interests of the child. Such determination may
be necessary in a particular case such as one involving
abuse or neglect of the child by the parents, or one
where the parents are living separately and a decision
must be made as to the child's place of residence.

12
Abolishing institutions and developing
other forms of care

• Social and family policy for child welfare

• Universal education
• Access to child care
• Integration of children with disabilities into education
and child care
• Integration of children with disabilities into education
and child care
• Support for young lone parents

13
Title : Appropriateness of Counselling Given
to Street Children By Non-Governmental
Organisations in Harare, Zimbabwe
Author: Mugove Kudenga
Findings:

14
Title : Emotional And Behaviour Problems of
Institutionalized Street Children

Author: Shanthi.K, JerydaGnanajaneEljo. J.O.

Findings: The results reveal that more than

half (56%) of the respondents have perceived
high level of behavioural and emotional
problems in which behaviour disorder was 12%
and their mean age is 14years. It can be
concluded that behavioral and emotional
disorders are prevalent in institutionalized
street children.

15
Title : Status, Hopes, and Aspiration of Street
Children in Catbalogan City, Philippines

Author: Sherrie Ann C. Labid

Findings:
• Catbalogan City street children are of school
age, yet all of them are not in school at present.
The majority of the street children are boys.
They come from a family, the size of which
ranges from 7 to 13. All of them are from
Catbalogan, 75% are from Barangay 13.

16
Findings:
• Occupation of fathers is not on a permanent
basis. Most of them are tricycle drivers; some
are porters, fishermen, and farmers. On the
other hand, mothers of street children are plain
housewives taking care of the younger children.
Others are laundry women and market vendors.
•Street children do not show any pattern of
drug abuse. Some, however occasionally use a
cigarette.
•These children encounter physical,
psychological and social problems

17
Findings:
• Street Children hopes to learn a profession,
have a job, return to their families as a first
need. Some, however, cannot identify their
hopes.
•They can achieve their hopes through having
permanent jobs, through GO activities and
programs, vocational training and literacy
education. Still, others cannot identify their
means o achieve their hopes
•Street Children long for a community that will
care and protect them help, understand and
sympathize with them. However, others cannot
identify their needs from the community.
18
Thank You!

19