Street Children and Supports Provided: A Case Study in Udon Thani Province

Abstract

Children who live and work on the street are a vulnerable group and they often become victims of abuse and exploitation. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the situation of street children in Udon Thani Province, present and future support for street children from the perspectives of the children themselves and other stakeholders. Purposive sampling technique was used to identify the participants for this study and four data collection methods - focus group discussion with sixteen staff from nine governmental organizations; individual interviews with four street children and two staff who were working closely with street children; observation of the places used by the street children and analysis of documents related to services for street children from two governmental agencies were used. The data was analyzed using the content analysis strategy. The study identifed a number of reasons that led to the children living on the street and this included breakdown in their family structure, poverty, substance misuse and attachment to their peers. In addition to living on the street and having no permanent place of adobe, the street children had low self- esteem, experienced behavioral problems, tended to misuse substances, and were at risk of developing sexually-transmitted diseases as well as encountering stigma and discrimination. Three factors; peer relationships, freedom, and the ability to gain an income appeared to be significant in their decision to continue with this current lifestyle. This study also noted that the street children are supported by several governmental departments and this support included individualized support, four basic needs for survival, education and vocational training, as well as help with acquiring their identity card. However, the provision of these services were hampered by the lack of a national policy, difficulties in administering these services, insuffcient funds and a lack of coordination of the servicers from the different agencies which led to fragmented rather than holistic care being provided. For the future care planning services, a 24 hour drop-in center for street children and a shelter for the long-term care should be developed. The main recommendations from this study are the promotion of a family relationship to prevent children to become involved in street activities and the need for a national strategy to meet the physical, educational, and developmental needs of street children and the provision of a drop-in center in each locality where these care needs could be met.