Compared 52 homeless male and female runaways and throwaways for social adjustment and symptomatology. Found that male runaways were significantly more hostile than male throwaways and significantly more socially isolated than female runaways. Female throwaways were significantly more hostile than male throwaways and female runaways. Homeless…

Outlines the development and use of hands-on astronomy activities with street children in Mexico. Focuses on the high level of interest shown by homeless children in astronomy-related topics. (DDR)

When trainee teachers conducted an intervention with 35 South African boys in a homeless shelter, the boys' science, English, and math achievement improved by up to 110%. The boys also made social and emotional gains. Student teachers' reflective diaries indicated how they benefitted as well. (SK)

Some studies suggest lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) teens are at higher risk than peers for violence at home, in school, and in the community. That can bring them into the child welfare system or services for runaway and homeless teens. This study compared self-reported experiences of sexual and physical abuse based on sexual orientation and…

The article explores how homelessness may impact on the educational participation of children and young people in families living in emergency accommodation in Dublin. Many difficulties arise in terms of maintaining consistent schooling for children when they are part of a homeless family, including problems getting to and from school if living at…

Preschool children in South Africa are adversely affected by poverty, child abuse, poor nutrition, insufficient primary health care, homelessness, violence, and inadequate funding for preprimary education. Positive signs include the establishment of a trust to support preschool education, an increase in the number of accredited educare courses,…

Describes three school programs designed to provide alternative schooling for Brazilian street children and illiterate adult students with the basic skills to survive in their world. Directly or indirectly embedded in Freirean principles, the three programs are: (1) Sao Paulo Interdisciplinary School Reform; (2) Projeto Axe: Schooling for Street…

Throughout its history, street children have been a major concern of Turkish society and have lately been uppermost on social workers agenda. This study examines the relationships between sociodemographic and family characteristics, family relations, street life experiences and the hopelessness of street children. The study focuses on a population…

Interviews were conducted with 712 Canadian street youth (ages 15-20 years) to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors with regard to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Youth were interviewed in 10 cities across Canada on the basis of 5 street culture lifestyles: prostitution, drug…

The majority of European countries do not recognize working children as a cause of concern, but rather consider it a past and/or solved problem, or one present only in developing nations. This report presents the results of a questionnaire study, undertaken by the European Forum for Child Welfare (EFCW), which investigated at a grass roots level…

Discusses an investigative study into the experiences of participants in a United Kingdom forum theater workshop that addresses issues about refugee children in school. Concludes the workshop portrayed common moral dilemmas that students found personally applicable and increased their understanding of moral issues involving refugee children and…

Reviews five books that illustrate the diversity in the paths youth take as they move from adolescence to adulthood: "Opportunity and Uncertainty" (Anisef et al.), "Children on the Streets of the Americas" (Mickelson), "No Shame in My Game" (Newman), "The Exploited Child" (Schlemmer), and "The Ambitious Generation"(Schneider and Stevenson).…

This article reports on research carried out with homeless children in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which sought to engage the fantasies of these children by telling them fairy tales that reflected their ordeal and by asking them to make up stories to tell puppets in distressing situations. The article contains a lengthy appendix with transcripts of…

Documents living conditions of adolescents (n=390) who left home and were living in the streets of Toronto, Canada. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the most consistent predictions of hunger, criminal activity, and incarceration were the conditions of street life itself: lack of secure shelter and length of time on the street. (JBJ)

This paper considers opposing viewpoints on usefulness of the classification of "street children" in an international context and proposes a working compromise based on a hierarchy of street use, from minimal to total dependency on the streets. Different types of education/welfare intervention are needed at these different levels. (DB)