Children in and of the Street

This chapter begins with a global overview of children in and of the street. It then describes frameworks to guide policymakers and social work professionals in working with street children. It argues for the need to develop policy and practice responses that are holistic, collaborative, and asset based. Evaluation research of interventions suggests that organizations offering integrated services in one location are most successful in addressing street children's various needs. Programs that can provide multiple services (e.g., shelter, food, education, employment, counseling, and health care) will ultimately have greater success helping children exit the streets and preparing them for adulthood compared with programs offering onedimensional services.