Street and working children: a guide to planning.

Summary

This manual covers the planning process for programs to benefit street and working children, especially street children in urban areas of developing countries. The chapters are self-contained but together provide a comprehensive guide which presumes very little knowledge on the reader’s part. The introductory chapter reviews the structure of the manual and cautions readers to work with, not for, children. Chapter 2 broadens understanding of street and working children by helping readers confront their own attitudes and discussing how best to help street and working children. The third chapter describes how to find existing information about such children and where to get copies of relevant international covenants. Chapter 4 contains pointers on carrying out first-hand research on the local situation. Chapter 5 presents project options and covers such topics as project frameworks, target groups, institutional and noninstitutional responses, development work, advocacy and campaigning, networking, and evaluation. The sixth chapter deals with organizing human resources including the children, the staff, volunteers, local government, institutions, communities and families, representatives of commerce, and the police. The final chapter provides suggested solutions to common problems such as emotional dependency, “disruptive” children, outreach, programmatic issues, and problems with the law and with growth. Chapters 2-6 end with a set of questions which sum up what has been covered. Appendices provide a checklist and planning flow chart, observation charts, and a list of references.