STREET CHILDREN AND PUBLIC NUISANCE

Street children is a term for children who primarily reside on the street and who are experiencing homelessness. Most of these children who leave home to live on the street come from slums or low cost housing both which are areas of high illiteracy, drug use and unemployment.
Children usually transfer their lives to the streets through a gradual process. They may at first only stay on the street a night or two. Gradually they will spend more time away from home until they do not return. Once on the street, children sometimes think that their living conditions, physical and mental health is better than at home because they are not being monitored by their parent or guardian.
Work is a very important aspect of their lives because they must provide for themselves in any way possible (survival). Education is very poor and often non-existence, they are vulnerable because they do not have the support structure that other children normally have- families and the psychological and monetary support they offer. Thus the adopt strategies to cope with the harsh realities of their lives.
They lack access to nutritious food, sanitation and medical care. They lack access to nutritious food because many are dependent on leftovers from small restaurant/ hotels or garbage bins. Lack of sanitation in bathing, toilets and water also contributes to poor health. Medical care is not there especially during times of illness or injury.
They are frequently exposed to abuse because they have no social status and no adults or parent to protect them.
CAUSES:
The causes of this phenomena are varied , but are often related to domestic, economic or social disruption including but not limited to poverty, breakdown of homes and/or families, political unrest, acculturation , sexual, physical or emotional abuse, domestic violence, lured away by pimps or interest predators, mental health problems, substance abuse and sexual orientation or gender identity issues.
GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT :
Government should be involved in fixing the problem of street children by addressing the casual factors of their situations, by the use of NGO's who are into children matters assisted by the Government or by placing them in orphanages, juvenile homes or correctional Institutions.
Street children are becoming a public nuisance and risk to security of the general public.