Street children and services : A qualitative study of street children in the context of service delivery system in Bangladesh

The street children are a growing phenomenon of postmodern times, especially in developing countries like Bangladesh. The estimated total street children in Bangladesh are four million. These children are deprived of their basic needs and are facing numerous barriers to access their developmental opportunities, although they are considerably knowledgeable and resourceful in their living circumstances and in the life on the streets. A combination of factors leads the children to leave their own locality to resort to urban streets in Bangladesh. There are few organizations aiming to protect these children and to minimize their numbers. This study examines how the existing service system for street children is structured in two cities of Bangladesh and from the perspectives of street children themselves and from service providers perspective. Hence, the study analyses explanations for (1) how the children end up in the streets and their street-based livelihood system and surviving, and for (2) how it is written about the child perspective, child rights, service delivery for children and the elimination of street children from the streets by developing their livelihood conditions. Thus, these explanations were considered in this research combining and using ecology of human development, poverty, social exclusion and Giddens structuration theory. The structuration theory offers the dimensions of child policy and service delivery system. The study explores its arguments through the situation of street children (beneficiary and non-beneficiary) and support delivery system for them in two cities as Dhaka and Bogra in Bangladesh. The qualitative research methods used in this study were interviews with street children (30) and their service providers (12), informal discussions (16), focus group discussions (5), and seminar cum workshop from the year 2005. The field work was written to memos into the field diaries. The field diaries (3) included altogether 997 pages. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed by hand to the field diaries. The tapes were used again during the analysis. In this study the research strategies and methods allowed both street children and the service providers possibilities to be participants and producing the needed research data. The findings show that street children, whether beneficiaries or non-beneficiaries of services provided by organizations, are facing multifarious problems throughout their living on the streets. In this regard, the existing service delivery system does not offer in all respect and to all of them satisfactory services, which support their healthy development and growth. There are lacking with adequate shelter, healthy nutrition opportunities and with the daily hygiene and health. There are also signs that street children were exploited by adults or older street children in the community. The service delivery system does not take into account the cultural understanding of gender, age and also religion and how these should be taken into consideration in the services. Based on the results of the study a recommendation of service system was compiled for the restructuring comprehensive and holistic form services for street children in Bangladesh to fulfill their basic needs in the future and to take into consideration the cultural aspects of organizing services. Key words: street children, child protection, childrens services, service delivery system, social work, social policy, Bangladesh.Not availabl