CRITICISMS LEVELLED AT HOMES

• "Foster homes are an artificial solution."

Nothing is simple. Certain organizations, in particular "Jeunesse et Action" ("Youth and Action") which is part of the "Enda Third World" organization, are violently opposed to housing street children, asserting that it’s preferable to deal with them right in the street.
It’s a controversial issue, but we can’t allow ourselves to get locked into squabbles which prolong the children’s suffering.

Should street children whose family ties are broken be offered housing?

Ten years ago, street children were 14- or 15-years-old and the question of housing was nerver raised, since that age group knew how to cope alone. What they needed was advice on either how to pull themselves together or how to obtain job skills training.

Today, street children are 5- to 12-years-old: what are the solutions for them?

- Specialists all agree that the best solution is for a child to return home.
- An orphanage-type institution? This idea can be eliminated immediately because we know that the results are catastrophic, and even living in the street is a better alternative.
 - A children’s village? In this case, all the child’s needs are supplied as though they were in a middle-class family. It’s an expensive proposition, but worse than that is the tragic effect on the child who reaches the age of leaving and finds themself alone again and back to having nothing.
- Adoption? It’s too late for this option, because these children who have already gotten used to living like adults.

They want what they are entitled to : - An adult who’s interested in them. - A roof over their head. - Something to eat. - A future including job skills training.

• " It’s too expensive !"

First of all, that's not necessarily true.

The cost of running a foster home is the same as for a slum family, plus the well-earned salary of the young man in charge and the female cook, whose nurturing presence is crucial for the children’s welfare.

• " Success doesn’t transfer from one project to another."

• The project will allow us to know first-hand the reasons these children leave home, and to develop some solutions. In addition, if we help children as soon as they arrive in the street, there’s a much greater chance that we can get them to back to their families. The number of foster homes necessary will then decrease.
  
  
• "Politicians will never permit such a project to come about."
  It’s true that you can’t change the opinions of politicians, police or the judiciary. It’s also true that officials don’t like social or economic problems such as this to be publicized.
  But we believe that the threat of violent social upheavals is a major worry for authorities in these countries. And everyone knows the role of youths in riots. Taking care of street children is indeed an important factor in maintaining public order.
  
  
• "These first projects were based in relatively middle-sized cities, which have not been subject to high levels of violence and delinquency. The reality in big cities is something else altogether..."
  That’s true, but one thing is for certain: in Abidjian, Ho Chi Minh City or Port au Prince, if even 10 or 12 children could be saved by these "homes" it would be worth with. We can’t say whether every street child would be interested. We do believe that all children, all over the world and in every situation, need affection first.
  
  The realities differ from country to country, and solutions must be adapted to particular circumstances. But above all, these are the main principles to be respected.

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Created on 5 march, 2005 - Updated on 15 november, 2007