Causes and Consequences of Street Life on Homeless Children: Choice or Compulsion?

Abstract
Background: Homelessness influences every facet of a child's life. The experience of homelessness inhibits the physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral devel-opment of children.
Aim: This study aimed to assess the causes and conse-quences of street life on homeless children. Overall situation of street children living in Port Said City.
Material and Methods: Descriptive design was used. A sample of 200 homeless children was collected from Port Said City during the period from January to December 2015; non-random sampling technique which includes both snowball and purposive sampling was used.
Tool: An interview questionnaire was the main instrument of data collection developed and it completed by researchers.
Results: The study has revealed that the great majority of street children (94.5%) were males, never been attended school and different causal factors have contributed for their street life but, poverty was found to be one of major causes followed by child abuse to push children to move to the street. They were exposed to different types of exploitation and health problems.
Conclusion/Recommendation: The majority of street children faced physical abuse followed by sexual abuses. Drug and substance abuse is very common among street children like cigarette, sniffing glue. So, the study recom-mended that; awareness raising program should be given for the general public to bring about effective and sustainable change in the lives of these innocent children because street life is viewed as a negative phenomenon by the majority of the societies. Child welfare centers should be supplemented with good infrastructures to accommodate street children.