Saving children from a life on the streets

According to United Nations figures, more than 150 million children are spending their young lives on the streets: lost to a cycle of poverty, violence, abuse, exploitation — and poor mental health. The psychological damage to children makes it far harder for them to break the cycle and re-join wider society. Work led by Dr Sharif Haider aims to bring about real, lasting change on the streets of Dhaka in Bangladesh.

Street children are a common sight in the capital city of Bangladesh, the result of poverty, population growth and urban migration. Levels of anti-social behaviour, drug trafficking, child labour and underage prostitution in the city are all on the rise.

Research suggests that young people end up on the streets of Dhaka because of household poverty — a simple lack of access to food, clothing and other essentials — but also due to neglect by parents and abusive relationships. In one study, 78 out of 80 street children said they had experienced violence at home in the year before they decided to live on the streets.

Dr Sharif Haider, an early career researcher and registered mental health professional in the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, said: “Street children in Bangladesh are often just treated as criminals, a nuisance in society. They are vulnerable, voiceless, marginalised and stigmatised.

“We know that efforts to manage and improve the mental health of these kinds of children are fundamental to their chances of escaping a dangerous life on the streets. Our vision is for a future in which Dhaka’s street children receive empowering holistic mental health support, effectively and in a timely way; improving their mental health and well-being so they can achieve their actual potential and live a meaningful life in society, free from stigma and abuse.”

Research among street children is a challenge, but is critical to making sure their voices are heard and can have an influence on the making of interventions and policy.

“Street children are commonly exposed to abuse, exploitation, violence, and harassment from enforcing agencies, creating a culture of mistrust around people and the systems which are supposed to be helping to protect them,” said Dr Haider.

The Open Societal Challenges funded project involves the setting up of a team of experienced professionals (NGO workers, social workers, health workers, police officers and policymakers) with existing knowledge and understanding of the issues around engaging with street children. The network of partners also includes Bangladesh university researchers in social work, sociology, social policy, psychiatry and psychology.

Initial research among experts will focus on priorities for improving mental health among street children, the effectiveness of different support mechanisms, and best practice for engagement. The findings are to be used to: develop practical toolkits for frontline workers, to assess needs and support communication; build a referral system so street children can get access to primary mental health care; and, create training materials for NGO and social care workers.

The project also plans to produce self-help materials for circulation among Dhaka’s street children themselves, using visual content to help young people think about mental health and ways they can improve their wellbeing and get help if needed. This is being backed up by work with Bangladesh radio and TV to raise awareness of the issues faced by street children and the responsibility of the wider population in terms of understanding and support.