Outreach

When children have no-one else to turn to, Toybox street teams are there, helping them to find hope away from the street. We take children to safety, reuniting families where possible, or providing new homes.

Life on the streets has specific problems for the children: drug addiction, sexual exploitation and abuse, work exploitation, involvement in criminal activities, and violence by police, other adults and rival gangs.

Most street-living children do not attend school, and those who do often perform poorly and are at high risk of dropping out. Because of the skills required to survive on the streets, these children find it hard to adjust to a standard school curriculum and discipline. Lack of legal documentation also makes it hard for them to access services that require a 'legal existence' - eg. healthcare, school, professional employment etc.

Street work includes odd-jobs, petty trading and services. Because of the lack of protection, there is a greater risk of exploitation and of encountering health hazards. Many children also make a living through illegal activities such as begging, selling drugs, petty theft, or being pulled into the sex trade.