There are many reasons why a child may end up living on the streets. More often than not it is a combination of factors, all of which can result in a child finding themselves without a home or food, and sadly, without anyone to love and care for them.

These reasons are called 'Push' and 'Pull factors:

"Push" factors

- Circumstances that might push a child onto the streets.

Poverty is obviously a huge contributory factor in many cases. Street children are likely to have come from areas of poor housing, with little access to running water or adequate sanitation. There is likely to be a lack of social services and affordable education. Their parents are likely to be unemployed and illiterate.

Political and Social unrest and the effect of past civil wars within a country can lead to an increase in street children.

Heavy storms and other ‘natural’ disasters that in Western countries would cause little more than disruption can cause easily cause death and displacement of families and children to the city. e.g. Hurricane Mitch and Stan.

The effects of Climate Change can cause disruption to many livlihoods. In Peru, Helena Christensen witnessed first-hand the effects retreating glaciers have on local farmers. As the glaciers melt and the rivers dry up, Christensen said there was not enough water to sustain the indigenous farmers and alpaca herders she visited. She urged polititians and world leaders to commit to real changes at the 2009 Copenhagen climate talks
"Whole communities are losing their main source of income," Christensen said, adding that villagers were being forced to leave the mountains and move into cities.

Urbanisation - When families move from rural to urban areas they lose the support of their extended family, making them more vulnerable when under pressure. Children are consequently abandoned.

Orphans - as a result of civil war, drought, famine, the AIDS epidemic, and city violence.

Dysfunctional family environment - Children may leave home to escape abuse, or they may be abandoned. Some children are even born on the streets - for example, if their mothers are prostitutes. It is worth noting that although these are strong contributory factors, most children from poor and dysfunctional families do stay at home.

Emigration (to the US & Europe) - in some cases, parents emigrate to other countries in the hope of a better life, and in many cases, they are not able to take their children with them, resulting in a child becoming abandoned.

Prison Children - if one or sometimes both parents of a child have been sent to jail, the children have no other option but to live there with their parent(s). The children can come and go as they please, but nothing is provided for them - no food or clothes and so the children find themselves out on the streets trying to earn some money or find some sustenance. It is a very short step from there to becoming a street living child.

"Pull" factors

- Some children are attracted to the street life. These are often children who come from "high-risk" areas, and who have been spending the majority of their days on the streets.

Gangs - They may have made friends on the streets and want to leave home to become an official member of a gang.

Freedom - They may be attracted by the lure of freedom and entertainment in a big city. They may no longer want to work for their parents and live with their 7 siblings in a small shack.

Drugs - Children who spend most of their time of the streets may be encouraged by the street children to try glue sniffing or other drugs.

Prospect of a better life - in an attempt to escape hardship, children have been leaving their homes and walking, hitch-hiking, hopping on and off trains and buses in the unrealistic hope of making it to the USA.

Read more:

Street children facts
Street children in Guatemala
Street children in Bolivia
Street chidlren in Peru