Street Children in Vietnam Interactions of Old and New Causes in a Growing Economy

Summary

The problem of street children in Vietnam, a country rapidly growing and integrating with the world, arises from the interaction of traditional causes such as the loss or divorce of parents and new causes such as economic incentive. This paper reviews the existing studies for the definition and classification of street children. Changing conditions are compared across time and between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. We then propose a new typology of street children based on causes and situations. Causes are classified into broken family, mindset problem, and economic migration.

Situations are divided into current protection and future investment. It is shown that the broken family group is most difficult to assist while the economic migration group often shows strong desire for study and better life. However, their aspiration is frequently interrupted by various setbacks. Since street children are not a homogenous group, intervention must also be diversified according to the needs of each type of children.