A Public Health Approach for Rehabilitation of Street & Working Children, New Delhi, India

In developing countries, rapid urbanization is a challenging problem. Preventive healthcare and social services are abysmal, with high prevalence of abuse & neglect. In metropolitan cities, street children are runaway migrants... [ view full abstract ]

In developing countries, rapid urbanization is a challenging problem. Preventive healthcare and social services are abysmal, with high prevalence of abuse & neglect. In metropolitan cities, street children are runaway migrants from under served states and villages. Most of them have no formal education or job skills. Street children are subject to all forms of medical neglect and abuse, including substance abuse & are exploited as child labourers. We report a community healthcare model for protection of these vulnerable street children in urban slums of New Delhi over a period of past 15 years (2000-2015).

Pediatric physicians and multidisciplinary professionals provide their services for health care & rehabilitation to street and working children at three drop- in- centers (DIC) managed by PCI, a NGO, in various slums of the New Delhi. The group has taken care of just over 25000 street children. The children are provided with primary health care, immunization, counseling, informal and vocational education A shelter home was started in the outskirts of the city in year 2005, where 347 children have been provided with formal education, health care, vocational skills & job placement. An annual child participation event (Children’s Day) is organized every year to raise their self esteem. Children express themselves through painting competitions, general knowledge quiz and cultural programs, including music, dance and theatre. They are encouraged and given awards. Children with urgent needs are referred to Child Helpline Telephone number 1098, where they receive care and protection as per Juvenile Justice Act 2000, Government of India.

Physicians and multidisciplinary professionals can play an important role in providing health care access and rehabilitation of runaway street and working children, assist in connecting them to Governmental socio-legal systems and advocate equity and justice for all children.