| dc.description.abstract | The government of Kenya has relentless put in place strategies and partnered with
organization as well as community based organization with the aim of reducing the
influx of street children. In spite of these, the government and other agencies efforts
geared to mitigate the influx of street children this has continued to increase with less
success despite the effort. This study investigated the factors influencing influx of
street children in Kenya with reference to Kitale in Trans-Nzoia County. The study
explored the following objective; to establish how socio-economic factors influence
influx of street children, to establish the influence of cultural degradation on the influx
of street children, to establish the influence of parental care on the influx of street
children and to assess the influence of peer pressure on the influx of street children.
This study adopted a descriptive survey research. The study targeted population of
1078 and used stratified random sampling and purposive sampling to determine a
sample for the study. The data was collected by the use of questionnaires and oral
interviews. Questionnaires were administered to the street children from child rescue
centre and social services Kenya. Hence child rescue Kenya officials were also
interviewed. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of which the percentages
and frequencies and cross-tabulation were calculated using SPSS version 17 and data
presented using tables. The findings revealed that, low socio-economic status
influenced the influx of street children in Kitale town. This is as evidenced by
inadequate of basic needs and other social amenities by the respondents. Cultural
factors such as polygamy and change of family structure and westernization had an
influence on the influx of the street children in Kitale town. Parental care had an
influence on the influx of street children within Kitale town. When the parents do not
provide the basic needs due to health challenges, or absence of parents led them to
look for alternative. Peer pressure influence the influx of street children within Kitale
town. The interaction between street children and vulnerable children play a role in
influx. The researcher recommended that, Parents should be helped by the
government to engage in income generating activities so as to break the poverty cycle
and help the parents to provide the basic needs and prevent them from being lured to
the streets, Cultural practices that do not promote quality family life should be done
away with and the children protected from such cultures to ensure they are well taken
care of and away from the streets. The government should also come up with systems
to take care of orphans so as to break the vicious cycle of street children, Education
on proper parenting should be given to all parents to ensure that the take care of their
children and those who do not shout be prosecuted if they are capable. However, they
should first be supported to get income generating activities. This is because telling a
parent to take care of their children when they cannot afford even their own upkeep
may not solve the problem, the above three should be emphasized to limit the influx
of children on the streets and hence peer pressure be handled with parents in a
positive way by guiding the children. The contribution on the body of knowledge
includes lack of education to fit in the society and positive cultural to be upheld.
Recommendation on further research suggested on the effectiveness and efficiency of
nongovernmental institution dealing with street children in Kitale and Family factors
that influence influx of street children. | en_US |
