Bief Note: Urban street children in China: a social exclusion perspective

Abstract

Street children are defined in China as ‘those under 18 who leave their families or guardians to wander outside for more than 24 hours without any dependable security and are trapped into trouble’ (An, 2002: 28–34). According to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, there are about 150,000 street children in Chinese cities every year. If we add the children who hang about in streets while living with their migrant parents, the number may be more than 300,000 (Zhang and Yang, 2002). In fact, the actual numbers of urban street children may be even greater because the above statistics are always based on past counts and estimates. The numbers of street children will grow with China’s rapid urbanization and industrialization. The first part of this article looks at this issue, partly based on literature and also on some interviews conducted during an action study at the Beijing Street Children Relief and Protection Center (2006–8). The second part focuses on the difficulties of protecting street children in China. The third part consists of recommendations.