MODELING THE SPREAD OF STREET KIDS IN ZIMBABWE

Abstract

Child neglect and abuse has been linked with the growth in the number of street kids for some time. A mathematical model is used to explore the impact of peer influence and child abuse in the presence of removal of street kids from the streets into children's homes/foster homes and improvement in the welfare of adults. The threshold quantity known as the reproduction number and equilibria for the model are determined and analyzed. Results from this study suggest that removal of street kids from the streets into children's homes/foster homes and improving the welfare of adults have the potential to reduce the number of children living in the streets. Interestingly, our results illustrate that adult peer influence leading to child abuse of children makes the problem of street kids worse than any other factor. To effectively control the growth in the number of street kids require strategies that address both economic and social factors affecting children and their guardians. Addressing only an issue affecting one group like guardians through improvement of their welfare may not be enough to stem the growth in the number of street kids as some would be turning to the streets due to negative peer influence among children.