Street children in Latin America

Abstract

‘Street children in Latin America’ examines the phenomenon of street-connected youth in Latin American countries, in particular, associations with mental illness and substance abuse. Children may be street-connected for many reasons, including being homeless. However, many street children do have family homes to return to, and their unsupervised presence in the urban environment is a consequence of their need to work. Nevertheless, exposure to traumatic events is extremely common among street children, some of which is due to family dysfunction, but also to the vulnerability associated with living or spending long periods in the urban environment. Evidence is limited, but street children in Latin American countries appear to be at high risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders. Substance abuse is also a considerable problem, further challenging the mental health of street-connected youth. For geographical reasons, cocaine use is particularly associated with street children in Latin America. Inhalant abuse is also problematic, but as with other substances, this may be more associated with homeless street children as compared to domiciled and working children. Overall, street children in Latin America face a great number of challenges and risks to their mental health, most of which are consequences of the various correlates of extreme poverty, including lack of available mental health care, vulnerability to abuse, and family dysfunction.