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Given the nature and the extent of the problem, the psychological and developmental implications of the street child phenomenon in South Africa needs to be more closely examined. Current research on street children presents us with a paradox — with evidence of developmental risk and vulnerability on the one hand and of resourcefulness, adaptability and coping on the other. This paradoxical evidence is reviewed from the perspective of physical, emotional, social and cognitive/educational development. Implications for intervention are explored. In particular, the issue of what defines developmental vulnerability or resilience in more specific terms is identified as a research necessity if more focused intervention priorities are to be determined.

With the co-operation of staff and volunteers from non-governmental programmes in nine South African cities, focus group discussions were held with 141 street children and youth, 79 of whom were enrolled in shelter programmes while 62 were still living independently on the streets. The group discussions focused on knowledge about transmission and prevention, attitudes towards AIDS and people with AIDS, and sexual and other behaviours related to AIDS risk. Both quantitative and qualitative information on the topics covered was extracted from the transcriptions of the discussions. The results indicated that, on a superficial level, South African street youth possessed relatively good knowledge about transmission and prevention. However, a more critical analysis showed that knowledqe is obscured by moral imputations. In addition, street youth disclosed extremely negative attitudes to condoms and to people with AIDS. Accounts of sexual behaviour confirmed that street children and youth engage in a number of high-risk behaviours. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for intervention and, in particular, the inadequacies of the Health Belief Model and related theories, as the sole theoretical foundation for the design of intervention programmes.Deur die samewerking van personeel en vrywillige werkers by nie-regeringsprogramme in nege Suid-Afrikaanse stede, is fokusgroepbesprekings met 141 straatkinders en -jeug gevoer. Nege-en-sewentig lede van die groep was by beskuttingsprogramme betrokke maar 62 het nog onafhanklik op straat gelewe. Die groepbesprekings het gegaan oor kennis van VIGS-oordrag en -voorkoming, houdings teenoor VIGS en VIGS-Iyers, en oor seksuele en ander gedrag wat met VIGS-risiko verband mag hou. Beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe inligting oor die onderwerpe wat gedek is, is uit transkripsies van die besprekings verhaal. Die resultate het aangedui dat dit oppervlakkig voorkom dat Suid-Afrikaanse straatjeug oor 'n relatiewe goeie kennis oor oordrag en voorkoming beskik. Maar, 'n meer kritiese ontleding onthul dat hulle kennis deur morele imputasie verberg word. Verder, vertoon straatjeug 'n uiters negatiewe houding jeens kondome en teenoor VIGS-Iyers. Berigte oor seksuele gedrae het bevestig dat straatkinders en -jeug in 'n hoe mate deelneem aan gedrag wat hoe risiko inhou. Die resultate van die studie word bespreek in terme van hulle implikasies vir ingryping en veral van die ontoereikendheid van die 'Gesondheidsgeloofmodel' en verwante teorie as enigste teoretiese onderbou tot die ontwerp van ingrypingsprogramme.

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The article presents the evaluation of two Johannesburg sites of `Growing Up in Cities', a project that involves children in documenting and improving their urban environments, with respect to the effect of project participation. Participating children and their parents were surveyed or interviewed regarding the project's value and effect on the children. In addition, the children were measured on scales of self-esteem, locus of control and self-efficacy, and compared with control groups. The results of the evaluation are summarized, and claims about the value of children's participation in community development are critically reviewed.

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