Abstract

GIRALDO P, Álvaro et al. Finding a family in the streets. Rev. Fac. Nac. Salud Pública [online]. 2006, vol.24, n.1, pp.92-97. ISSN 0120-386X.

Current study was done by "Grupo de Investigación de Cultura y Salud" (Culture and Health Research Group) in Medellín, Colombia among children living in the streets, who participated as natural actors in the film La vendedora de rosas. Objective: to demonstrate the meaning of home and family for children living in the streets. Methodology: comprehension of the phenomena, from participants point of view through the ethnographic qualitative perspective. Results: Results show the meaning that kids give to their homes, and to the trajectory from home to streets, and their perceptions about the family they would like to have. Also it shows return to home. Conclusions: people who live on the streets leave their Finding a family in the streets homes for several reasons, such as lack of afection, child abuse, domestic violence, search for freedom. Once they get there, survival is possible by mediators interventions who allow them to find out what they consider as real family. At the end of the article there is a glossary with terms used by the street children.

Keywords : Family; homeless children; home; power in psychology; qualitative research.