What are the best ways to work with the families of street children?

1. Proyecto Miguilim (Belo Horizonte, Brasil)
   One of the most important reasons for the success of this project in preventing children from leaving home is their work with families in the community. After gaining the trust of the child and with his permission, the educators go to the child´s home with him and try to establish rapport with the family. The educators treat each case differently and realize that they need to know the family situation well. Furthermore, the relationship they develop with the families is not a top down one in which they appear to know more but rather their role is that of a catalyst or a facilitator (in line with the theory proposed by Michel Foucault).
   Contact Marcio or Marcos Aníbal Miguilim@pbh.gov.br
   
   
2. The program of ACJ (Bogotá) is similar to that of Miguilim except for the fact that it is privately funded. They offer educational and recreational activites for street children while working with their families to solve the problems which have caused the children to leave home in the first place. Their work with families takes place in the child´s home and includes working with all members of the family- even with aunts, uncles and grand parents. The methodology employed is based upon a sort of ecological philosophy and the importance of showing much respect for all members of the family. You can read their book published through the internet here.
   Contact Leonor Avella, acjbta@col1.telecom.com.co
   
   
3. AIACOM (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil) organises groups of women to share their experiences, organise themselves politically and offers them job training. The aims are social justice and equal rights for women.
   Contact Frei Mauricio <siccons@uninet.com.br>
   
   
4. Proyecto Axé (Salvador, Brasil). In order for children to be allowed to participate in this program, the child must agree to return home either to his parents or to some other family member(s). The assumption is that children who have gained confidence through studying capoeira or drumming, for example, also start to wish to resolve problems with their families -- with the support of the Axé educators.
   Contact Cesare de Florio la Rocca <projetoaxe@uol.com.br>
   
   
5. Serpaj (Santiago de Chile) trains and educates families of street children in order to prevent them from leaving home. In Santiago, many children work to earn money for their families and eventually end up on the streets. However, if these children have better relations with their families, they tend to remain at home. Serpaj believes the most important aspects of working with families are respect and listening to what they have to say.
   Contact Serpaj Chile Serpaj2001@123mail.cl
   
   
6. Padres Cariñosos (Cuernavaca, México) conducts workshops for families in which they learn to show affection for their children and how to play with them. Using their methodology “co-escucha” they have been able to help more than a thousand families.
   Contact Elena de Hoyos, <elenadehoyos@prodigy.net.mx>
   o Hugo Rocha hrocha@colmex.mx
   
   
7. Ciudad del Niño Don Bosco (León, México) has suceded in helping children to re-establish relations with their families through working with their mothers (and some fathers). While the children are sent to live in shelters in the city, their mothers participate in classes for three years. Because the programme is on a voluntary basis, nearly all of the mothers participate..
   Contact Gloria Macias, glomacias@yahoo.com.mx
   
   
8. JUCONI (Guayaquil, Ecuador) is a programme that is well thought out and well organised. They do family therapy for a period of 3-4 years with working children and their families and have achieved success in more than 80% of their cases.
   Contact Sylvia Reyes, sylvia@juconi.org.ec