Exploring the experiences and support of street children in Aceh, Indonesia : a case study

Abstract

In Indonesia, the rising number of street children presents significant social challenges, particularly in Aceh Province. The government's efforts to address this issue, including providing shelters such as Panti Asuhan (orphanages), have been insufficient to cope with the growing population of street children and street families. As a result, many street children do not receive the necessary support for their well-being, which leads them back on the street to meet their end needs. Furthermore, the issues around the phenomena of street children in Aceh, particularly on their experience, needs and the impact of support received by them, are still unclear. This study aims to explore the experiences and support of street children in Aceh, specifically the types of support they receive and assessing its impact on their well-being, and development. An exploratory qualitative case study design was employed to achieve the research objectives. Three methods of data collection were utilized: (1) in-depth interviews, (2) participant observation, and (3) document analysis. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 41 participants, comprising ten children living in Panti Asuhan, 11 children living on the street, 10 caregivers at Panti Asuhan, and 10 parents who are having children working on the street or living at Panti asuhan. Data were analyzed according to framework techniques using N-vivo software to manage the data. Triangulation was applied through cross-referencing different data sources (interviews, observations, documents) to ensure robust and comprehensive insights methods were applied to deeply understand the issues around street children in Aceh Province. Three major themes emerged from the analysis. First, the experience of children living on the street captured the reasons behind their street involvement, the significant issues of street children in Aceh, and the types of work they engage in. Second, the trajectory of experience of children living in Panti Asuhan illustrated their initial experiences in the shelter and how their feelings, behaviors, and perceptions evolved over time. Finally, the theme of impact of support shed light on how the assistance provided influenced their personal development and helped shape their future prospects. The findings from this study offer profound insights and recommendations for policymaking, health care practices, education, and future research on vulnerable populations in Aceh Province. These insights have the potential to significantly enhance our understanding of the complex issue of street children in Indonesia and can contribute to the development of more effective strategies to address this growing social problem.