Abstract:

Children and adolescents in the situation of the streets are a common sight for people who walk in the centers of large Brazilian cities. Although these young people represent a complex social problem, it is a problem marked by its absence on the national political agenda. This article seeks to enlarge the debate on the topic analyzing its multiple dimensions by examining this topic in the national academic literature between 2000 and 2015. In this analysis the authors note that the majority of studies raise the issue that the categorizations and beliefs regarding street children are commonly portrayed as if they were a homogeneous group. In this way the studies contribute to a cultural and historical understanding of the young people. These studies also address the fundamental importance of public policies, emphasizing that although the public responsibility for this population is set out in a series of legal instruments and government plans, the rights of children and adolescents in the situation of the streets still lack necessary effectiveness and monitoring in order to make a real difference in their lives.

Keywords:
Children and adolescents; Street situation; Brazilian research