Exploring street children resilience during COVID-19 in South Africa: an exploratory literature review

Abstract

This exploratory literature review study explored the resilience of street children during COVID-19. The paper applied a narrative, exploratory literature review methodology and consulted academic and non-academic sources to extract data relevant to answering the research questions. Findings indicate that the pandemic added another layer of challenges that negatively affected the welfare of street children. Additionally, results reveal that no specially targeted COVID-19 interventions were implemented to cater to street children's needs. Thus, they had to survive by exploiting their resilient attributes. In light of these findings, it is argued that street children's resilience enables them to survive difficult periods. Furthermore, the paper highlights the shortsightedness of the COVID-19 intervention in overlooking the needs of specific populations with unique needs. Lastly, the paper recommends that for future pandemics like COVID-19, specific measures are required to cater to street children's economic and public health needs.