Services for street-connected children and young people in low- and middle-income countries: a thematic synthesis

This systematic review by Coren and colleagues examines the effect of interventions that promote reintegration and reduce harmful behaviour among street-connected children and young people (SCCYP). Despite the existence of relevant programming, the authors found no sufficiently rigorous studies to include from low- and middle-income countries.  Instead, they reviewed 11 studies from the US, South Korea and the UK.  The main conclusion was that there is a need for research that considers the benefit of usual services, as opposed to specialised therapeutic interventions, most particularly in low- and middle-income countries, that include direct SCCYP participation, ideally in both the intervention and research.