The collective and Relative Contribution of Socio-economic Background parents Among Urban Street Children: A Case Study of Ambo City, Western Oromia, Ethiopia

It is common global experiences that to observe greatly increasing children living, working, and experiencing acute socio-economic problems. However there is variation in the magnitude of the problem, with less developed countries facing more acute problem than developed one. Similarly, it is generally acknowledged that such children represent some of the most vulnerable social groups in the world today. Street children are disadvantaged group who suffer a double jeopardy, first as children and secondly as street children. There are immense socio-economic factors that are responsible for child streetism that such type of study is needed to unveil the reality. This study therefore, examined the contribution of socio-economic background of parents to child streetism. In this study cross-sectional survey study design was used. 526 street children in Ambo town were selected using availability sampling technique and filled the five Likert scale questionnaire. Three research questions were answered in the study. The collected data was analyzed using multiple regression analysis with the help of SPSS version 16. According the finding of the study 67.4% of the total variance in streetism among urban children is due the seven variables of socio-economic background of parents. Except the extent of substance use by parents, streetism is predicted by all the six variables of socio-economic backgrounds of parents and child personal expectation of improved life along street, at P< 0.05 level. Therefore, appropriate measures should be taken by the concerned bodies to ensure that the variables are adequately and appropriately managed so that their contribution to streetism will be play down or totally eliminated.