Abstract:

The aim of this study is to reveal the situation in Mersin regarding the socio-demographic structures of children living and working on the street, the risks they face on the street, and the use of their education and health rights. The study group of the research consists of children working on the street in Mersin. The data of the research is descriptive research, one of the quantitative research methods, and the general survey model was used. In the collection of research data, 62 children working on the street in Mersin, who had parental consent, participated voluntarily, and were selected by convenience sampling method, were included. In the collection of research data, socio-demographic questions and a questionnaire were used to determine the level of utilization from health and education services. SPSS version 25 was used in the analysis of the data descriptive statistical method. When the gender groups of the children were examined, it was determined that 56.5% were girls and 43.5% were boys. Considering the level of injury of children from health services, 82.3% of them benefit from health services, while 17.7% of them cannot benefit from education services. It was determined that the majority of the interviewed children working on the street did not attend school, the main reason for not attending school was social and economic poverty, they were exposed to peer bullying, and they could not benefit from health services adequately.

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