Data for the study were drawn from documents produced in 15 countries. The article outlines the main characteristics, the interpersonal relationships and the daily life of street children. Children and teenagers found in the streets of Latin America are mostly male; their average age is 12; they are mostly of African descent or of mixed race; and are mainly from the peripheral areas of the cities or from rural areas where poverty and lack of assistance for native farmers drive the population into the cities in search of better conditions. Street children's families have been described as unstructured, disintegrated and disorganized; many are one-parent families with large numbers of children. Psychological, economic and social factors such as poverty, family conflicts and the need to generate income are a few of the factors that drive children to the streets. The article discusses street children's income-generating activities and the significance to their lives of schooling and education. Tables, notes