流浪儿
Although some researchers think that there is an ample amount of reliable research on street children in Latin America that points towards possible policies and solutions, many others disagree. Street children in Latin America are difficult subjects to study because researchers face various challenges in the methodology of their research that other areas may not encounter. For example, some children are afraid to discuss their lives and situations, and those that are willing to are often unreliable sources of information—they are prone to lying about their age, activities, family backgrounds. The lack of records and public information about street children makes it difficult to verify information. Public perception of street children is often negative and influences researchers to focus on immediate solutions instead of first understanding the issues. Some research, funded by non-governmental organizations, also attempts to collect information from the most troubled and struggling street children in order to raise their organization's reputation. As street children are a vulnerable population, many researchers also find themselves sympathetic and biased towards their subjects, unable to write objective research articles, which weakens the validity of research surrounding street children.