Age segregation

Age segregation is separation of people based on their age. In the U.S., there is a cultural expectation that children refrain from lengthy interactions with adults other than authority figures such as parents and teachers. The result is that there tends to be an absence of adult-child relationships that don't involve a power imbalance. Children ride on school buses that do not include adult passengers, and adult visitors are not allowed at schools without permission from the school administration. A parent who allows his child to wander around the streets unattended may be reported to Child Protective Services for child neglect.

In some other countries, such as the Philippines, it is more culturally accepted for children to move about freely and interact with adults. Even in developed areas, such as wealthy neighborhoods and public parks, child beggars operate freely, and adults are allowed to freely walk through the school grounds and ride the same forms of public transportation (e.g. jeepneys) that children ride.