Saw if stray children appeared (5)

I believe the answer is:

waifs

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'children appeared' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'saw if stray' is the wordplay.
'stray' indicates an anagram.
'saw'+'if'='sawif'
'sawif' is an anagram of 'WAIFS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for waifs that I've seen before include "Strays" , "Forsaken children" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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