what steps must i take to get emancipated?

[Guest]

hello. i'm a 16 year old with really bad family issues. i recently tried to run away but got caught. iv'e been abused in every way by many family members. i don't feel safe in this house and i'm not sure what steps to take to get emancipated. i have a friend who's house ill be able to live at, but i'm not sure how to take this case to court, or even if its possible to get emancipated over abuse. i mean i have multiple witnesses of the abuse, on of them being my sister, but will i need more evidence? my sister has also beat me a lot but she doesn't anymore and i'm not sure if i should bring that up in court because i don't want to get her in trouble. my parents are also very neglectful and my house is very unsanitary and hard to live in. i look forward to hearing any advice for the steps i should take.

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s been going on, we know that it takes a lot of courage. It must be really hard to live in a home where you are mistreated and where the sanitary conditions are not acceptable. You mentioned that there has been abuse from numerous family members and it raises a lot of concern for your safety. Absolutely no one deserves to be abused. If you are currently at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. If any harm or abuse is happening at home, you have the right to report it. If you feel like this is an option you want to explore, you may find this website helpful: https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/. We can also help you to file a report if that’s the route you are considering. It may also be a good idea to explore options for staying with another family member or someone you trust (like your friend/their parents) as far as transferring custody.

In terms of emancipation, each state has its own laws regarding the emancipation process so we can't say one way or another if you would qualify. Oftentimes, emancipation can be a lengthy and expensive process so it may be a good idea to speak with a legal professional about what to expect. If you'd like, you can locate a legal aid group near you by going to lawhelp.org. Often times legal aid groups can provude low cost or free legal counsel.

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

Stay safe,

NRS

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[Guest]

thank you, im scared that my case wont be convincing enough. i dont really know what requirements i have to meet in order to get emancipated either. i have about four witnesses to the abuse im facing but im not sure if ill need more evidence.

[ccsmod3]

Hi!

We are not experts on the issue, but generally once it's been reported, social services will either decide whether or not to take the case and further investigate. If they do take the case, they will send out someone from child protective services to do an investigation (interviewing people in the household) and from there they will decide the level of danger within the household. It generally ranges from no danger (the youth stays in the home, some services are given, and the case is closed), moderate danger (they will provide family services with possible temporary displacement) and high danger (they will remove the youth from the home and offer certain services).

If you would like to go into more detail about the requirements your state might have about emancipation, please reach out to us via chat or phone call. We can help find local resources that could assist you in understanding how to start the process and could help you.

If you would like to talk more in detail please chat soon through our website www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button) if you are unable to call in. We unfortunately cannot give advice as we are non-directive. You know your situation best
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS