Tweet
Me and my friend are planning on running away I would like to know if I am allowed to go to school we are both age 12 and need to know if we could register in school
-
-
Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen.
Running away is a big decision, and we want you to know that your safety is the top priority. We are not legal experts but for you to be enrolled in school, usually a legal guardian would need to register you. You would also need forms, such as your birth certificate and immunization records.
Also the current school you are attending, if you stop attending they would most likely report that to your parents. You could always speak to a school counselor about your situation, and they may be able to let you know on enrollment requirements. They would also be able to provide support and resources.
You and your friend do not have to deal with this situation alone, we can talk through options and offer support to you. Please reach out to us by chat or by calling 1800-786-2929. We are available to you 24/7.
Best of luck!
NRS
-
-
Hello I have a question about me being able to gET enrolled to school. I left my house due to my family taking away my bed and the day before i had left my stepdads father told me to leave. And i was going to leave that day but i had no way of leaving. So i waited till the next day and i left. Ive been gone for about 2 months almost 3. But in the beginning my family had told me that if i come back to the house im gonna have to just take my stuff in leave. But in this sense my mom also reported me as a runaway. And i have contacted ny mom addressing that i needed her help enrolling me into school. And she refused. So i dont know what to do. Im 17 about to be 18 in about 6ish months. But i need options.Comment
-
Hi there,
Thank you so much for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are going through a difficult time and recently left a toxic home environment. You deserve to live somewhere where you feel safe and happy.
First, you mentioned that you left home almost three months ago but have some contact with your mom. You indicated that your mom filed a runaway report but said that she would not let you back in the house if you were to return home. We are so sorry to hear that she is not helping you in your efforts to enroll in school and that she is not being supportive of possibly coming back home.
We are not legal experts, but one option you have is to contact your local police with hypothetical and anonymous questions to gauge your rights. Since a runaway report means that the police may be looking for you, they may help clarify some of your questions on whether our not you can independently enroll in school.
Another option you have is to contact the school where you would like to enroll. They may have protocol for helping students in difficult situations.
Additionally, since you mentioned that you have been gone a few months, we want to ensure your safety. An option that you always have is to reach out to us through our 24/7 line (1-800-RUNAWAY) and we will be able to offer you support and specific resources to your location such as the number for the non-emergency police or youth shelters.
Something else we offer at the NRS is a conference call option with a parent or guardian. After speaking with a counselor here, we would then call out to your parent and have a three-way call. Since a trained crisis counselor would be on the line, we make sure that the call is productive and respectful. Conference calls can be helpful in having difficult conversations, but they are always youth-initiated so if this does not sound like something that would be helpful to you, we will not call out.
Again, our lines are always open and we have a chat service on our website as well.
Stay strong,
NRS
-
-
My mom like the others are also ridiculous and yes she's driving me insane with her emotional and verbal abuse. Kids u r not alone. Im 17 and plan on going out of state and i attend online school, if i log into school will they be able to track me?Comment
-
Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS
-
-
can a runaway go to schoolComment
-
Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out to us. You ask a good question, and we will try to answer as best as we can although ultimately we are not legal experts.
According to the McKinney-Vento Act, any minor has the legal right to finish K-12 education regardless of whether or not they currently do not have a stable home address or have ran away. So the short answer to your question is "yes." The best way to find out more about your rights would be to contact the local school you are planning on attending and talking to a counselor there.
Of course, going to school after having ran away from home may present some special challenges. We would like to help as best as we can. The best way for us to do that would be for you to call our 24 hour confidential hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us via the chat feature on our website: www.1800runaway.org. When you call or chat with us we can answer any additional questions you may have, talk about all your options, or even call up local resources (including schools) on your behalf to advocate for you. And of course, if you need other assistance, such as housing, we can also look into that. We're here to listen and help.
Hope to hear from you soon,
National Runaway Safeline Crisis Team
-
-
I have a friend trying to runaway, what should I do?Comment
-
Thank you for reaching out to us for help. You are a good friend to offer your help and support.
You can have your friend reach out to us directly and we can talk to them about their plan and needs. We have access to resources and organizations that may be able to help and support them with their plan. We can also conference call those resources with your friend.
You can let your friend know they can reach out to us for a chat through our website or call us on our crisis hotline at (800) RUNAWAY. Both are available 24/7 and completely confidential.
-
-
Hi, I'm 14 and looking to run away, my mom abuses me and I can't put myself up to dealing with it anymore. She calls me a disappointment and is very queerphobic ( which would definitely pose a problem for me) She uses physical abuse as a last resort ( doesn't do it too often now compared to when I was younger) but still emotionally and mentally abuses me. I wanted to live with my dad but she said no. I'm planning on moving in with him and blackmailing her with the risk of me telling the police of her abuse towards me. Could I get her to disown me/ forfeit her parental rights and let me stay with my dad or would it be safer to run away to a shelter and blackmail her into forfeiting and then move in with my dad.Comment
-
Hi there,
Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We know that it can take a lot of courage to reach out for support, and we're glad you took that step. It sounds like things with your mom have been pretty tough, and we're sorry to hear that.
Because you mentioned several forms of abuse and having some ongoing issues with your mother and her physically hurting you, it might be a good idea to reach out to Child Protective Services and file an abuse report. Their job is to ensure that you're safe in your home, and if you're not, to decide what steps should be taken in order to make sure that you are, possibly allowing you to legally stay with your dad. If this is something that you're interested in doing, you can file a report on your own, by contacting us here at NRS for support, or by telling a safe person of the abuse (like a teacher, school counselor, therapist, etc.). Each person that I've listed is considered a Mandated Reporter and has a legal obligation to contact Child Protective Services when there are any suspicions or indications of abuse. We understand that moving forward in this process can be scary, but want you to know that your safety is critical. If you have any questions about filing a report, what it entails, or would like to learn more about child abuse in general, Childhelp is another great resource to utilize. They're a child abuse hotline and you can reach out to them by texting or calling 1-800-422-4453, or by chatting with them live at www.childhelp.org.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parental permission. If your mom gives you permission to stay at your dad’s house, that sounds like it could be a great option to give you and your mom some space and for you to be in a more stabilizing and accepting environment. However, it might be important for you to know that if you do leave home without her permission and stay with your dad who is not your legal guardian, your dad could potentially get in trouble and may be charged with harboring a runaway. Furthemore, in most states black mail is considered a criminal offense. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth and the state laws on blackmail.
The GLBT National Hotline at 1888-843-4564 is another option to gain great support from those that are familiar with the issues and experiences of those that are also a part of the LGBTQ community. You can access their website link bellow to utilize all the other possibly useful resources they have to offer: http://www.glbthotline.org/
If you have any other questions or would like to explore more options please give us a call. We are available to you 24/7 to listen and to provide support through this challenging time. Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Best of luck!
NRS
-
-
Hi! I haven't ran away yet but im about to and I wanted to know of I could still go to my school if I do run away I like my school i really do but I don't want to go to my home again if I get caught at schoolComment
-
Hi! Thank you for reaching out to NRS.
It's great that you like going to school and are reaching out for some more info. The short answer is: if you are under age 18 and your parent/guardian reports you as a runaway, it is likely that a teacher or counselor at your school will report your presence and return you home. No matter what, you will be able to attend school. A resource that you might want to check out would be http://center.serve.org/nche/m-v.php which is the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act that states that homeless youth are legally allowed to still attend school. It might be a good idea to speak with a school counselor or social worker if you have specific questions about school policy or just want to talk about your thoughts of running away. This may help you build up a group of people who can help you when you need it most.
If you would like to talk more about why you want to run away, or what your plan is for running away if you choose to do so, you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), or visit www.1800runaway.org. Your safety and wellbeing is our Home priority.
Stay safe,
NRS
-
-
Hi
Im a 15 year old girl. i lived in Philippines and i just want to ask if i runaway what necessary documents do i need to attend school again. if you have tips for me. please please contact me using instagram.(user
lural.inco)
Comment
-
Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation, and we understand it takes courage to reach out for help. The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States of America (USA). Our knowledge of helpful community based resources and our understanding of youth in crisis related laws is limited to the USA. If you are located in a country outside of the USA, you can use this link to find a youth helpline in or around your country: https://www.childhelplineinternation...pline-network/.
We hope that by reaching out to a local resource, you are able to get the support you need from an organization that understands the laws and circumstances that affect youth in your country.
-
-
I was wondering would I still be able to go to school if I have a different person sign me up(they are my friends parents) I’m safe where I am but I was just wondering if I could get enrolled and yes I ran away so her parents aren’t my legal guardians but I’m just wondering if I still could get enrolledComment
-
Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand that it takes great courage to reach out and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s been going on. It sounds like you are in a safe place right now staying with your friend’s parents, and are planning ahead on how to attend school. While we are not experts on the law, we do know that there is federal legislation called McKinney-Vento Act which guarantees certain rights and services to homeless or runaway youth, including the right to education. We would recommend that you reach out to your school district’s Homeless Liaison for more information about what the process would look like for you to enroll in school. While we are not sure whether a school could or would report you as a runaway if your legal guardians have filed a runaway report, the Homeless Liaison may be able to provide more information about your districts local policies and protocols on this matter.
We are here as support to help during this challenging time. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat us at www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). If you are ever at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS
-
-
Hi, I’m thinking of running away, but I’m worried about my education. I’m supposed to graduate January 2023 but if I run away will the school know if I make another adult that isn’t my parent enroll me?Comment
-
if im a runaway and refuse to go with the cops what happens?Comment
-
Hi there,
Thank you for reaching out to us at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like you have questions on what would happen if you were to refuse to go with the cops if they find you after running away. Please know that we are not legal experts, which means we do not have an exact response for an outcome you may experience. You might get the most efficient response from the police department, on their non-emergency dispatch phone line. If you have already run away and do not wish to contact the police department at this time, we could look into referring you to additional resources that may be able to provide more clarity. Typically, the outcome may vary based on the officer you are dealing with, the state you are in, etc; so it is overall hard to tell. Please feel welcome to reach out to us, so we can chat further about the situation and help you the best that we can. You may reach out on our chat portal found at www.1800runaway.org (click on "CHAT") or call 1-800-RUNAWAY.
We wish you safety, health, and peace in the meantime and we look forward to the opportunity to talk with you.
Kindly,
NRS
-
-
im a indonesian and in jakarta im not sure if my country has any runaway safelines and im not going to a friends house nor my house as they both are not really good options for me and what i am afraid of that my parents will find me and torture me from the start and and i understand if im to young for this but i just wanna runaway from this tourture they have abuse me physically and mentally both mother and father what do i doComment
-
Hi there,
Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are so sorry to hear the situation you have been going through, it sounds like there is a genuine fear of abuse in the home. You do not deserve to be treated this way, you deserve to be treated with respect and to feel safe in your own home. Unfortunately, our resources are only within the United States of America, but we do know that there is a website that’s helpful to look for resources nationwide. Child Help International is a good place to start your search for resources; You can find them at https://childhelplineinternational.org/. We hope this helps find help near you.
Stay safe,
NRS
-
-
I’m 17 years old in September I’ve been on the run from foster care since April. There’s been no posts about me, no one’s reached out to my family to try and find me does this mean I can go to school without worry?Comment
-
We are glad you reached out to us for help. While there is not enough detail in your post to give a more definite answer, the overall answer is yes you can go to school. Without more details, we cannot help you assess other potential foster care actions. If you start a chat through our website or call our crisis hotline at (800) RUNAWAY, we can talk more specifically about your situation. Both are available 24/7 and both are completely confidential.
You have the right to enroll in a public school through the McKinney/ Vento Act that is a Federal Law and applies in every state. There are resources to help you enroll in school even if you are a reported runaway (or locked out). These resources are available by state and you can start that process by calling the National Center for Homeless Education Helpline at (800) 308 2145. You can also find your local resource on the following website:
It you have any trouble getting the enrollment process started with the National Center for Homeless Education or your local state resource please reach out to us.
Good luck.
-
-
Can a child that runs away go to schoolComment
-
Hi there, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you are wondering if you can still go to school after running away. Yes, you can, but the school will likely be notified that you are considered a runaway and contact either your guardians or police. If you would like to discuss this further, please call our hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat us online at 1800runaway.org. We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS
-
-
Im 13 and i want to run away. I get yelled at alot. But still want to attend school what do i do?Comment
-
Hi,
Thanks for reaching out; we are glad you did.
It sounds like you get yelled at a lot and want to run away because of it. We are glad that you do want to concentrate on school, but running away is really really hard and very dangerous with many problems to solve, even before school.
We truly hope that you will reach out to our live services because we work best with people when we can have a conversation with you. You can chat us through this website, or call our hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY, both available 24/7
We truly hope to hear from you soon so we can listen and help.
Sincerely,
NRS
-
Comment