Can I run away and still go to school?

[Guest]

My granddaughter goes to school, online in Tulsa Oklahoma. She recently had a run in with her dad and fled to her grandparents in Missouri. Can the school in Tulsa stop sending her homework and expel her?.

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. We are not legal experts but if she is doing online school they most likely could still send her the homework. Some schools do require youth to be residing in the state that they are enrolled in. To find out the best answer it would be best to call the school district and talk to them about the situation.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any other questions or would like to explore more options please give us a call. We are available 24/7 to listen and to provide support. Best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

Muy dad is abusie so can I run away and still go to school

[ccsmod0]

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. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
The easiest way to leave home is with your parents' permission. We understand that might be challenging, however, maybe there’s another family member, relative, or a family friend who could help to communicate how you’re feeling to your parents. The second way is through Child Protective Services if safety is a concern. Lastly, you can also look into emancipation options. In most states you need to be at least 16 to be considered and demonstrate that you can support yourself financially and independently. Emancipation often can be a lengthy process and may even cost some money for court fees. We would be happy to look into legal resources if that’s something you are considering.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). If you would like to look into further emotional support options, you can text with a crisis worker at the National Alliance on Mental Illness 24/7 by texting "NAMI" to 741741.
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi when I turn 16 in plan on running away to California with friend in the same situation as me (emotionally abusive house hold) and we have a stable plan to get there and live there but I want us to continue schooling so is there a way I could enroll the both of us in high school without getting caught as run aways.

[ccsmod3]

Hey there!

Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS. We know that it can take a lot of courage to reach out for support, and we're glad you took that step. We're sorry to hear that you're having problems at home that are causing you to want to runaway--that sounds like a really tough spot to be in.

Running away is a big move, and it's generally a good idea to spend some time thinking through a plan before making that decision. Consider where you'll go, how you'll get there, and what you'll do to survive once there. Going to school is definitely still a possibility thanks to the McKinney-Vento Act, which allows homeless children and unaccompanied youth to register for school without providing most of the normal information they'd usually have to provide to enroll, or a parent to enroll them, and they can start school immediately. That said, enrolling in school shouldn't necessarily get you caught in itself. School officials should only contact Child Protective Services if there are suspicions of abuse, and being without a parent or guardian is generally not considered grounds for an abuse report based on neglect. It's possible that you might get caught if your parents were to file a missing persons report, which is certainly something to be aware of.

If you have any other questions or would like to chat in more detail about your situation, please feel free to reach out to us directly by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY, or by chatting with us live at www.1800runaway.org. We're available 24/7 and are always happy to listen, and to help.

Take care.

NRS

[Guest]

hi, I'm not a runaway yet but I feel like I'm running out of options. I'm 14 and my parents were never married and my mom just got a divorce with my step father because he was threatening her and she was horrible to him. My mom is always sick and has been neglecting me, she pulled me out of school for my entire 8th grade year and when I ask her to get my a tutor or anything to help me with school she brushes me off or screams at me for asking. My mom is bipolar, has PTSD, and depression. We don't have a lot of money right now either because my mom doesn't work. My mom takes everything out on me she says I'm to critical and gaslights me and will scream at me until I break down. I have started to self harm and have painic attacks because of it. My house is always dirty and sometimes I don't have food and I'm too scared to ask my mom to get food because she might yell at me. My biological father isn't much better, he's very dirty and can get scary. He makes me feel unsafe because he threatens violence and force against me. My step father was even more violent and made sexual remarks to me and was extremely homophobic to me.I know I can probably just wait it out but I feel like dying or running away is better.... I'm so lost and I have been suicidal for awhile now.. I just want a different family..i want to run away but school is important to me and I'm not even in school right now because of my mother.

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
We are glad you found us and have reached out, it is very brave to do so. It sounds like things are really hard at home and that they have been for a long time. It's understandable to feel like running away and thinking about school if you left. The short answer is yes, under federal law a homeless student does have the right to an education. you can call the National Homeless Education Helpline to help you enroll yourself in school. Their number is 1-800-308-2145
But it sounds like you would have to think of a place to go, maybe a friend or family member can help you. We hope that you will call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat us through this website to help you discover your options. Or maybe another option is to file an abuse report with your state's child protection agency. We can help you do that, or you can call www.childhelp.org at 1-800-422-4453
You don't deserve to be treated this way and we truly hope to hear from you soon so we can talk it over.
Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 15 years old and trying to run away from a toxic household i am treated badly everyday and I'm depressed, i tried to tell my parents about it but they never listen. A couple of days ago i talked to them about it, this is how i knew they don't care about me, they took my phone, my Dad went through my phone trying to find something i had nothing to hide my parents are just so toxic and think they know everything, about 2 weeks ago i was suicidal i still am but 2 weeks ago was worse i took 3 whole packs of ibuprofen my dad saw it in my mouth and then made me spit it out my mum said ''you should've let her take it'' it's so upsetting to see other children bond with their parents because i don't have a relationship with mine, anytime i talk to them about it they just blame it on me saying i never come to the living room all kinds of ******** and it is so annoying i just need to get out the beating the trauma its is too much for me i.m only 15 15 years old and i already feel like killing myself cause of this because of them, right now i'm using my laptop to type cause they took my phone i need a place to stay i live in London UK please help me I'm not sure if i.ve got long left.

[ccsmod15]

Thanks for reaching out to NRS. The behavior you’re describing from your parents sounds like abuse, and that is never ok. Abuse can take a heavy toll on anyone’s mental health, and It’s completely understandable that you’d be looking for a way out of this situation. It shows how strong you are that you have gone through so much and you are still reaching out for help.

The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States, so our knowledge of community resources (like youth shelters and counseling services) and our understanding of laws related to youth in crisis is limited to the U.S. If Since you are in the U.K., a crisis line that might be able to help you find resources is called Childline: https://www.childline.org.uk/ You also mentioned struggling with suicidal thoughts -- no one deserves to suffer alone. Another resource that might be helpful is the UK National Suicide Prevention Line UK: https://www.spbristol.org/nsphuk or the SHOUT crisis text line: https://www.giveusashout.org/ If you ever feel like you are in danger of acting on those thoughts, please call emergency services.

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.

Be safe and good luck,

NRS

[Guest]

I need some to talk to can y’all help me?

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

Yes, please call our 24 hour confidential hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat with us via the chat feature on our website: www.1800runaway.org. When you call or chat with us we can talk about what's going on, share any resources that may be helpful, and help you figure out what your best options are. We hope to hear from you soon!

Stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

If I run away at 16, have a safe place to stay and go to school can they physically do anything.

[ccsmod15]

Hello! Thank you for reaching out to the NRS!

It's good that you had the initiative to reach out to us for advice before taking action. While we aren't legal experts here at NRS, because you are still a minor at 16, it is within your parents' rights to file a missing persons report if you go off the radar. This means that the police will be obligated to pick you up and release you back into their custody. It is also possible that if you stay with another adult that they will be in legal trouble for harboring you. That said, if you are still committed to running away, there are a number of other considerations outside of where you are staying or whether you can make it to school. For example, how do you plan on supporting yourself financially once you leave home? What happens when you need money to buy food, new clothes, or school supplies? In these sorts of situations, it's important to consider all the variables that come with a big decision. One way to best flesh out one of these situations is once again talking to a trusted person about what you're feeling and what you are planning to do.

If you have more questions or just want to talk about your situation more with one of our representatives, feel free to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) or chat with us at 1800runaway.org.
NRS

[Guest]

I want to run away as I’m unhappy where I live (I’m in foster care), I have a place to go, I’m just scared I won’t be able to get into another college if I do (uk btw) does anyone know if it would be possible for me to still attend college if I run away ?

[ccsmod16]

HI!  Thank you so much for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline.  It’s very unfortunate that you are going what you’re going through, especially as it appears that you are very dedicated to keeping up your pursuit of a college degree. You should be very proud of yourself for understanding the importance of getting an advance degree.   As you have not included your age or your city/state of residence it’s difficult to answer your question as it may be based upon state laws You can reach out to the National Center for Homeless Education Helpline at 1-800-308-2145 for state specific information .  Like your first college, you will likely have to reapply to new college to gain admission.  
It would be great if you could reach out to us either via our Chat option (www.1800runaway.org) or via phone at 1-800-786-2929 so that we would be able to get more specifics about your current living situation.  The National Runaway Safeline has a huge database of resources that we can look into which might provide you with organizations that assist in helping homeless young adults.   Again, again so sorry about the situation you’re in at the foster home.  Keep up the good work looking ahead to making your future bright!  We look forward to speaking to you at NRS and hope we can get your concerns taken care of.
Sincerely,
National Runaway Safeline

[Guest]

hi
im a 15 year old girl. i want to runaway and live my own life but what do i need to do first and what necessary documents can i bring to enroll myself again. Please respond to my question. Thankyou!

[ccsmod10]

Hi, it's good that you're reaching out for help and planning things through. If you decide you need to run away, it can be good to plan out where you will live and how you will provide for yourself first. A family member or friend you can stay with can be a good place to start, or a youth shelter (we can look one up in your area if you provide some geographic info). You should know that if you run away and stay at any of these places, your parents/legal guardians can file a runaway report, and police would investigate where you are; if you were found you would likely be returned home and the people housing you could potentially get in legal trouble.

If you want to enroll yourself in school after running away, you might need to provide proof of your age (birth certificate, state ID, or passport), proof of residence at the address you live at, or proof of previous vaccinations.

It can be helpful to talk through your plan before running away-- if you want to do so with us, you can live chat us (1800runway.org) or call us (1-800-RUNAWAY) any time, 24/7.

Stay safe,
National Runaway Safeline

[ccsmod5]

Hey there,
Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We are glad that you are reaching out for help. We are sorry to hear that your foster home isn’t a place where you feel supported to be a teenager in the way that you wish.

You ask very good questions. Although we are not legal experts here at NRS, we can do our best to offer some suggestions about your question of leaving home before turning 18 years old (which is often the age of becoming a “legal” adult in most states). Often times, it depends upon the school system and their policies with youth that are no longer living at their legal guardian’s home. One idea to consider is asking the school you wish to attend and ask how they handle situations as such. If you are not comfortable with that, perhaps have a friend or even call out to us (1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929)) and we could call out with you present on the line to hear what their policy is.

If you wish to complete your GED, although we are not entirely sure, likely once you turn 18 years old, you will be able to apply and complete you GED without hassle. Again, always a good idea to call a few programs or do a quick online search and email with questions about how the application and background check (if there is one) works.

We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by forum to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail 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.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

hi, i am Gender non affirming and my parents, if you could even call them that. are forcing me to look and act how they want. this is not the first time and i have a good reason to beleive that i have been emotionaly and mentally abused throughout my childhood and most of my teenage years. I was always told to grow up and tough everything out because i was born male and when i was 13 years old, i came out as non binary to my few friends and ever since then i have been trying to grow my hair out and they have forced me to cut it multiple times, and this time i received multiple threats of physical violence if i didnt cut it down to how they wanted it i had my hair grown out for around 7-8 months worth so it was long, but my parents are LGBTQ+phobic, racist, and sexist i have been thinking about running away and living with one of my friends for the rest of my teenage years. i was wondering if that would be possible and if i would be allowed to still go to school and have a semi normal life outside of my biological parents house. not only do i not feel safe here, i have considered suicide multiple times in the past hour. i do not wish to live with them anymore and i want to have a better life

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it can be difficult to deal with these feelings by yourself and we're glad you reached out. We want you to know that you deserve to be loved and accepted for the way you are. We can see how this situation has affected you and your sense of identity. Please know that you should not be treated like that and it is their fault, not yours. It will get better and your life is worth living. Please don’t give up because of who your parents are; there are people in the world who will love you for who you are.

One resource that may be helpful to you is The Trevor Project, he world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth. If you are ever experiencing suicidal thoughts again, you can chat or call someone from their website here: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/. You can also interact and talk to other youth who may be going through similar situations. If you would like to file an abuse report against your parents, we can certainly help you do so as well. As for running away, there is unlikely to be any legal consequences, however, going to school may pose a greater challenge. If your parents file a runaway report and the police find where you are, they can take you back to them. One option you might think about is getting emancipated if you want to break off legal ties to your biological family. We are happy to look for legal aid resources near you that may be able to help in that process.

If you would like to talk more about your situation, explore possible options, or find certain resources, we are here. NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance, so if you would like to talk more, 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 and take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi, I'm Renata. I'm sixteen and have been preparing to run away this summer, but I have no idea where I'd go after I leave. My family is destroying me, I was sexually assaulted by my mother's husband, and the emotional, mental, and verbal abuse is tearing me apart. They've torn me away from my biological father, who is the only person who I feel has created a safe space for me. This has been going on for as long as I remember. My girlfriend (who moved states two years ago) and I have been planning to meet each other halfway, and help each other escape from our households. I'm going to an alternative school, as I dropped out last year due to serious mental health decline from abuse. Things are not going well within that school either, I'm surrounded by drugs which I've constantly fallen victim to and I'm acting out in ways I never have before and I'm just not me anymore... Staying with friends is not an option, I don't want to take any chances going back to my household, I'll be treated 10 times worse. I'm more scared than anything. I'd just like to be happy with my girlfriend, but I'm just not sure how to go about it. Will I be able to enroll in any colleges or finish high school once I'm 18? Will I actually be able to restart my life without my parents? And how do I survive two years of being a runaway? I'm planning ahead, but I know I'll need assistance from more than just her. Please help me, thank you so much for providing a safe space for other kids just like me.

[ccsmod15]

Hi Renata,

Thank you for reaching out to NRS. It sounds like you’re going through a lot right now! You deserve to be loved and care for- NOT to be abused in any way! We are here to help and support you in the best way that we can!

Unfortunately, it can be challenging to run away as a minor (under the age of 1. In most states, if your legal guardian reports you as a runaway, you could be taken back home by law enforcement.

There are a few options that you might want to consider looking into. Since you are experiencing abuse- you can report this abuse to Child Protective Services (CPS). If you feel uncomfortable making a report on your own, you can ask a trusted adult at your school to help you or you can call our hotline number 1-800-786-2929 and we can help you make the report.

Another resource that might be helpful to you is ChildHelp.org. Child Help can provide support for you and can also provide more information on reporting abuse. They are available at their website via chat https://www.childhelp.org/ or you can call their hotline number at 1-800-422-4453.

We are also available at NRS 24/7 via calls, chats, and email. Please do not hesitate to reach out for further support and planning! We are here for you!

[Guest]

Hi, im 12 years old and I've been thinking about running away from home. I've always played about running away and my parents seem not to care I made a "fake run away bag" and my dad said if you want to run away just tell me where to drop you off can I still go to school and stay at my friend's house?

[ccsmod3]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you have always thought about running away and it seems like your dad is acting like he doesn’t care. If your dad drops you off at a friend’s house and gives you permission to stay there, then technically it is not considered running away and you would still be able to go to school. The issue with that is your dad can change his mind and take back that permission at any time and ask that you come back home. If you want to discuss this further with us, 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

[Guest]

hi im 16, i have a job and a a car, and want to run away, im pretty sure i have someone i can live with, if his parents are cool with it, my faily h=just ahd a a baby that changed everything now im just a slave that gets labled as a son, i still want to finish high school since im a junior right now, but i cant stay much longer, ill either hurt somone or ill hurt myself, i dont get physically abused because to do that to me is a death wish, but i get verbally and mentally abused, and just fro wanting to jo the molitaru i was threathened to get kicked out my house. i would realy like t finish school to get my diploma, but once november rolls around im out no matter what happens, is there any way i can finish junior and senior year while being a runaway? because ill have my own income, transportation, i can sleep in my car, and potentially have a person to stay with

[ccsmod3]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you are wanting to leave your house especially after your family just had another baby and it seems like that is making you have more responsibilities. We definitely do not want you to hurt yourself or anyone else and you do not deserve to be verbally or mentally abused in any way. The best way to be able to stay somewhere else is with your parents’ permission. Another option since you are 16 could be emancipation as it seems like you already have your own income as well. We do want you to know that can be a bit of a process, but we can provide a legal aid resource that can walk you through what those steps look like. One resource is lawhelp.org. If you would like additional resources or want 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

[Guest]

I like my parents and all, but they treat me horribly. I really want to run away, find somewhere to be, maybe go to my grandmas house until I turn 18. I am 13, and that worries me about school. Because if I'm gone, and let's just say I don't go to anyone's house, what will happen to my parents. What if I run to far from home, and there is no way for me to go to school? Because I have to go to school, but what will happen to my parents? Will they call me out of school and say I ran away, will they get in trouble? Will they be thrown in jail? Even though they don't treat me the nicest, I still don't want them in jail. And what will happen to my future, will my life just be horrible, because I left in middle school? I don't want my to be trash.

[ccsmod15]

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. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail 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.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I’m 17 and I’m in foster care my caseworker says I won’t be able to go home to my family and they got me living in a group that doesn’t allow me to experience life as a teenager if I ran away would I still be able to do online school or even GED