17 year old, nowhere to go. Help?

[Unregistered]

runawayHello, I'm a 17 year old guy and my dad is making me leave the house because he has "3 other kids to feed." So next week I have to leave but have nowhere to go. I have already graduated high school, and have had previous work experience. I will need to find a place to live in Maryland, my home state, and will need to find a job. This would be fairly simple to do if I had parental consent. However, here's the catch...Since my dad works for the government he says he will have to make it look like I ranaway when I leave, because if they knew he kicked me out he would be fired...So hours after I leave he is going to call the police and file a report to look like a good parent so that he doesnt get fired from his job for kicking his son out of his home as a minor. This would now make it beyond difficult to join a place like job corps because my parents clearly wont give consent. Also it will be hard to find housing or a job because in systems I will show up as a runaway. On top of that the police will be searching for me. Are there any programs I can join without parental consent? Are there any places I can live or get a job at? I have no clue where to turn.....Please help... Thanks for reading this.

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us and telling us your story. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation right now and it was very brave of you to ask for help. Here at the National Runaway Safeline, we are not legally trained but we do have access to resources that may be able to help you out. You can also give us a call at anytime, we are completely confidential and anonymous.

It sounds like your dad is telling you that you need to leave next week but will then file you as a runaway a few hours after you leave. One thing you may be able to do is go to the police department first and let them know what is going on. Then, they may either place you into a shelter or take you back home and talk with your dad. This may also be something you can continue to do if your dad continues to kick you out. Another option you may have is to file a report with Child Protective Services since kicking you out may be considered neglect. We are sorry to hear that your parents are doing this to you; nobody deserves to be put into a situation like this. You may also be able to call legal aid and talk with someone there about what your rights are. We’ve included a few numbers here but we’re not sure where you live so they are just located throughout Maryland.

East Baltimore Youth and Family Services 800-422-0009
Crisis Intervention Center (301) 855-1075
Legal Aid Bureau (800) 999-8904

We do have a database of resources and may be able to help you find somewhere safe to go but it is our understanding that most youth shelters do require a parents’ consent. They sometimes will give a youth 48-72 hours before calling their parents but they usually do end up calling them. It sounds like you were trying to make a plan for yourself but your parents are making that difficult for you. Again, you can reach us 24 hours a day at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our online chat from 4:30 PM-11:30 PM (CST).

We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck.

~NRS

[Unregistered]

help

So I'm 16 years old and I've been basically on the streets since I was 13 so three years now and I currently have a boyfriend we were staying with my boyfriends dad but he kicked us out and now I have no where to go I'm in queens NY and its really cold out side I have no money nothing if anybody can please help call me at 347-314-3070

[ccsmod14]

Re: 17 year old, nowhere to go. Help?

Hi there,

Often, youth may reach out to NRS in several different ways to discuss their situation. If a response from NRS is not visible to a bulletin posting it may be that we have already provided services to that individual through another platform we provide such as email, our crisis hotline, or our live chat service (in operation every day from 4:30p to 11:30p CST). NRS encourages anyone in need of assistance to contact us through our 24 hour crisis hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY to receive immediate support.

Thank you,
NRS

[Need help]

I'm 18 and need help

I need help leavening my family they are such bad people and can no longer take being with them someone please tell me where can I go to end this and finally be happy with my life thanks

[ccsmod5]

re: I'm 18 and need help

Hey there,

Thank you for being able to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are considering your options and trying to see what is best for your situation. We are glad we are a resource that comes to mind in this time of crisis. We want you to know that we are here to listen and to help in the best way that we can. It also seems like there is a lot going on in your life, if you are able to give us a call or chat with us we would be able to explore your situation a little further with you.

If you are looking for shelter or transitional living program, or any other type of services please feel free to give us a call and we would be able to provide you with more resources that may be available in your area.

Our lines are available 24/7, this is the fastest method you would be able to get in touch with us. We are more than willing to listen to your situation and help in the best way that we can. Our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), we also have a live chat program, it seems like that would work best since you are unable to get to a phone. As we mentioned, we would be more than happy to talk about your situation and see what the best way that we can help you is. We wish you the best of luck and hope to get your call or chat soon.

Stay strong,

NRS

[Unregistered]

17 no where to go

I'm a 17 year old girl my mom and step dad are not letting me come back home , and all my stuff is there , I have to figure out if I'm gonna stay in Kansas or go back to my home state but either way no matter where I go I have no where and no one , I'm still in high school and as of now I'm considering getting my GED. I'm scared and I have no where to go and have no idea what to do.

[ccsmod4]

17 no where to go

Hello,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

It sounds like you are in a pretty tough predicament.
We understand how unsettling it must be for you to not know where you will stay.
We hope you are in a safe place at this time.

One of the services NRS offers is to try and locate emergency shelter for runaway/homeless youth.
You mentioned that you are in Kansas but it might help us to help you if we knew the city.
Does that make sense?

You are welcome to reach out to us through our 24hr toll free crisis line number 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) or visit NRS live chat at www.1800Runaway.org

You can tell us more about your situation and explore options to help fit your needs.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Take Care,
NRS

[Unregistered]

I have no where to go

I'm 17 years old and my mom is putting me out because one she has all her friends living with her and I refuse to clean after grown people and two I'm gay and refuse to date the boy she wants me to. Because she hasn't enrolled me in school I have no friends to go to or teachers to talk to. I live in phoenix arizona. And I don't wanna get the cops involved because she has a warrent and my brothers and sisters will get taken away. I have a side job but it barley brings in anything. I will work anywhere and doing anything(appropriate). I just need help I'm scared to be on the streets.

[ccsmod9]

RE: I have no where to go

Hey There,

Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We’re really glad you came to us, your situation sounds so difficult. No one deserves to be discriminated against like that in their own home. We want to commend your courage for coming to us today, asking for help certainly is not easy.

It’s understandable that you wouldn’t want to involve the police in this. That’s very thoughtful of you to be thinking of your younger siblings. However, since you are 17, technically what your mother is doing is considered neglect. If you ever decided you’d want to report this, it’s completely up to you and well within your rights. If you wanted to learn more about abuse reporting, you could visit www.childhelp.org.

Since you mentioned you’re worried about being on the streets, if you wanted to find a safe place to go you could try visiting www.nationalsafeplace.org. They often have several locations in each states and may even provide transportation, but this isn’t always the case. It is worth noting that youth/runaway shelters often let someone stay there for a few days but will then need to notify the proper authorities of your presence there. If you wanted more information about shelters in your area, please reach out to our call center at 1-800-786-2929. If you don’t have your own phone, you can use a payphone to call toll free numbers.

Best of luck to you,

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 17 , my mom put out last week , I've been bumming from house to house and even sleep ing in old cars around my neighborhood , I'm barely making it to school and I'm struggling to make it to work , none of my family is helping me out and I don't know what to do anymore.

[ccsmod6]

Hi,
Thanks so much for taking the time to reach out to us. It sounds like you’re in a really stressful and scary situation right now. We’re so sorry to hear about how your mom kicked you out and that no family members are helping you. You’re really brave for not only reaching out for help, but for trying to make it through school and work, too. That takes a lot of dedication and responsibility.
So first off, we want you to know that because you are still a minor it is not legal for your mom to kick you out. You could go to the police and file a report against her for neglect if that’s something you feel comfortable doing. You could also talk to someone at your school about what you’re going through, like a trusted teacher or even a school counselor. They could be able to help you and provide some resources in your area.
We would love to help you, too. If you get into contact with us and give us your city and state we could give you some shelters that may be around your area and could help. We can do this with you over the phone, where you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY 24/7, or you can chat with us or email us at 1800runaway.org.
We wish you the best of luck!

[Guest]

This is very serious.
I am 17yrs old and I would like to leave my house I've been getting harassment text messages from my grandparents for days now. My older brother who is 30 continuously puts his hands around my neck and throw me on the ground because he does not like that I am a thick girl. He continuously tell me to loose weight to make him stop. My mother does not care about me she lets people put there hands in me she tells me to have sex with boys of the do me a favor. I sleep over my neighbors house for 4 days now and as soon as I step back in my original house I feel very uncomfortable. I need help.

[ccsmod6]

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us tonight. We take every bulletin we get very seriously, and your situation is no different. It sounds like you’re going through a lot of abuse at home from multiple family members. That is never okay. You do not deserve to be abused. Your grandparents harassing you via text, your brother putting his hands on you, and your mom pressuring you to have sex with people for favors are all things that you should not have to go through. We cannot imagine how scary and stressful living in that environment must be.

First off, we want to tell you that you have a right to report the abuse that is going on in your house. We know that reporting all of that sounds scary, so if you want more information on it please don’t hesitate to either call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or the child abuse hotline at 1-800-422-4453. The National Child Abuse Hotline can really help you out with talking about what abuse looks like, how to go about filing an abuse report, and the ins and outs of that whole system.

If that is not something you want to do, we can also talk about some other options. It seems like you want to leave your house because of all the different kinds of abuse you are facing, which is understandable. One thing that you can look into is leaving home at the age of 17. Though the age of majority in most states is 18, some police departments do not take runaway reports for 17 year olds because they are so close to being 18. If your local police department does not take runaway reports for 17 year olds you can leave home without your family’s permission. You can also tell the police about the abuse you are facing, and they would file an abuse report for you.

If you did leave home, a good thing to think about is where you would stay and how you would survive. It sounds like you trust your neighbors enough to sleep over at their house for days at a time. We are glad that you have your neighbors to turn to when things are getting especially rough at home. One thing you can think about is maybe asking them if you can stay with them more long-term if you do decide to leave home. If they are not an option, you can also reach out to other friends or family members to see if someone would be willing to take you in.

If you want to talk more about what you’re going through please feel free to reach out to us at 1-800-RUNAWAY, we are 24/7 and someone will always be here to answer and see what else we can do for you.

We wish you the best of luck!

[Guest]

Im 17 and don't have no were to go me and my keep getting into arguments like bad ones if your reading this please find a place for me to live

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching today.

Sounds like you are having arguments and home, and want to leave but you have nowhere to go. Seems like a pretty stressful situation. If you haven’t already, you might see if any friends or extended family would be willing to have you move in with them. If you call or chat us, we can get more information about your situation such as your location and look for housing resources near you. We have a national database of youth runaway shelters and transitional living programs; which are longer stay shelters for older teens to work on being self-sufficient. Again, please call or chat us so we can find those resources for you. We can also talk through your situation, brainstorm your options, and talk about what leaving home might look like for you.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Stay safe,

NRS

[Guest]

Please help...

I'm 17 and I got kicked out of my parent's house when I was 14 because we had no money. I've been living with friends because my parents both currently live in their cars but everyone I move in with kicks me out for various reasons. I have no other family in Tennessee and no where left to go. Please help me...

[ccsmod7]

Hello there,

We are so glad that you reached out over the phone after sending this bulletin so we could best help. Please do not hesitate to reach out again if you ever need to talk to someone or need additional resources. We truly want to support you during this difficult time.

Be safe,

NRS

[Guest]

Ok so I'm 17 and about to be homeless. My mom tried to kill her self and blames it on me her boyfriend won't have me and I have no father, no where to go and it's about to start getting cold I don't want to get cops involved but I just need a break I have no where to go and I'm only a junior in highschool

[ccsmod6]

Thank you for contacting us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear that you are going through such a hard time. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help and we are glad that you decided to reach out to us.
It is not your fault that your mom tried to kill herself. It sounds like your mom is going through stressful time but your mom is responsible to take care of you. Are there any friends or family members you can stay with? If you call us at our 24 hour confidential hotline we would be happy to talk to you, explore your options, and provide any shelters or safe place resources.
You are doing great in such a hard situation by asking for help. We wish you the best and hope to hear from you soon.
Best,
NRS