running away at 18

[Guest]

i am 18 years old and from Texas have little money and i only have a mom as a parent if i was to runway and she tracks me on my phone(life 360) would i be allowed to legally to run away and stay somewhere else because could i just go stay at a friends house or would that get them evolved legally

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like home life is really stressful for you and it makes sense that you would like to leave.

While we are not legal experts, we do have a great deal of experience working with runaways and youths in crisis. 18 is the age of majority in Texas, so you are considered an adult. However, there are some situations where a parent might have extended custody over someone over the age of 18 due to a disability, mental health issue, or some other condition. If that is not the case, then you have the right to live and be where you please. Something to note is that the flip side of this is your mom does not have to let you live with her if you change your mind at any point. Additionally, if your mom is paying for your phone service or anything else that you are using/relying on, she can decide not to do so. It might be wise to think about these things before making any major decisions.

If you wanted to talk more about what is going on and what options you might have, please don’t hesitate to chat with us at 1800runaway.org or reach out over the phone at 1-800-786-2929. We are 24/7 and confidential and would be happy to talk to you more about your situation.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello I'm 18 years old and I can't take much more of it at home I'm from MN and its hard for me at home I'm push to do my best but I can't take much more of it Because I can't make my own desicens and my mom and dad make them for me most of the time I can't even pick out my own outfits to wear plz help me I don't know what to do

If I ran away is there away you can get me to a deffrent state plz I can't take much more here my preants are very tuff on me they want me to do my best but I fell like I'm going insane

[ccsmod0]

Since you are 18 you are more than likely considered a legal adult which means that you can move out if you want to and you won’t be considered a runaway. As a legal adult, you have a right to make your own decisions about where you live.  We can help you make a plan for how to deal with your situation and help you find resources to land on your feet. Having a plan for where you will live and how you will survive once you move out can be very helpful. Moving can be a huge step, and you don’t have to be alone. Some steps you can take towards independence might be to find employment if you don’t have an income, or to save up money for moving expenses. It can also be helpful to research rents in your area, find a roommate, or make a budget. Another thing you might want to consider is what kinds of things you depend on your parents for currently such as tuition expenses for school, or health insurance, and whether they would continue to provide those things after you leave. There may be social service agencies in your area that can help meet some of these needs, such as Transitional Living Programs, a kind of shelter where young adults can live and get services to help them transition to independent living. We are here to listen and help however we can.

[Guest]

I have a son who just turned 18. He has been in foster care and wants to leave. His caseworker told him that he has to remain in foster care until he is 21. However, he and I have both been researching the laws in his State (Illinois) and there is nothing we have found that says he must remain in care; everything we have found, including on government and attorney websites, states that he may "opt to stay in care" and to receive services they offer to help him become self-sufficient he must provide consent. He wants to know what would happen if he were to simply leave without notifying his caseworker or DCFS or the court. Through the years he has been in care, he has been placed in abusive households and has run away at least once and has contemplated suicide and even possibly made attempts. I think one of the only things that kept him from ending things was that he was able to remain in contact with me and some of his other birth family and knows that when he finally is able to leave foster care, he'll have somewhere to go where he's loved and supported. I want to help him to get out of the system - I terminated my rights voluntarily to keep him safe from his abusive father, who would've stalked us and possibly put us in danger if I had custody - but I want to make sure everything we do is legal and doesn't cause him more problems. Once he's out of foster care, I will be able to secure affordable housing for him as well as a job I know he'll be able to handle, and the housing would be close enough to where I live that he'd be able to come to me anytime he is struggling, plus the job would be at the same place I work and I'd be able to provide transportation. Since I live in Missouri, I want to be sure that everything we do is legal in my state as well as the state of Illinois. Do you have any advice? Can he leave without notifying his caseworker? Can he simply tell her, "I'm 18, legally an adult, and I'm moving out." Or does he need to go through court to have his case closed?

[ccsmod16]

Thank you for reaching out to us; we are glad that you did. It sounds like you did a very brave thing by giving up your parental rights to keep him safe from his abusive father. We hope that you are safe now too.
We are not legal experts, so we can't answer the specific questions, but we found a DCFS Youth Hotline that you can call, or your son can call, to find out the answers to this situation. https://www2.illinois.gov/dcfs/brigh...s/default.aspx
This would give you the most reliable information available, unless you request to speak with his caseworker's supervisor.
We hope this is helpful. If you son would like to call them, but needs help, he can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) and we can do a conference call to that hotline. We would act as his ally and advocate through the call.
If he does call us, the person answering won't know about this post, so he will have to talk about his situation and the DCFS Youth Hotline.
We wish you the best of luck and hope to hear from him soon if he needs us.
Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

What if you still got to high school, and your 18. You still haven't graduated, can the police bring you back home?

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thanks for taking the time to reach out to us here at NRS. It sounds like you want to know more about runaway laws. 18 is the age of majority in most states and the age you are usually able to leave home without permission. You are most likely considered a legal adult with the legal freedom to choose where you live. If you choose to leave home, still being in high school would not change your status as a legal adult. The exception to this would be if you live in a state with a higher age of majority where you would not be considered a legal adult at 18; Nebraska(19), Alabama(19), and Mississippi(21).

You can contact us directly by phone or live chat if you have any additional questions.

Good luck and be safe!
NRS
1-800-RUNAWAY; 1800runaway.org

[Guest]

What if I ran away and i'm 18 and not planning on going back to my house

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at NRS. It sounds like you are in a tough spot and you feel like leaving is your best option. Since you are 18 you are more than likely considered a legal adult which means that you can move out if you want to and you won’t be considered a runaway.  As a legal adult, you have a right to make your own decisions about where you live. 

Having a plan for where you will live and how you will survive once you move out can be very helpful. We can help you make a plan for how to deal with your situation and help you find resources to land on your feet. Moving can be a huge step, and you don’t have to be alone.

If you would like to talk more, we are available for immediate support 24/7 by phone at 1-800-RUNAWAY and through live chat at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello,

Like 90 percent of the individuals in this forum, I am 18 and concerned about the legality of my situation (which is complicated). I understand you are not legal experts, as I’ve read in your numerous replies, but I would just ask for some general guidance on this subject. My parents are with the military and live in Germany, I would like to note however that I am legally a US citizen and that me being an overseas military kid shouldn’t affect the age of majority as I no longer live there. This summer my parents took my family on a trip to the states to visit extended family and friends. The other purpose of this trip was to drop me off in the states to start my life on my own. Currently I am staying with a family friend for a short period of time until I fly to another state to live with my grandparents. I wanted to leave the family friend’s house for a day or two to visit my girlfriend who’s about a days trip away, but the adults of this household told me they could not allow me to leave unless I had my parents consent. My parents don’t agree with my choice of girlfriend and knowing them they would try to give or revoke “consent” even though they legally can’t. Can they? I’m out of their household, and although I’m in another family’s house, leaving is something I’m always allowed to do. Right? For context, I’m currently “living” with them temporarily in Virginia which has 18 as the age of majority. What’s the general legality of my situation? Am I allowed to just leave as long as I leave a note explaining that I left on my own?

[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.
You are well within your rights to leave at any time you like since you are legally an adult. It may be beneficial to consider what will happen if your relatives are angry or upset that you left, and the implications this could have on the rest of your stay. However, it certainly is not illegal for you to leave without parental permission.
If you have any further questions we can best help by phone or chat, 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]

I am 18, I have no drivers license but I have a means of transportation to work and school. I have a place in mind to stay but I am worried my family would come track me down and force me to stay in their house and or cause prombles. I am sick of dealing with the fear of them blowing up at each other or at me. I am worried that my dad would get the police involved or they'd stalk me. What'd I do?. Cause it's gotten to the point to where I am not even talking to them anymore and yet I am worried they'll come find me after I leave.

[ccsmod15]

Hello There,

Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It takes great courage to reach out for help, and we are glad that you have decided to reach out to us. It sounds like you are going through a difficult time and we want you to know that you are not alone.

Since you are 18 years old, you’re considered an adult and you don’t need your parent’s or family’s approval to move out. If your parents dont let you leave the home, you have the right to call your local police department and they can assist you while you gather your belongings to leave in a peaceful manner. You will not be considered a runaway since you’re an adult now.

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 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

[Guest]

im moving away from my parents in about a week, im turning 18 in an hour. what can my parents do because im leaving? can they do anything? also what do i do if they come after me

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. We're sorry that it sounds like things aren't the best at home right now. It sounds like you want to leave at 18 and are concerned about what your parents might be able to do to stop you or thwart your efforts. In most US states, the age in which a youth can leave home without parental consent is 18 (the few exceptions are Mississippi, Alabama, and Nebraska, though even in those states it's a bit of a grey area). Essentially, there is little to nothing your parents can do to stop you from leaving once you turn an adult.

However, leaving home for the first time is still a big deal. You may want to think about how you will care for your needs when you leave, where you will go, how you can be safe, what rent may cost like, whether you need a roommate or not, and lots of other questions. If you would like to talk through this process or get resources (for example, shelters or independent living programs), feel free to reach out to us by calling our 24 hour confidential hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us via the chat feature on our website: www.1800runaway.org. We hope to hear from you soon!

Best of luck and stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi… I’m 18 and the majority of age in my territory is 21. If I leave and go to another state will I be brought back home if they find me? Or since 18 is the majority of age of the state where I currently ran away to, will I be left alone?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. We are not legal experts and are not 100% sure what the answer to your question is, but we will offer what we feel might be true. We suspect that if you were to move to another state where the age of majority is 18 and actually establish residence there -- find a place to live, get an ID for the state, etc -- then it doesn't seem likely to us that authorities would return you to the state where the age of majority is 21. But again, we can't say for sure. One idea might be to call the local police non-emergency number with your question: both for the state where you currently live as well as the state you plan on going to move to. Another option would be to contact a legal aid organization with your question, which we can provide if you give us a call or chat with us.

Speaking of which, we are here for you no matter what you'd like to talk about. Moving out of state at 18 is a big decision and you don't have to face it alone. We'd like to help in any way we can. You can reach us 24/7 by calling our confidential hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chatting with us via the chat feature on our website: www.1800runaway.org.

We hope to hear from you soon! Be safe!

NRS

[Guest]

So I am currently 18 years old and in my state a legal adult I am in dcfs custody so states custody if I ran away would I get in trouble because I cannot be with where I am an the state is not good for me so would it be possible for me just to leave without having to get the courts permission and not get in trouble.

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you are going through a difficult time and we want you to know that you are not alone.
We are not legal experts but if you are considered a legal adult in your state you would be able to leave without permission regardless if you were in DCFS custody. But if you were to leave you may not be eligible for DCFS benefits anymore, so that may be something to think about. If you have a caseworker or social worker you may want to consider talking to them about what you are going through.
We are here 24/7 if you would like to explore more options, are looking for support, or have any more questions. You can reach us by calling our hotline or chatting with us online. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I am an 18 year old that resides in Tennesee, I am still in high school living with my parents, they are controlling wont allow me to drive, having restrictions on my phone, and both still put hands on me and constantly threatening to kick me out. I would really like to leave this situation. Any Advice?

[ccsmod15]

Since you are 18 you are more than likely considered a legal adult which means that you can move out if you want to and you won’t be considered a runaway. As a legal adult, you have a right to make your own decisions about where you live. We can help you make a plan for how to deal with your situation and help you find resources to land on your feet. Having a plan for where you will live and how you will survive once you move out can be very helpful. Moving can be a huge step, and you don’t have to be alone. Some steps you can take towards independence might be to find employment if you don’t have an income, or to save up money for moving expenses. It can also be helpful to research rents in your area, find a roommate, or make a budget. Another thing you might want to consider is what kinds of things you depend on your parents for currently such as tuition expenses for school, or health insurance, and whether they would continue to provide those things after you leave. There may be social service agencies in your area that can help meet some of these needs, such as Transitional Living Programs, a kind of shelter where young adults can live and get services to help them transition to independent living. We are here to listen and help however we can.

[Guest]

I am 18 and want to runaway, is it okay?

Hi there, I would like to runaway to my old country. My parents are mentally abusive and don't let me do things for my own like get a job or even go out. They always want me home and yell at me and always start arguments with me and I have had about enough. I didn't want it to come to this but every month it just gets worse. I really don't want to be here and plan to live with my boyfriend when I move back to my old country. Would it be illegal if I were to live with him and could my parents report me as a missing person? Would there be any charges held against him and his family?

[ccsmod6]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at National Runaway Safeline. We know that it isn’t always easy to ask for help and we appreciate you sharing a bit of your story with us.

The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States of America (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/. Our knowledge is limited to laws and resources within the USA.

If you do live in the USA, 18 is generally the age when one is legally allowed to leave home. Though specifics sometimes vary from state to state, once you are a legal adult, you cannot be filed as a runaway. Legal adults have the right to choose where they live. If you are not filed as a runaway, then harboring laws wouldn’t be applicable, either.

But, again, these laws are specific to the United States, so keep that in mind.

In the end, we cannot tell you what to do. You know your situation far better than we do. However, if you’d like to talk through your options in greater detail, feel free to reach out. We can best assist you over phone at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat at www.1800runaway.org. We’re here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You do not have to be alone in this.

Be safe,

NRS

[Guest]

I want to runaway from home when I turn 18, due to my parents being homophobic and controlling. The age of majority in Texas 18, but will anyone who houses me (such as a friend's family) be in legal trouble?

[ccsmod3]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out and explaining a bit about what has been going on. It sounds like your parents are homophobic and controlling and you deserve to be in a place where you are comfortable to be who you are. If you leave home at 18, since that is the age of majority in Texas, it is not considered running away, so anyone who houses you would not be in any legal trouble. If you have any more questions or want to discuss this further, please call our hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat us online at 1800runaway.org.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi, I look at the other threads and I get the general idea of what you are saying with being the age of majority and I am age of majority in my city which is 18. I want to leave home. Bu i want to know what would happen afterwards for me? I have thoughts about leaving home but I don ´ t know if I should do it since i have siblings left behind me. I ´ m not asking for you to answer me on whether or not I should leave. I just want to know the struggle from it after I do it.

[ccsmod3]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you are considering leaving home, but are unsure about what would happen afterwards. It’s helpful to think about where you would stay and making sure it is safe. It’s also important to consider how you will take care of yourself. While we won’t tell you what to do, it’s helpful if you have a job and are able to afford the things that you will need. Another consideration you have mentioned is that you have other siblings in your house, so figuring out ultimately what the best option is for you, but also that you would still be in contact with your siblings as that seems important to you. We can help by talking through this more and helping you plan next steps, if are interested, 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]

Im 18 years old i want to run away, my mom is very toxic and she wont let me go anywhere she took my phone and got into it and changed the password and locked me out of my own phone. I still have to attend school i dont know what to do i cant keep staying here.

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out; we are glad that you did. It sounds like things are pretty stressful at home because your mom is toxic and your phone was taken away.
In most states, 18 is the age of majority and it wouldn't be considered running away, as you may be an adult, even if you are still in school. You can google this for yourself to see whether you are an adult in your state.
Leaving may then be possible, but we would like to have a conversation with you about your plan for where you would go. You can chat us through this website, or call the hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY.
We truly hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS