im 16 and u want to move out of my parents house

Hi, I’m currently 16 and in two months i turn 17 i currently don’t live with my parents because they got evicted and haven’t lived with them for the past 6 months but everytime they get angry they threaten to come get me and i don’t want to live with my parents anymore because 1 they are emotionally abusive and then 2 my step parent does drugs and i do not want to be around that and 3 they like to use me for money and take my things and pawn them and anytime i try to say anything they get mad and blow up and i’m tired of getting treated like this. I would like to go live with other family until i turn 18 but they would never let me and if i just go do it this would also cause more drama i would love to withdraw their rights of me but i have no idea how to nor do i know what to do right now.

[ccsmod10]

Hello, thank you for reaching out to us today. We're sorry to see that you're in a difficult situation with your family. Not feeling wanted, or feeling mentally unsafe in your own home sounds really hard, and we understand why you would want to find another place to live. While it is not illegal to run away, one thing to consider is that the person who allows you to stay with them without your parent's or guardian's permission could be accused of harboring a runaway or contributing to the delinquency of a minor. These activities are illegal. Do you think your parents would give you permission to live with someone else in your community so that you could continue going to your same school? We would be glad to talk with you further about this or other options if you would like to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY. Your call would be completely confidential and we are available 24/7. In Illinois, you could get possibly get some assistance from a local youth-serving agency by calling Comprehensive Community Based Youth Services (CCBYS) at 1-800-860-2663. They would put you in touch with a local agency and perhaps help you get access to a shelter, and this option would probably work best if you feel really unsafe at home and need to get out right away.

I am 16 and I live in Illinois. I have been dealing with emotional abuse from my family for awhile now. I want to move out and live with a friend until I finish high school without my parents trying send me away or calling the cops. I'm in the process of looking for a job and I'm still going to school. I don't feel mentally safe here and I especially don't want to be put in jail or the foster system. I don't want to get into any trouble. I just simply don't feel wanted and don't want to live here. Is there any way I can legally move out or in with someone else? I have tried asking but they all said it wasn't likely. im thinking about going to but if I do and then come back they will send me away and disown me for sure.

[ccsmod5]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us to help you decide about this situation. It sounds like you’re going through a lot at home and are thinking of leaving. This is surely a difficult time for you, and we’re sure you’ve been enduring a lot. Hopefully we can help.

Firstly, we are sorry that your family is verbally harassing you and neglecting you. Neglect and harassment are serious and we understand how they would make you uncomfortable living at home. We are here to talk to you any time you want about these issues and how they aer impacting you. We are here to support you.We’re not legal experts, so what we tell you may not apply in your community, even if it applies in most of the U.S. Usually, if a runaway report is filed on a youth, the police are authorized to search for the youth and return them home. In most parts of the U.S., running away is not illegal and won’t result in a youth getting arrested or fined. Adults who you stay with could be charged for harboring a runaway, which is a very rare charge, but a charge you may want to know about. Penalties for this charge vary widely across the U.S.

Hopefully this helped. Thanks so much for reaching out to us. If you have any questions or want to talk more, please call us at 1-800-786-2929.

Best,
NRS

I am a 15-year-old girl turning 16 in June. I want to move out of my parents house. I’m being neglected, emotionally harassed, and getting yelled that and getting in trouble/grounded for no reason. I have a savings account with money in it. I also have Family in Missouri. Am I allowed to leave my parents without getting in trouble.

[ccsmod5]

Hi, there,
Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a tough spot right now. Deciding to go to college is a big decision and it’s frustrating that your parents are putting a lot of pressure on you. You mentioned that you’re having a lot of “mental breakdowns.” We encourage you to share how you’ve been feeling with an adult you trust like a school guidance counselor or a therapist. It can sometimes help to share how you’ve been feeling. These adults may also be able to help talk to your parents about the pressure they’re putting on you and how that affects you. If that’s not an option, we are also more than happy to facilitate a conversation between you and your parents as well.
Thank you again for reaching out. We hope this was helpful and we encourage you to reach out by phone if you need additional resources or need help figuring out your options. Our number is 1-800-786-2929 and our lines are always open. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your feedback of our crisis services at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Stay safe!

hi I am 16 from New Jersey . my parents are putting a lot of pressure on me for college. I am feeling too stressed and been having a lot of mental breakdowns. I don't have very many friends . I NEED HELP !!!

[ccsmod16]

Hello there -

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline (NRS), we’re glad you posted here. We’re sorry to hear that things are tough at home with your parents. We’re here to help.

We would like you to know that if you are feeling suicidal that there are resources available to help. If you ever think or feel that you want to commit suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 (800) 273-8255. They also have a website with an online chat and other resources you might find helpful at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

We’re glad to hear that you have someone in your life you would want to stay. In order to discuss the options available to you we would need some more information. Every state has different laws regarding emancipation and custody. The best way to work through these options would be to give us a call at 1 (800) 786-2929 or to start an online chat with us at our website (1800runway.org). You should also know that we are not legal experts and ultimately speaking with an attorney about the issue might be helpful. That said we might be able to point you in the right direction should you choose to call or chat with us.
Thank you again for contacting the National runaway Safeline. We’re really glad you reached out to us. If you would like to discuss the situation in greater detail, feel free to call or chat with us using the information provided above. We’re here to listen, here to help.

Hi, I’m 17 years old and i want to be put into the custody of my aunt due to the depression and suicidal thoughts and attempts my parents cause me. How can i do this ?

[ccsmod7]

Hi, thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. It takes a lot of courage to be able tell us your personal situation. You certainly sound like an intelligent individual as you have been proactive in thinking about what you need to gain independence.

Because you are a minor, if you were to run away without your parent’s permission, you could be given the status offense of a runaway. However, you would not run into any legal issues. If you were to live with someone when you run away, those individuals could run into legal issues for technically harboring a runaway. You could go through with the emancipation process in New Jersey as well. New Jersey does not have a formal statute for emancipation but one may be considered emancipated if they have been married, have entered military service, has a child or is pregnant, or has been previously declared by the court or an administrative agency. If you call or chat us, we can look for legal aid resources in your area.

You can always give us a call if you want to talk more about your situation. We are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and you can reach us at 1-800- RUNAWAY. We wish you the best of luck.

-NRS

I’m recently turned 16, and I live with my mother in New Jersey. I want to know what does it take, requirement wise, to move out of the house without any issues from law enforcement. I have a place to live, a job, I’m still in school and I am getting my permit. If I’m able to leave I also want to be able to take all my possessions with me. Any advice?

[ccsmod15]

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you’ve been going through a tough time, but we are here to support you and help you in any way we can. That sounds really stressful to have that conflict with your parents.

We’re not legal experts, but generally there are three ways to leave home before being a legal adult: with parent permission, if there is abuse in the home, or through emancipation (a legal process where a youth is given the rights of an adult; this can sometimes be a long and expensive process). We also have legal aid resources here if you have specific questions about the laws in your state.

It sounds like all of your struggles are making you consider leaving home. If you do decide to leave home, you could consider thinking about ways to make sure you stay safe. You could explore ways you would pay for food, shelter, clothing and other necessary things. You could think about how long you would stay away, where you would stay, and what things would be like when you return. You could consider what you would do if you felt that you were in danger or had an emergency.

If you haven’t already, you could consider reaching out to a trusted adult, relative, worker/teacher/counselor at your school for help and support. You could also consider talking to your parents about how you’ve been feeling. Just so you’re aware, we have a conference calling service here where we could help mediate a conversation between you and your parents.

There are also many resources that could help you find a safe place or help you with anything else you may need. If you want to talk more about what’s been going on, or if you would like more information about resources, you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) or chat with us online.

Again, thank you for contacting us. It sounds like you’ve been going through a really hard time, but you’ve shown a lot of strength by working through these challenges and reaching out for help. If you ever need anything in the future, please feel free to call us or chat with us online. We’re always here to listen and here to help.

Hi I'm 16 and trying to get a job I live in Missouri but my parents and I always argue about I take meds I was wondering if i could move out

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline. You mentioned experiencing emotional abuse which may be reportable against your family. Please keep in mind you by no means deserve any type of abuse, emotional or otherwise. Unfortunately, emotional abuse is often harder to provide evidence for compared to physical abuse which is often what CPS relies on when conducting an abuse investigation. That said, we can’t be 100% sure what the outcome will be if your local CPS decides to open a case based on what you share. Sometimes CPS decides to remove minors from the home and other times they offer services such as family counseling or mediation instead. The only way to know the outcome might be to reach out to them directly and if you’re ready to do that we are here to help you through that process. Reaching out to Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453 or www.childhelp.org may help to get a better understanding of what may happen before and after a report is made.

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. Please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat if you have any questions or just want to talk.

We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: **https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

I live in Missouri, and I'm 16 going to be 17 in August. I'm going through emotional abuse and I want to leave home. But how do I do that without parents consent? Im very depressed and have been for four years. Please help. I don't want to live here anymore.