16 Year Old wants to move out/emancipation in New York State

okay so im 16 and im tired of living in my home because i get verbally abused and treated like im nothing so i want to look forward to emancipated myself im in new york

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

You mentioned wanting to know how you can leave home before turning 18. The easiest way to leave home is with your parent's 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 reach out soon so that we may offer support and resources to you. Our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or you can chat with us via our chatroom at www.1800runaway.org. Please be safe. We are here for you and look forward to hearing from you.

All the best,
NRS

I am 16 and don’t wanna deal with my parents anymore I want to get out of this house and be happy. They always put me down and expect me to do everything. How would I be able to get out of my house soon like today.

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s been going on, we know that it takes a lot of courage. You do not deserve to be abused in any way and it your mom's actions raise concern for your safety and well being. f you are currently at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. If any harm or abuse is happening at home, you have the right to report it. If you feel like this is an option you want to explore, you may find this website helpful: https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/. We can also help you to file a report if that’s the route you are considering.

It also me beneficial for you and your sister to speak with a legal aid group about the possibility of her petitioning the court for custody of you. If you need help locating a legal aid group near you you can check out https://www.lawhelp.org/find-help/.

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

Stay safe,
NRS

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

Hi im 16 and i have been getting abused by my mom for years and my older sister is saying i can live with her would i be able to

[ccsmod15]

It sounds like you are interested in emancipation. We are not legal experts, but we can help you get a general sense of how emancipation works. Our general understanding is some states offer formal emancipation statutes while others do not unfortunately. Laws vary depending on your location, but in many states a minor can petition the court for emancipation to take responsibility for their own care before they turn 18. Generally speaking, courts are wary about granting emancipation. In most cases, you would have to prove in court that you have an income and can care for yourself financially, and that you are able to live separately from your parents. It also helps to be in good standing at school. The court will also factor in the mental and physical welfare of your parents in order to establish your best interest. Usually your legal guardian would have to agree to this in court. Once you are emancipated, you can legally choose where you live, but you might still find that you cannot sign a lease or build credit until you turn 18. The emancipation process can take several months or up to a year, and may cost money in the form of court fees and other expenses. Usually, the best way to learn about emancipation in your state is to contact a lawyer. You may also find information at your county family court. We can look up legal aid resources that may be able to help you with the process. Please do not hesitate to call or chat if you have questions, need legal resources, or need to talk. We can explore your situation, go over all your options, and come up with a plan and resources to deal with your situation over the phone or on live chat. We are looking forward to hearing from you soon, and wish you the best of luck.

I'm 15 and turning 16 in three days, my mom is now pregnant and the father is an alcoholic. I am now living with my grandparents for the time being till my mom gets a house with the boyfriend but I still feel like I'm in the situation even though I'm not in it right now. I want to be able to live on my own and go to school and have a normal life. I don't want to live with my grandparents nor my mom. Also my dad is out of the picture. I don't know who to get emancipated, pls help.

[ccsmod4]

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We are sorry to hear about the situation of abuse from your mom. You don’t deserve to be treated badly. It’s not your fault that this is happening. It sounds like you have the makings of a plan to better your situation. Good for you.

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).

Take care,
NRS

Hi, I am a 16 year old in New York who is looking to get emancipated from my mother. My dad is not in my life because he lives in another country, but he does pay unofficial child support. I have a part time job and am a junior in school. My mother has agreed to emancipate me. She is mentally abusive to me, and understands I would be better living alone . I would either live in my friends house as they agreed to let me move in. Or I would get an apartment with money I saved up

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing your situation with us. This must be a really tough spot for you to be in and it is definitely frustrating that your ACS worker is not doing more to advocate for your needs and communicate with you. You deserve to feel supported and to feel safe.

Generally speaking, your mother is your legal guardian until you turn 18 and she would be able to control where you live. You have been very brave by working with ACS for the last couple months and advocating for yourself. It sounds like you are in a temporary shelter while ACS has conducted an abuse/neglect investigation with your mom. Child welfare services or ACS in your state, generally has a goal of reuniting youth with their families whenever it is safe to do so. They are supposed to provide you and your mom with a safety plan and the services necessary to make sure your needs are being met. It can be scary to think that this might not be the case for you or that you are not getting enough of a say in where you live. It could be worth a try to ask your caseworker about a safety plan or ask how she can make sure you are being supported even if you return home. Some examples of this could be counseling, substance abuse treatment for your mom, or asking if they will help you talk to your mom about agreeing to an alternative living arrangement. A helpful start could be to reach out to friends or family members who can provide you a safe place to live. The challenge is that your mom would have to agree to this or ACS would have to take the step to remove you from your mom's custody.

We truly want to be a support for you during this difficult situation. We are here to listen and help as much as possible. You can reach out by phone 1-800-786-2929 or through live chat 1800runaway.org to talk more about your situation and explore your possible options.

Stay strong,
NRS

hi im 16 years old and I have a baby and im currently living in a 60 day crisis shelter but I am being told from my acs worker was that I have to go home because I haven't been removed from my home and I feel like she is not doing her role as a acs worker. When she came to my home she gave my mom 2 hrs to sober up and came back when she was sober and then now that im in this shelter im being discharged from here in a week and I want to know my rights as a child .

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thanks for taking the time to write us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing a bit about your situation. It can certainly be stressful when the adult in the household is not supportive and if there is constant fighting. It sounds like you and your mom have a very tense relationship and this is making things at home incredibly overwhelming. You deserve to be treated with respect, to feel listened to, and to feel at ease where you are living.

Generally speaking, your mom is your legal guardian until you turn 18, so she can decide where you live. The easiest way to leave home as a minor is with your mom's permission. In this case, she would be allowing you to live somewhere else where you are safe and being cared for. A helpful step is to start reaching out to friends and family members you might be able to stay with. Sometimes having an adult on your side to advocate for you can make communicating your needs easier. Perhaps an adult family member, a friend's parent or a counselor at school can talk to your parents with you about your experience at home and the possibility of you leaving.

The other option you mentioned was emancipation. Emancipation can be a lengthy and difficult process, and in some states you have to be 16 before you can start the process. To be emancipated and gain the rights and responsibilities of being a legal adult (renting an apartment, enrolling yourself in school, working full time, supporting yourself, etc) you will need to show in court that you are able to live independently and financially support yourself. If you would like to talk more about starting this process and the criteria, we can connect you with legal aid in your area. You can call us at 1-800-786-2929 or use our live chat services and we would be happy to find resources for you.

We truly want to be a support for you as you decide on your next steps. We are available 24/7 to listen and help as much as possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out again by phone or chat if you would like to talk more in-depth about your situation and explore your options. You can contact us by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or use our live chat services at www.1800runaway.org.

Stay safe,
NRS

I'm turning 16 in august and i want to be emancipation from my adopted mother. we always yelling and physically fighting all the time and I'm so tired of it I just want to just get emancipated we're not happy and we always hurting each other's feelings I just want to be on my own so I could just be happy and I have other family members who I used to live with before and I just I don't know what to do and I need your help so please tell me what I should do.

[ccsmod15]

Thanks for reaching out to NRS,
We are not legal or child support experts, as we specialize in crisis services and general information. We would recommend starting either with finding legal aid, or contacting your local CPS or DCFS department for help navigating this issue.
A good starting place for legal aid would be www.lasmny.org which is the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York.
Thanks again for reaching out and good luck,
NRS.

Hi my fiancé is paying child support for his daughter which is now 20 years old she has moved out of the house now just wondering how do we stop child support she no longer lives at home and is not going back home can you please give us some advice thanks New York State