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Im 17 (18 in Dec) and i am planning and "dropping out" of my current MI public school and move to FL. I will not be living with either of my parents but I will have a steady job and a safe place to live until I'm 18. Problem is, is that I wish to finish high school in FL. I want to know if it is possible to enroll myself into FL public high schools or FLVS (FL Virtual School) without parent consent. (preferably if they didn't know)
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Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you plan on moving to Florida and you would like to know if you can enroll yourself in school without parental consent. Each state has different roles so we cannot say for sure if it is possible for you to enroll yourself into public school. You could try contacting the Florida Department of Education (850)245-9667 to see if they would allow you to enroll in school without a guardian. The McKinnry-Vento Act (1-800-308-2145) could also assist you with information on how to enroll in school. Please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat.Please remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat.
National Runaway Safeline
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I am 17 years old and I would like to leave home I do not live with my parents but my older sister has my custody and I don't live with her either. I would like to know if i can leave "home"/ the place where im at without her calling the cops. I live in charlotte NC and I would also like to know if I would be able to enroll myself in school if she refuses to do so.Comment
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Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out. We're not legal experts, and your situation is not necessarily common; however, in our experience, your guardian can file a runaway report on you if you leave the place they have told you to live at without their permission. These reports are made to the cops, who can then return you to your guardian or the "home" you've been told to be at. You're unlikely to be arrested, but we have heard of police in North Carolina referring runaways to juvenile detention. You may wanna call us to double-check with your non-emergency police about this. Questions about runaways enrolling in school should be directed to the National Center for Homeless Education (800-308-2145).
Best,
NRS
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I recently moved back to Florida after my parent with custody got violent and went to live with my other parent (who was in Florida), she kicked me out and I fled to my grandparents house about 2 hours away in Florida. Almost 2 weeks later my mother (who kicked me out in Fl) filed me as a missing person. I spoke to the police and they told me to meet with the police at my grandparent's house and as long as I was okay and my grandparents' were okay with me staying there I would not be removed. The cops then came spoke to me and about 4 hours later I was informed that my mother was coming to pick me up. While I was with my grandparents they were trying to help me enroll in school but the school would not let me because I am a minor. No one told me I was being sent back with my father who i fled from in the first place because of physical abuse. I did not run away, he was aware and okay with it. I am now back with him and cant graduate here in DE because I am so far behind. What can I do to go back with my grandparents? I was told i cannot get emancipated because my birthday is in early june.Comment
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Hi there,
We’re really sorry to hear about your situation. It’s awful that you were misled like that, and it sounds like you were doing great with your grandparents but then laws got in the way. That’s a really challenging situation and it’s really impressive that you’re maintaining a positive attitude and trying to think about how to make things better again. Let’s see what we can do to help.
It makes sense that you’d want to get back to your grandparents as soon as you can. It seems like the reason things didn’t work out before was because they were not your legal guardians. But if your father is ok with you staying with them, he might be able to legally transfer custody to them. If you want to pursue this, you can start by asking local legal services if they can help. Here are some options:
• Community Legal Aid Society – in New Castle County, 302-575-0660; in Kent County, 302-674-8500; in Sussex County, 302-856-0038
• Delaware Volunteer Legal Services – at 302-478-8680 or 1-888-225-0582
• Legal Services Corporation of Delaware – in New Castle County, 302-575-0408; in Kent County, 302-734-8820
You also mentioned that your birthday is in Early June. Is that your 18th birthday? If so, even though that’s still a couple of months away, you can start preparing for what you’ll do once you’re a legal adult. Once you’re a legal adult, you can live wherever you want, and could live with your grandparents without having to worry about the police.
As for school, the best people to ask about how to get your diploma are probably the counselors at the school you’re enrolled in. If you’re too far behind to graduate from high school the traditional way, there may be alternative high schools you could enroll in, or you could get your GED. Either way, there are lots of things you can start on now that will help you achieve that goal!
We also wanted to bring up one last thing, about the physical abuse. Nobody deserves to be abused by their parents, and it’s completely understandable why you would want to leave that situation. Another option available to you is to report child abuse to the local authorities. If you did this, they would assign you and your father a case worker and work to make your home situation safer. They might also be able to help you return to your grandparents. Lastly, even if you don’t choose to report, you should never have to feel unsafe in your own home. If you ever feel like you’re in danger, you should call 9-1-1.
If you have any more questions, or want to talk about this more, we’d love to talk more. You can post another comment here, chat us at 1800runaway.org, or call us at 1-800-786-2929.
Good luck!
-NRS
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Yes it is my 18th birthday, june 3 and i tried to report the incident to the police but they said they could not do anything because it happened a month ago and I did not report it then because I was scared. Now since im being forced to stay with him Im trying to get out because i dont feel safe but no one believes me and the cops are only siding with him saying they can't take me anywhere else because he is my guardian.Originally posted by Guest View PostComment
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Hey I'm planning to move to Utah and I wanna enroll into ALAComment
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Hello There,
Thank you for contacting The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. We are not legal experts but we do have general knowledge of the laws. In Utah the legal age to leave home without permission is 18 years old. If you were to leave home before turning 18 you could be considered as a runaway. If the police found you they would most likely bring you back home.
Also you mentioned wanting to enroll in ALA, we believe that is the American Leadership Academy. It looks like on their website they have an application to be able to register. Also you can always call them and ask what the registration requirements are.
We hope 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 here 24/7 to listen and to provide support. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS
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Do you know anywhere in Youngstown Ohio that I can enroll myself in school at 17Comment
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Hello There,
Thank you for contacting The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. Each school district is different and may have different rules in whether you would be able to enroll at 17. You could try calling The Ohio Department of Education at 877-644-6338 you can also email them at [email protected]. The McKinnry-Vento Act (1-800-308-2145) could also assist you with information on how to enroll in school
We hope 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 here 24/7 to listen and to provide support. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS
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I’ve been a run away for almost a year now I’m 16 about to be 17 I’m wondering if there’s going to be any legal consequences for me running away from foster care I am safe and am going to stay away until I turn 18 when I do I’m going to enroll myself in school and get my drivers license and a job but what do I need to know about what to do when I turn of age and want to get my life back on the right track because I’m not going back to foster care and I definitely want to get my GED go to college and things like thatComment
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Hi there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you have been a runaway for awhile now, and you are wondering what the legal consequences are. Here at NRS, we are not legal experts but we can speak generally.
Running away is typically a status offense, or something you cannot do due to being a minor, rather than being illegal. Since you ran from foster care, your placement was generally mandated by law to report you as a runaway with local police. If you are found by police, it is possible that you could be returned into the state's care. However, if you are found at 18, you generally would be considered an adult at that time and there are no legal consequences for being a runaway when you were a minor. Generally, you can call local police once you are 18 and ask to be taken off the runaway list.
Sounds like you have some great goals in mind. Here at NRS, we are primarily concerned about your safety and encourage you to reach out if you ever need to talk to someone or if you need a safe place to go: 1-800-RUNAWAY; www.1800runaway.org.
Best,
NRS
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Hello, I’m 17 years old and will be 18 as of June 2nd. I currently live in New York but will be leaving to Florida to escape my abusive parent. Is it possible for me to enroll myself in High School down there without my parent? I will be under my older sister’s custody.Comment
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Hey there,
Thanks for reaching out today and posting on our forum. We are always here to help in any way we are able to. You’re not alone and we’d love to talk to you more about your situation. Give us a call or chat with us via our website.
You never deserve to be abused, by anyone and especially not your parents. We’re so sorry that you’re going through that pain at home. It
makes sense that you’re wanting to escape. It sounds like your sister is a great support to you. We want to make sure that you stay safe so if you’d like, we would love to talk to you more about your safety plan while being on the run.
As far as your education, we understand how important it is to you. Each school district is different and may have different rules in whether you would be able to enroll at 17. The McKinnry-Vento Act is a law that was put into place to protect the educational rights of runaways and homeless youth. The hotline is (1-800-308-2145) and is there to assist you with information on how to enroll in school. You mentioned that you're turning 18 before the school year starts, so you may not have to go through these steps if that's the case. You will be considered a legal adult when you turn 18 and no longer a runaway. It's important to bring your legal documents with you if you do decide to run away; birth certificate and social security card.
Again, thanks for reaching out. We’re here to talk more if you’d like to give us a call or chat on our website www.1800runaway.org
Best, NRS
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Hi, my mother is very emotionally and mentally abusive and has also threatened me on multiple occasions. I've run away from her before but never told the police why and she paints me as a bad teen when in reality she is the one hurting me. She has custody over me so when I run to my dads I always have to go back but im not sure how much more of her I can take im not sure what to do because she threatens to send me away if I leave again.Comment
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Hi there,
Thank you for reaching out to us at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). You are very brave for doing so. It's understandable to be frustrated with everything that is going on and it’s important to remember that you do not need to have the answers right away. It sounds like you have a lot of great people that you could talk to. It could be worth talking to your dad and explaining to him what’s going on with you and mom. He might be able to offer insight since he knows both of you.
Another option is to contact Childhelp which is the National Child Abuse Hotline. They can be reached via phone 24/7 at 1-(800) 422-445 and online at www.childhelp.org/. This organization is dedicated to not only reporting abuse, but it offers emergency, social service, and support resources. If you feel like you need a safe place right away, National Safe Place can also be a helpful resource. To use this resource text SAFE and your current location (address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357) for immediate assistance and to get connected to a trained crisis counselor. You can also go to National Safe Place's website at www.nationalsafeplace.org.
It is important to remember that you are not alone. You can always contact us at 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,
NRS
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