17 and got kicked out

[Guest]

I’m 17 my mom kicked me out but she’s still trying to tell me what to do at a family friends house and telling me that I can’t go live with a different family friend is I want to get emancipated but is it legal for her to kick me out but still try to control me

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear that your mom is making your life so difficult and complicated. As you are still a minor, she does have a legal responsibility to make sure you are taken care of, whether that be at home or at your friend’s house with her permission.

While we are not legal experts, we do have a great deal of experience working with runaways. It is not illegal to run away. Your parent/guardian could file a runaway report on you but this would NOT mean that you would get arrested or charged with anything. It typically does mean that the police could return you home if they encountered you and that would be that. Some police can be more understanding about what is going on at your home. In our experience, police will oftentimes return the youth back to their guardian almost no matter what. Police typically do not actively search for a runaway youth. However, they will go where the parent/guardian directs them if they know where you are staying. Additionally, police can sometimes be more lenient about runaway situations the closer you are to 18. You can attempt to calmly, respectfully, and persistently deny them consent to touch you or take you anywhere, and they may give up on trying to return you home. They also may not, in which case you should comply with what they tell you to do for your safety.

It might be a good idea to talk a little bit more with us about what exactly is going on and what options you might have. Please don’t hesitate to call us on our 24/7 hotline 1-800-786-2929 or chat with us at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 17 and I have been kicked out from my moms for a few month now I've been hoping around from here to there and just started to live with my grandmother but we can't seem to get along I haven't even been here for a week and she wants me out I don't know what to do, where to go, or who to contact anymore. I don't like this and isn't how I wanted to be growing up. Is there anything I can do so I'm not living outside soon. None of my family is help and believe anything they hear about me that most of the time isn't true. I have no money and a little of clothes and stuff. please help me I'm stuck and in need of help asap if anyone around my age or something please reach out to me in my socials ****

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing your situation on our Bulletin. It sounds like you are in a really scary spot right now after being kicked out by your mom and not getting along well with your grandmother. Because you are still a minor your family has a legal responsibility to care for you and it is not okay for them to kick you out. You deserve to feel safe.

You do have the option to contact child protective services for help and to ensure you have safe place to stay. We understand this can sometimes be an intimidating decision to make and you do not have to do it alone. You can speak with an advocate at The National Child Abuse Hotline to learn more about what this might be like for you, www.childhelp.org.

Another option that you might have is to go to a youth shelter. Youth shelters can provide a safe place to stay and the often offer transitional living programs. TLPs are long term housing programs for young adults that provide support while you work toward living independently. If you call our hotline or chat with us, we are happy to search our databases for resources in your area.

We are available 24/7 for immediate support by phone at 1-800-786-2929 and through live chat at 1800runaway.org. We hope to hear from you soon so that we can provide support and resources.

NRS

[Guest]

Hello I am 17 I turn 18 in March and it’s The last day of November. I live in Maryland. I got into a fight with my aunt because I came home 30 mins late on a Sunday. Which I get there is ground rules and stuff but she put her hands on me and tried to grab my phone out my hand after I called my dad. My dad isn’t doing anything about this situation and nobody else is in my house. She told me to get out and I packed my stuff and I’m staying with my best friend now. I don’t know what to do I texted my sister and she said that they acting like nothing happened and it’s just a regular day. Everyone is telling me to not go back including my teachers and staff at school Bc they personally know how my parents are. I have my own job and I’m saving up. Should I just continue moving forward independently?

[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. It must be really hard to live in a home with so much tension. Your aunt's reaction to something so minor is extremely worrisome and she doesn't have the right to treat you that way. You deserve to feel safe and loved at home. It sounds like you are in a tough spot right now and figuring out your next steps can be confusing. It may be beneficial to write out a pro/con list for staying or returning home to help you decide. It's also important to think about all the aspects of living away from home. You will need to plan out how you will cover basic necessities like travel, food, clothing, etc. If you have a place to go in mind, it’s good to see what the expectations of the living arrangement will be like; rules, the amount of time you’re allowed to stay, if you’re expected to contribute financially, etc.

Your safety is the most important thing to us and the physical abuse from your aunt and neglect (throwing you out of the house) raises some concern for your well-being. 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.

We aren’t legal experts here at NRS, but generally speaking, if your parents request that you return home and you stay where you are, they can file a runaway report, which is essentially a missing person report. Running away is a status offense; this means that it isn’t illegal, but it’s something you can’t do while still a minor. If a runaway report is filed and you are located by the authorities you will most likely be returned home.

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

[Guest]

Hey my name is Taniya, im 17 and got kicked out and is now staying with my dad's mom. My ma kicked me out plenty of times but this time she didn't call the cops every other time she "kicked " me out she called the police and acted like i was a runaway, when she and her ma pinned me down just to get my phone i kicked her to get free and was arrested for FV simple battery, a month before allat my brother pushed me and i punched him i didn't know i punched him hard enough to bleed nd that day i was charged with FV simple battery. Now she kicked me out because im the devil and disrespectful, i get your supposed to treat your parents like gods and goddesses but why treat someone better than they treat me, i get fat shamed which im not fat i just have a tiny tummy that im insecure about, i've been to the mental hospital twice for harming or trying to end my life and after i got out my mother put me on punishment. im just wondering if i should go back, she changed the locks and she still has most of my stuff plus she took my game system and phone so i have nothing. My dad's mom doesn't like to drive anywhere besides her job or to get my lil cousin so i cant really get a job and they dont let me use the car since i only have a permit. what should i do?

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,

Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway safeline, it takes a lot of courage to reach out and we are so glad that you have decided to reach out to us.

Wow it seems like you have gone through some difficult times and we are sorry that you have had to deal with all of that. Because you know your situation better than anyone it is your decision if you go back home or not.

From what you have described it does seem like living at your mom’s home is not the safest option for you and seems abusive. If you would ever like to file an abuse report you can file one by calling Child Help at 1800-422-4453. You also can consider talking to a school counselor about what is going on. They would be able to file a report and also able to provide support and possible resources for you. It is hard to go without most of your things you could consider calling your mom to see if you can pick up your things if you do decide to go back. Also if she were to not allow you to come back because you are a minor that is considered neglect and you would be able to call the police and report this. An option could be to write down the pros and cons of going back in order to help you make your decision.

We know you mentioned trying to take your life, and we are happy that you survived and are able to share your story with us today. You do not have to deal with these emotions alone please reach out if you need help to The National Suicide Prevention Hotline- 1800-273-8255. Another resource that may be helpful is called NAMI (national alliance for mental illnesses). They can be reached at 1800-950-NAMI.

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 reach out to us. We are available 24/7 by phone or by chat. Best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

I am currently 16 and being threatened with being kicked out. I've had my laptop taken away from me, my phone became unusable a little under a week ago due to unknown issues with the battery, and the phone I was using in the meantime until I got it replaced has also been taken away from me. Leaving my school laptop as the only actual way to reach out for help to anyone, which has the majority of sites that could be helpful to me blocked on it. I have no job and only currently have 50 or so dollars on my person. I'm unable to reach out to anybody due to the lack of a cellphone. What do I do? Please help.

I live with my grandparents and my parents are not in my life, and my aunt and uncle back my grandparents almost always. I have no one that I am related to who would be willing to help me.

[ccsmod0]

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. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We have a database of youth shelters in which we can find a program in your area that may be able to give you a place to stay temporarily and help you to find something more permanent. As a minor, if you are kicked out of the home, you can tell the police who can contact Child Protective Services for you as well, since your parents legally have a responsibility to take care of you until you are 18. 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).

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

[Guest]

Hello what should I do if my mom kicked me out and I got nowhere to go but i also dont wanna call the cops because i dont want my mom to get in trouble or lose my little bother

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS. We want to start by saying that you by no means deserve to be kicked out and it is not okay that this happened. It's understandable to be hesitant to call police or child protective services out of fear that your mom could get into trouble. Those are both still options that you have if you ever need them to stay safe. We can't predict exactly what the outcome would be, but generally it is the goal of police and CPS to keep young people safe rather than get their parents in trouble.

Another option you might have available to you is to stay at a youth shelter if there are not any friends or family members nearby who can provide a place for you to stay. If you call us at 1-800-786-2929 or contact us through live chat at 1800runaway.org we are happy to search our resource database for shelters in your area.

We hope to hear from you soon,
NRS

[Guest]

hello i live in louisiana and i am 17 my mom kicked me out and i am still going to school but a lot of thing go through my mom when it comes to my school stuff i am in 12 grade and she called the cops to report me as a runaway i need help to see if i can still get in trouble for leaving after being kicked out and how will i be able to get my school stuff with having to get her permission because she has said that she will not help me at all or so not to ask her for help

[ccsmod15]

Hello there,
Thank you for reaching out. It sounds like a lot has been going on at home, but you are still making it a priority to go to school! You are truly resilient. So in the state of Louisiana the age of majority, or age you are considered to be an adult, is 18. This means that any age under 18, including 17, would need permission from a legal guardian to leave home. If you are under 18, the police can be called and they can bring you back home. At 17, they might be a little lenient though. It can be a gray area. We are not legal experts and cannot say exactly what would happen. You can always reach out to your local non-emergency police number, remain anonymous, and ask how they would handle the situation. They might not make you go back home and they might be willing to help you get your school stuff, you would just have to see. We could also reach out to them for you.
If you would like to talk more through the situation or reach out to them for you, you can reach out either by phone or by chat since we can only respond to forums twice. Our phone number is 800-RUNAWAY and our live chat can be found at www.1800RUNAWAY.org.
Hope to hear from you soon!
NRS

[Guest]

i am being kicked out at 17 for loving someone what should i do

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,

Thank you so much for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen.
It is considered neglect if you are kicked out as a minor and you are able to make a report. You can file a report by contact your local police or by calling Child Help at 1800-422-4453.

We can help answer any more questions or help you explore options. We are available 24/7 to listen and to provide support. Best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

hey my name is Edward, I'm 8 months away from being 18. my father had kicked me out prior to mentally abusing me, I've been living with my aunt for a few months she knows the situation as well. I have a job, and I'm doing great in school but now my dad wants me home and I really don't wanna go back to that place...

[ccsmod0]

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. It's understandable you would not want to go back to live with your dad if it is an unsafe environment. .
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. Since your dad has custody of you and you are not 18 yet, he had the legal right to decide where you live, whether it be at your aunt's or his home. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
The easiest way to live with your aunt 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. Your aunt and you may also look at options through family court for her to gain temporary custody of you until you turn 18.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. 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 would like to look into further emotional support options, you can text with a crisis worker at the National Alliance on Mental Illness 24/7 by texting "NAMI" to 741741.
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]

im 17, my parents are threatening to kick me out and at this point I don't care. I have had a long long hard road. I am very depressed and fear that if I stay here I will kill myself. I live in a small town with no shelters. I don't care what happens to me anymore what should i do?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. We are very sorry to hear your parents are threatening you and that you are going through such a hard time. You don't deserve that and it's not your fault. One thing we do want you to be aware of is that your parents cannot legally kick you out at 17. That would be parental neglect and you can file an abuse report if that happens. Even threatening to kick you out might be considered a form of emotional abuse. We never tell anyone what to do and we respect your decision making, but if you want to report abuse you can do that through us or through www.childhelp.org (1-800-422-4453).

It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now. It sounds like you’re fearing that the situation may end in suicide if things don’t change. Your safety and well-being is important. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255); www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org is also a great resource to reach out to in addition to our crisis services.

Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. This may be an isolating and lonely time for you, but you are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.

Please know that you DO have options, despite the fact that you live in a small town. We would like to see how we can assist you, but the best way for us to do that would be for you to call our 24 hour confidential hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us via the chat button at the top of our website: www.1800runaway.org. When you call we can look into local or national resources that may help, figure out ways you can move forward with your life, or just discuss whatever is on your mind. We are here to listen, here to help and we hope to hear from you soon!

Stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi, I live in Michigan I’m 17 years of age and I turn 18 in less then two months my dad kicked me out told me he didn’t want me living there cause I was crazy the cops were called that night he told the officer to get me out of here and take me to my grandparents but now my dad says I have to come home and he says if I don’t come with him he will call the cops and they will make me go home and he will sue my grandparents for “taking me” I don’t want to go home does he really have the right to take me?

[ccsmod2]

Thanks for reaching out to National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like it’s been a very frustrating relationship with your dad.

We’re not legal experts, but in general, once a person becomes a legal adult, they are able to decide where they live. This means that your dad would not be able to force you to go with him. From what we’ve found, a person becomes an adult once they turn 18 in the Michigan. Because you’re currently a minor, it could be considered neglect for your dad to have kicked you out. Since you’re close to turning 18, there’s a chance that the police may not take action. Every local police department decides how they handle this type of situation. You can always call your local non-emergency police department and ask them how they respond to 17-year-old runaways.

We hope this helps. If you have any more questions or need additional assistance, please feel free to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our live chat at 1800runaway.org. We’re here 24/7. Best of luck!

[Guest]

hi hi i live in maryland and i’m 17 an pregnant. i have been kicked out of my home along with my boyfriend being kicked out as well. we have no money since my mother cleared my savings account and we have nowhere to go.

[ccsmod3]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you are currently pregnant and you and your boyfriend have been kicked out and have nowhere to go. Being kicked out when you are a minor is considered neglect and that can be reported to Child Protective Services, if you are interested. We can help you find shelters, but you would need to either call our hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat us online at 1800runaway.org. We want to help you as best as we can.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi my names [ ] and I’m from [ ], my uncle kicked me out and I’m only 17 yrs old I’ll be 18 in January and I don’t have another family member to go to , I have no money and no food , I have all my bags packed and my uncle told me that he doesn’t care where I go or who I go to and it’s kinda cold outside, I wanna move in with one of my friends in Gettysburg pa but I don’t have a car what should I do pls help I’m getting kicked out TOMORROW.

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out; we are glad that you did. you don't deserve to be kicked out by your uncle, or anyone else. At 17, you are still a minor and if he is your legal guardian, he is responsible for you till 18.

If he does kick you out, you do have the option of calling your state's CPS, or telling someone at school about this so they can call with/for you. If you can get a friend to drive you to your other friend, or loan you money for public transportation, that might be an option to consider.
We do hope that you will reach out to our live services. You can call our hotline at 1-800-786-2929 (1-800-RUNAWAY) or chat us through this website. Also, we edited out the identifying information from your original post.
We truly hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS