18 but haven't graduated, can I leave home without consent

[ccsmod10]

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS!

We are always here to listen and here to help in any way that we can. It can be very frustrating not knowing what to do or what your next step might be from this point on. It’s brave of you to reach out during your time of need.

We want to start off by letting you know that we are not legal experts. At 18 you’re considered a legal adult in the eyes of the law, regardless if you’re still in high school. That shouldn’t change the laws surrounding when you are no longer a minor. You’re able to your your local police stations non-emergency number and ask them hypothetical questions about their runaway laws as well. We’re able to call out to them with you through our conference calling service if you’re not comfortable calling on your own!

Our safeline is open 24/7. We also have a chatting service via our website, unfortunately, it is not always open. The best way to contact us would be to call in and talk with our trained liners. Unfortunately, we are non-directive at NRS, and can't give out advice, but we're always here to talk and listen.

Be well, NRS

Hi I have turned 18 living in Florida and still in high school am i able to move out even though I'm still in high school?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you are going through a lot at home with your parents having strict rules and saying rough things to you. Here at NRS, we want you to know that despite what you might be hearing at home, you are enough. You deserve to be treated with respect.

We are not legal experts but we can speak generally. If you leave home with 6 months until you turn 18, your guardian can attempt to file you as a runaway with your local police. If police take the report and find you, they could return you home. Police sometimes have different protocol for older 17 year olds, so they best way to know how they would respond is to call your local non-emergency police number and ask hypothetical questions about your situation.

You might have some options depending on your situation. Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you would like help brainstorming your options or if you are in need of local resources. We are here to listen, here to help.

Best,

NRS

I’m 17 right now and I’ll be 18 in about six months. I’m going into my senior year this year and I love being around people outside of home. Anytime I’m at home because I don’t have work or cross country practice, my mom and my brothers are constantly bashing on me and what I do is never good enough. I’m not allowed to go on dates with my boyfriend who’s 18 because my parents don’t think he’s on “my level.” I hate being at home because I can never escape the negativity and my parents always hold me down. They went so far as to take all of my cash and my debit card until I turn 18, which has all of the money I make from work... I’ve honestly thought about moving out right after I graduate and I’m determined to leave this house as soon as possible but I don’t know how to figure out how I would afford it on such a small budget. I’ve had a friend’s mom offer to rent out a room for me. My boyfriend wants me to be able to be with him. Either way I go though I need to figure out how to earn better money and go to college without having to go back to my family. What are my options?

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are here 24/7 to listen and to support.

It sounds like you are in a really difficult situation and are unsure of where to turn. If you give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 we would be able to talk through different options that you may have. Do you have friends or family in the area that you could stay with just until you finish high school? If not, there may be a Transitional Living Program in your area. TLP's are programs that provide housing and other services to young adults that don't have homes but also don't have the means to live on their own just yet. If you give us a call, we sould look up those or other shelters in your area. You could also possibly have your records sent to a new school if you wanted to live with your grandmother and thus would be transferring to a new school. You could ask a school counselor about that process or you could reach out to the National Center for Homeless Education at 1-800-308-2145 for the answers you need. Don't hesitate to reach out to them or us if you need support or other resources.

Best,

NRS

I am 18 and still in high school, and my parents want me to move out.
I was an exchange student my junior year, and my schooling while on exchange didn't count for credit. So when I returned I am having to do another junior year and a senior year. I am 18 and a junior, but now that I am 18, and even though I am still in high school my father constantly threatens to kick me out, or he is saying that he doesn't want me here. I have a little money saved up that I was going to use for college, which I could use to get my own place but then I wouldn't be able to afford college. And I don't want to drop out of high school, but it would be hard to stay. I don't know what to do. My parents are the ones who suggested that I take an extra year of high school instead of taking an online class while I was on exchange, but now they are saying that they want me gone. I would be able to stay with my grandmother, but she lives far away and I would have to drop out of high school.

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS!

We are always here to listen and here to help in any way that we can. It can be very frustrating not knowing what to do or what your next step might be from this point on. It’s brave of you to reach out during your time of need. We have a database of resources and if you’re able to call in, we can try to brainstorm with you and get a better idea of your situation.

If you feel like getting out of the house is the best option and you decide to run away, we can explain what usually happens. We’re not legal experts, but from our general knowledge, running away is not illegal. If you runaway, your parents can make a runaway report. The police don't always actively look for you, if they come across you, then they usually bring you home. If you explain to them that home isn't a safe place to be, they don't always return you right away. They're supposed to investigate it first. We offer to call out to youths local police, with youth, to find out their protocols and what happens if runaways refuse to go home. We can also help find runaway/youth shelters in your area, so you can stay safe.

We’re always here for you and will do our best to help, and find you options. Our safeline is open 24/7. We also have a chatting service via our website, unfortunately, it is not always open. The best way to contact us would be to call in and talk with our trained liners.

Be well, NRS

I am 17 and I will be 18 in 9 months but I wanna move out now things are hard at home I can't be with people I wanna be with and its always yelling.

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today.

Sounds like you are in a rough situation at home with your abusive father and wanting to leave with your mother. No one deserves to be abused and you and your mom's safety is incredibly important. Since you are over 18, you cannot report the abuse to child protective services but you do have the right to leave the home at any time. It is so understandable that not having income and not leaving your mom with him has made getting out of the house difficult for you. If you ever feel like you and your mom are in immediate danger please call 911. You might also reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. They can help you form a safety plan with leaving and look for domestic violence housing resources near you if you need.

You might also ask friends and trusted family members if you two can stay with them; while trying to leave your dad's house and gain income. If your mom has any available finances, you might ask her about moving out and renting another place. If you all need help with rent assistance, you might reach out to the local United Way information and referral line at 2-1-1 to see if there are any local resources with affordable housing resources.

If you call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY we can look for shelter resources that might be able to help you and your mom. We can also talk through your situation and brainstorm your options. Again, please call 911 if you feel like you are in immediate danger.

We hope this response was helpful! 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 support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey.

Tell us what you think about your experience!

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

NRS

Hello
my father is abusive i don't want to stay with him i m 18+ but i do not have my personal income i want to also take my mother out of my father's house

[ccsmod5]

Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like you’re wanting to leave home. We are not legal experts, but generally speaking you would need your parents’ permission to leave home before you are 18. If you leave before then, your parents would have the right to file a runaway report and if the police are able to locate you they may return you home. That being said, there is a possibility that your local police would not accept a runaway report for someone so close to being 18. You might consider reaching out to your local police at their non-emergency line to see how they would handle a situation like yours (hypothetically). If you’re uncomfortable doing so, we can also call out to your local police for you. If you would like to talk about the situation more specifically or need help locating resources, please feel free to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929. We wish you the best of luck and we hope this response was helpful in making your decision. We encourage you to give your honest feedback of our forum services at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

I’m 17 and turn eighteen in one month. Can I move out before then?

[ccsmod5]

Hey,
Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a tough situation and are wanting to leave home. We’re not legal experts, but in most states you are allowed to leave home once you are a legal adult (usually age eighteen) regardless of when you graduate high school.
If you want to speak more specifically about your situation or need help locating resources, please feel free to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929. We wish you the best of luck and we hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Please click the link to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think . Stay safe!

Hello Im 18 and I want to know 18 i doesnt graduate in may and i wanna leave my mom house could i be reported as an run a way

[ccsmod15]

Hello, thanks for posting on our forum today. It sounds like due to issues at home, schoolwork has been hard to keep up with, which makes a lot of sense! We are here to offer any help we can for this tough situation.
You did mention there had been abuse. If you have not already and you want to, filing an abuse report is an option. Child Help is the national child abuse hotline and can give you more information on how to file a report or get custody transferred to a safe adult. Child Help: 1-800-422-4453, childhelp.org.
Regarding moving out, in most states 18 is the age when you can do that without parental consent. Perhaps asking your parents if you can stay with a family member or friend who is willing before you turn 18 is an option to keep you safe and help you safe up money. If that is not an option, you can also consider asking someone you feel comfortable with to stay with them after you turn 18 and leave home legally, again, to save up some money for your own place.
We have a lot of resources for transitional living programs which are similar to shelters but longer term and a bit more structured. They often teach life skills to help you transition to living on your own and most are set up in a dorm-style. You may have your own room or share one, it really depends. We can look up TLPs in your area if you contact us directly and provide your city and state. The easiest ways to contact us directly is through phone 24/7: 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) and through online live chat 4:30-11:30pm Central Time on our website.
You may also look at HUD.gov which is a government website with information on subsidized and low cost housing which may benefit you if you are on a low budget.
Like we said, leaving home is legal in most states at 18, however, while still being in school, there may be additional rules on needing a parent signature for certain school forms. Reaching out to a counselor or your principal about how they work with 18 year old students who live independently may also be a good next step as you prepare to move out on your own. Teachers or counselors at school may also be a good resource for you to discuss credits and how you can go about graduating in a timely manner due to falling behind.
We understand it takes a lot of courage to reach out for help and guidance. Thank you for posting today. It is very smart for you to be thinking ahead on what is best for you and what resources are available to you. Call or live chat us anytime: 1-800-RUNAWAY, 1800runaway.org.