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

[ccsmod8]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out and sharing your situation with National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We know that it takes a lot of courage to share your truth and you are so brave to do so with us. It sounds like there are a lot of challenges going on at home right now with your family and your mom. It must be difficult to be spending so much time at home with your family members because of the pandemic. We want to let you know that we fully support you and want you to feel comfortable, safe and happy at home. Your frustrations and desire to leave are valid given the stressful circumstances you are facing.

You mentioned wanting to leave home when you turn 18. In most states, you are considered an adult when you turn 18, meaning that you can make the decision to move out of your home without your parents' permission. Typically, you can still attend your school even if you move out of your family home, but it might be helpful to reach out to school staff to plan ahead. Whether you decide to leave home now or when you turn 18, it is important to plan how to take care of yourself, and we are here to discuss this and anything else you need support with.

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).

We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe, NRS

Im 16 and I ranaway for two days with being found at a 7-11 40 mins from my house nothing really happened when I got home some verbal yelling nothing crazy. I left cause I don't really wanna live with my family anymore I don't hate them. They just crazy short tempers I don't do anything to make em angry really just keep to myself and find no trouble to be in plus qurantine ain't helpin I gotta be with them all the time but its normal to me cause I spent most of my life in solitude but I just wanted to know I got 6 siblings 3 moved out but are 24/7 suvelliance watched across of the country that 2 live with me I wanted to know If I endure 2 more years of this I can move out the day I turn 18 I live in maryland. My mom don't ever let me go outside I wanted to play basketball at a court down the street from my neighborhood and she started balling up in tears and saying I was the reason she was going to die I didn't take mind to cause she always says that she started screaming im to much for her. She has a weird relationship with my dad she only wants money from him but he never home cause he always works my moms a refugee from kenya tbh I just want to know CAN I MOVE AT THE DAY I HIT 18 and I dont need my parents permission even If im in school.

[ccsmod13]

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We knkow it takes a lot of bravery and courage to open up and reach out, and we thank you for sharing all of this with us. First and foremost, we want you to know that you are not alone. We are here to listen and here to help.

You mentioned that you are feeling like your parents control every aspect of your life, not just financially, but emotionally and personally. It can be very difficult to learn how to grow up and become independent when the people in our life who are supposed to be helping us grow are having trouble doing so. You also wondered if your parents can legally hold you at home because you have a disability. We are not legal experts at the NRS, so we can only offer general information on this topic, but typically an 18-year-old is considered an adult, and therefore their parents would not legally be able to hold them at their house.

You’ve mentioned that you have had a difficult past and that you have focused a lot on improving yourself in this past year. It is clear through your writing that you are very emotionally mature and have already taken great strides to help yourself (working to transfer schools, talking with your boyfriend and his father to find a safer living environment, etc.). We hope you know that we are proud of you and you should be proud of yourself, too. You are right when you say that this is hard!

If you would feel comfortable, one thing that may be helpful is sitting down with your parents and having a conversation with them about how you are feeling at this point in your life, and what your goals and desires are at this point. Your parents may be unaware of how their behavior is affecting you, and having this conversation could help everyone get on the same page. If you feel uncomfortable having that talk alone, you can call us anytime and we can initate a conference call between you and your parents, and we would be there the whole time to mediate and make sure that it’s a safe environment for all of you to talk.

Speaking of calling us, we are available 24/7 over the phone at 1(800)786-2929 and through live chat at 1800runaway.org, and would love to talk with you further about your situation if you’re looking for more support. Reach out to us anytime, and we’d be happy to talk and assist you!

We’re wishing you the best of luck out there. Stay safe,
NRS

I’m 18 years old. I have been controlled by my parents my entire life, leaving me with no education on how anything in the adult world works. My boyfriend lives a state away. I have come to a conclusion that staying in this neglectful environment will not help me become a successful adult. My parents have ‘my car’ under their name and have the only money I have under their name. And that is how they keep me here.
I am trying to move out within the next week and a half. I am trying to move out with ‘my’ car at least. I put in to my school for a transfer already. I don’t know if there is any way behind getting my parents to allow me to move out. I was a very troubled child and teen. The past year has been focused on improving myself. I am afraid that they have some sort of trick up their sleeve to keep me here. I’m terrified. My 21 year old brother still lives at home, failed college and spends all of his money on fast food. I do not want to end up like my family. My mother is the main issue. Staying in this dirty environment will not help me become a successful adult. My boyfriend and his father(when I move in) are helping me with finances, school, food, shelter) I am completely terrified of the process of getting out of the house. It needs to happen this week. If they don’t allow me to have my car my boyfriend will have to drive here. I would prefer to take my car. But I’m scared my parents will try to hold me here still.
can my parents legally hold me in their home because I have a disability?
what is a way to approach parents who don’t want to let their child go?
I would appreciate some guidance, this is a hard thing to do when I have lived my entire life thinking I’m nothing without my parents.

[ccsmod8]

Hello there -

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline on our public forum. We are always here to listen and here to help in any way that we can. It sounds like you're dealing with a lot at home with and you're thinking that the best way to deal with that would be to leave.

Now we aren't legal experts here and you might have already read on this forum thread about what could happen if you were to leave home before the age of majority. So we won’t get into that since you can find it fairly easily. Usually a parent can petition the courts to have extended guardianship over their child, but they would have to prove that they child in question wasn’t able to take care of themselves in an adult capacity. Usually this means that they have some sort of mental and/or cognitive delay that makes functioning without help impossible. We aren’t sure if that's what you were referring to.

If you have a specific question that you can't find the answer to on here or maybe find a place to vent about what you are feeling right now, you can always call us. It’s hard to talk to just anyone one about what has been going on. Please rest assured that we are completing confidential. So anything that you share with us will stay between us. We don’t ask for any identifying information, unless you want to report any abuse. Please reach out via phone or even our online chat for more help.

Best of luck!

Are you allowed to legally move out of a home at 18, even if they say your mentally insane

[ccsmod15]

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 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.

While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. 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.
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).

We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe and stay strong,
NRS

Hi I'm turning 18 in 9 days. My parents and my councelor say that if im going to move I have to go to a school they approve of. And im unsure if thats a legal thing. But I live in neenah Appleton. I want to mpve to mediapplis iowa with my boyfriend and we have gotten plans for me to move out but are my parenta abpe to hold ke back because I'm halfway through school? I cant live there any longer. Theyre verbally and mentally abusive and if i stay any longer I know I will end up ending my own life. Being with them is not good to my mental health. Ive told my councelors this but they keep insisting i stay with my parents and graduate. Saying I'll make it through. I dont know what kind of people they are but theyre supposed to help me. Not make me stay in a place thats deteriorating my mental health. I dont know what to do. So many people are saying so many things.

[ccsmod15]

Since you are 18 you are more than likely considered a legal adult which means that you can move out if you want to and you won’t be considered a runaway. As a legal adult, you have a right to make your own decisions about where you live. We can help you make a plan for how to deal with your situation and help you find resources to land on your feet. Having a plan for where you will live and how you will survive once you move out can be very helpful. Moving can be a huge step, and you don’t have to be alone. Some steps you can take towards independence might be to find employment if you don’t have an income, or to save up money for moving expenses. It can also be helpful to research rents in your area, find a roommate, or make a budget. Another thing you might want to consider is what kinds of things you depend on your parents for currently such as tuition expenses for school, or health insurance, and whether they would continue to provide those things after you leave. There may be social service agencies in your area that can help meet some of these needs, such as Transitional Living Programs, a kind of shelter where young adults can live and get services to help them transition to independent living. We are here to listen and help however we can.
NRS

Im 18, and I haven't graduated yet, can I leave home without consent.

I'm in conneaut ohio.

[ccsmod15]

Hey there, thanks for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like you might be looking for advice, and unfortunately we cannot give advice as we are non-directive.

You might consider talking to your grandparents and mom/parents about the possibility of staying with your grandparents (for the short or long-term), even a day or few days of respite from a stressful situation can sometimes be beneficial for everyone involved. If you’d like support talking with your mom, we offer a Conference Call service if you’d like to call us at 800-786-2929.

You mentioned experiencing anxiety and sometimes talking through emotions and exploring options with someone can be useful. You might also consider talking to a counselor/therapist or trusted teacher or school counselor.

While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without guardian permission. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.

If you are considering running away, you can also look up possible safe places at the National Safe Place at https://www.nationalsafeplace.org/find-a-safe-place.

If you would like to talk more in detail or explore what local resources might be available, please contact us via our ONLINE CHAT SERVICE at www.1800runaway.org (click on the CHAT button) or our HOTLINE at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929). We are here for you and wish you all the best, NRS.

Hi, I'm 1 month away from turning 18 and my parents are making it very hard to wait till graduation to move out and live on my own. They make my anxiety sky rocket high and make me cry practically every night to the point where I wanna run away. They claim they care but they don't treat me like it. They treat me terrible and get mad at me for no reason. They also never let me be myself or let me express myself and when I get upset they blame my video game even tho that has nothing to do with it. I really wanna move out once i'm 18 and live with my grandparents but I don't think my mother would let me leave. But if I stay till I graduate they would drive me to run away. What do I do?

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS. While we are not legal experts we can speak on this generally. The age of majority in most states is 18 which means you will more than likely be considered a legal adult on your birthday. Being a legal adult means you have the legal freedom to choose where you live even if you are still attending high school. We are here 24/7 if you would like to talk about your situation or if you are in need of any resources (shelter, transitional living programs, counseling, etc.). Please do not hesitate to reach us by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or through live chat at 1800runaway.org if you need any support.

Be safe and good luck,
NRS

I’m am gonna be 18 in 11 days and i am a senior in high school and i was wondering if i could move out when i turn 18 but still be in school?

[ccsmod13]

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing your situation with us. It sounds like your daughter's friend has been in a very controlling household and you are willing to house her. While we are not legal experts, we can speak generally on this. At 18, your daughter's friend is more than likely considered a legal adult with the legal freedom to choose where she lives. She does have the ability to choose to move out and leave her parents' home.

Please do not hesitate to reach out again by phone at 1-800-786-2929 or through live chat if you have any more questions or you are in need of any resources.

Take care,
NRS