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

[ccsmod3]

Hi,
Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We appreciate you reaching out and sharing what has been going on. We imagine this situation is not easy for your entire family. We are here 24/7 for both youths and guardians. It sounds like the youth took off in the middle of the night with a boy they hardly know and miss your child. The most important part that we want to address is the youth’s safety. If you feel like they are in immediate danger, then we would recommend contacting 9-1-1 and file a runaway report. Filing the runaway report helps to track them locally and nationally in the event they get picked up by the police. We do not report runaways but seek to explore other options to help you assess what needs to happen to stop this from happening in the future also. If you need emotional support over the phone. Our number is 1800RUNAWAY and we are here for all of you 24 hours a day. Also, we provide a message and conference call service in case the youth does not want to call home right away. By calling us, they are able to send messages home to parents and vice versa to get things rolling until they are ready to come home. This is just one option that may help to start a conversation with the youth. We work best when we can have a conversation with you. We would recommend calling us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or by Live Chat, we are here 24/7.

I am a mom of a runaway senior who just turned 18. She is not in an abusive home whatsoever, she just doesn’t want rules. There are rules to every aspect of life! She has a job. Jobs have rules too! I have been looking through these stories and I believe when you decide to take off in the middle of the night with a boy you hardly know, you have a mental condition that needs addressed. So often it is the parents in crisis. What do you do to help the parents of an extremely rebellious child who just wants “freedom” but was encouraged to get her license so she could have more freedom? What do you do when she spent her entire life running away but you gave her grace every time? What do you do when she did not come from an abusive home but is selfish and just always wanted to be spoiled, schemed and deceived and lied all her life, used a boy she barely knows to escape a loving family who cherishes her and is devastated she is gone? What about those left behind? All these stories of teenagers who claim an abusive home they escaped from but what if it wasn’t that way at all? Dear God I miss my child so much.

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like there may be some things happening at home that are causing you to want to run away. We recognize the courage and strength it takes to reach out about situations like this, and we are happy to provide our support in any way we can for you. We are glad to hear that you have plans on furthering your education, that is awesome! We welcome you to reach out to us through our online chat portal, found on our website at www.1800runaway.org or you may give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We could provide more direct assistance for you this way, and talk through potential options.

Wishing you health, peace, and safety.

Kindly,
NRS

Hi, I just turned 18. How would I go about leaving my house without my parent knowing. I am a senior in high school and do plan on furthering my education. I have an idea of where I would go. How Might I register to another school without the school notifying my parent?

[ccsmod7]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline, we are so glad that you did. While we are not legal experts, we do have a general understanding of some youth related laws. In relation to your question - the age of majority is defined as the age that a person is considered a legal adult, and this varies per State. In most states the age of majority is 18 years old; however, if you live in Nebraska, Mississippi or Alabama, the age of majority is older than 18 years old. With this background information provided, the simple answer is that if you are or, are older than, the age of majority for the state that you live in then you are considered a legal adult and can make your own decisions without parental consent, assuming that there are no other extenuating circumstances that would require you to have parental consent to leave.

If it would be helpful to have a fuller conversation with us including more details about your situation, please reach out via chat through our website (www.1800runaway.org) or on our phone hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) to talk this through. We are here to help 24/7 and we hope to hear from you soon!

Good luck!

Sincerely,
NRS

Ok. I’m 18, still in school and living at home. Can I leave and go somewhere for a day without parental consent?

[ccsmod16]

Hello! Thank you for reaching out to the NRS!

We're sorry to hear about your struggles at home. We hear you, you should not be treated that way at home by your brother or parents and you deserve to be somewhere that makes you feel wanted and safe.

You mentioned that you are suicidal -- we take suicide very seriously here at the NRS. If you feel like you are suicidal and a danger to yourself, we highly advise you contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800)-273-8255 or call 911. Additionally, if you feel as though you're going through your mental health issues alone, a great resource is NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They have great support groups there with people going through similar issues at https://www.nami.org/Support-Education/Support-Groups.

Regarding running away or at least getting away from your home, we hear you. It sounds like you’ve been in a very overwhelming environment with your brother and parents, and it’s understandable why you would want to get away from it all. That said, we still wanted to share some information with you on that matter. We aren't legal experts here at NRS, but because you are 18, you are no longer a minor and can freely move out if you so choose. That said, if you are committed to leaving, there are some other things to consider including where you would go, how you would get there, and how you would support yourself. We aren’t here to tell you what to do or what not to do, but we encourage you to continue fleshing out your feelings and plans with people you trust so you can make the most informed decision for yourself.

If you have questions or just want to talk about your situation more with one of our representatives feel free to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) or chat with us at 1800runaway.org.

Im 18 and still in school but i hate my good for nothing familly.my brother is very mean to me even if im trying to help him and my parents dont let me be myself without making fun of me and they always expect big things from me and i cant take it anymore.i have even considered killing myself but i was always to scared to do it myself and i am wondering if i should just leave and find
somewhere to live away from them and out of town

[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 seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission even if you are in high school. 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.
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 forum 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 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

Once i’m 18 can i move out even if i’m still in high school?

[ccsmod5]

Hello,

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We appreciate you reaching out. It sounds like you want to travel to Florida after you turn 18.

Depending on what state you are located, the age of majority or when a person becomes a legal adult is 18 years old. We are not legal expert and seems like you could travel as an adult We want to make sure you are safe and if you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.

Again, we are here as support to help and please contact us any time.

National Runaway Safeline

[email protected] (Crisis Email)

1-800-RUNAWAY (24 Hour Hotline)

Tell us what you think about your experience!

Hey, I turn 18 in October and I want to bus down to Florida in December while I am on winter break can my mom stop me from doing so?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thank you for contacting us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We're glad you reached out and we're here to help you as much as we can.

Typically, once you are 18, you are considered a legal adult. That means you can move out of your parents home if you'd like to and you do not have to be graduated from high school in order to do so. NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance, so if you have other specific questions or want to talk in more detail about a situation, 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 and take care,
NRS

If I’m a highschool senior homeschooled and I’m 18 do I have to stay living with parents until graduation in Oklahoma… or do you have to be 18 and graduate highschool first before moving out? Like does the law allow 18 year olds to move out or you have to be 18 and graduate

[ccsmod15]

Hello, thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. In most of the states, the age of majority (no longer considered a minor) is 18, which means you would be able to leave home. There are a few states where the age of majority is over 18, but it is often a gray area for enforcement as it relates to running away. If you do decide to move in with your boyfriend, you may want to consider if it will create any challenges with attending school. Additionally, you may want to think about being able to support yourself if things do not work out or if you decide living separately is the best option. We hope that everything works out for you. If you would like to discuss this further, you are always welcome to call 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) or visit www.1800Runaway.org (live chat). Best of luck, NRS