15, runaway from a group home, seeking help!

[klovesm]

I'm 15 years old and sadly my life keeps going down hill. I was removed from my dad's and place in a group home 3 hours away. I was there for 3 weeks and my depression states overwhelming me. I was getting bullied and my social worker let me go the whole 3 weeks in there with only 2 outfits to my name . Well anyways I finally got fed up and left and started staying with my boyfriend. Its been almost 4 months since I left and I was told by a family member that I have warrants. Also i think i might be pregnant. After Telling you a little bit about my story I have a few questions that I really need answered.
1. Can I still go to school when I have these warrants?
2.is it possible for me to get a job
3. and if I am pregnant will I be able to go to doctors appointments and the hospital without getting caught by DSS??

[ccsmod1]

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline! If you need immediate assistance please give us a call at 1 (800) RUNAWAY. We’re here 24/7 and every day of the year. There’s always someone here who is willing to help!

It sounds like you’re going through a lot. It doesn’t sound like you were treated fairly in the group home. No one should have to deal with bullying. To answer your questions:
1) Unfortunately, we’re not legal experts so we cannot say if you would be able to go to school with warrants. If the police are looking for you, they would likely start at your school. We don’t know that this is actually the case, but it is a possibility.
2) We also cannot if you would be able to get a job. Many employers use background checks so that may be difficult, but we don’t for certain that you wouldn’t be able to get one.
3) You may be able to go to a clinic without DSS being involved, we don’t know this for sure either. In some states, to go to the doctor you need either parental/guardian consent or you need to be accompanied by a guardian. If you need to be accompanied or need to have consent, it’s more likely that DSS would get involved. Check with your local doctor’s office to see what their requirements are and make sure that they know that you want to know if you’re pregnant because that sometimes changes the regulations.

Is it possible to check for certain if you have a warrant? It sounds like it’s really difficult to get the resources that you need if you do have one. We’re sorry that we don’t have many definite answers to your questions.

If you need help with anything or just want to talk, don’t hesitate to give us a call!

Best of luck,

The National Runaway Safeline

[Guest]

What if I run away from my group at 15 years old n 5 months pregnant wat will happen

[ccsmod5]

Hi,

Thanks so much for writing in. It sounds like you're in a tough spot, but it's great that you're reaching out for support. While we aren't legal experts, we can speak in generalities. If you're in a group home, generally you are considered a ward of the state or the state has intervened on your behalf in some way. If you choose to leave your group home, the group home will generally file a runaway report. If you are found, generally you will be returned to the group home.

If you'd like to speak about your situation more specifically, please feel free to reach out to us at the National Runaway Safeline: 1-800-786-2929. Our lines are open 24/7 and someone is always here to lend an ear, help you brainstorm options, or help you locate resources. Best of luck to you!

-NRS

[Guest]

If I have warrants from running away from a group home will I still have warrants for it when I turn 18?

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for contacting us, it takes a lot of courage to reach out and share your story. Living in nontraditional places, like group homes can be very stressful and it's understandable that you'd want to leave that situation. We aren’t legal experts here at NRS, but generally speaking, if you do opt to leave your home the group home/your legal guardian 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 to your guardian. If you are currently on probation or parole then police response may be different. If you'd like, you can call your local nonemergency police line (311) for more information on local policy.

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.

All the best,
NRS