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**ccsmod1** · 02-24-2009, 07:38 PM

Re: im 15 and wanting to run away

Thanks for writing in to us. It sounds like you’re feeling like you don’t belong at your home and want to leave. We hope we can be of assistance to you in your time of difficulty. It’s important to note that we aren’t lawyers, nor do we have a legal background so we can’t give you specific legal information or advice.

The main thing that you asked about is where you can go when you do runaway. There are runaway youth shelters in different locations throughout the United States. The one thing to know about shelters, however, is that they do have to contact a minor’s parent/guardian in order for a youth to stay. This is something that all shelters have to do; otherwise they could potentially get in trouble for harboring a runaway. Some shelters will allow a youth to stay for up to 72 hours before contacting the parents. Some will do it immediately. Even once a youth is allowed to stay at a shelter, they’re generally short-term options and a lot of times the main goal is family reunification. If you want to see a list of shelters here’s a great website for that information: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/co ... locate.htm

Just so you’re aware, when it comes to being a minor and not living at home anymore there are usually three legal ways to do so. 1) Get parents/guardian’s permission to live elsewhere 2) Be removed from the home by Child Protective Services. This is in cases of abuse and neglect. And is not usually the first thing that comes from a CPS investigation. 3) Get emancipated. Not every state allows emancipation, but the ones that do generally say that the youth has to be able to financially support himself/herself (meaning provide yourself with food, clothing, housing, etc), stay in school, live independently from their parents, etc. Some states also require a parent/guardian’s signature in order for this process to take place. Once emancipated however, the youth has all the same rights as an adult (over 1

.

Do any of the above sound like realistic options for you? Obviously just leaving is also an option. It’s just important to really think about before doing so. Just the fact that you wrote in to us shows that you are trying to gain knowledge to make the best decision for yourself.

We’re not here to tell you not to runaway or even help you runaway. We are here to listen to what’s going on and try to help you figure out all the options you have. If you want to talk to someone more in depth about any of this, feel free to call our hotline 24/7. We’re 100% confidential and anonymous. If you do decide to go ahead and leave, know that our number is free from any payphone. Best of luck.

**Guest** · 02-24-2009, 09:49 PM

Re: im 15 and wanting to run away

some of those options sound really good especially the emancipation. I wouldnt be able to live with other family because i dont have any so thats a dead end for me.

now what if i leave with their permision and they want me back. Do they have a say anymore in what i can do after they gave me permission to leave

My education is also very important to me how will i be able to go to school after im on my own

also as a side note if i do get emancipated and im not able to get on my feet what will happen then

**ccsmod1** · 02-24-2009, 10:39 PM

Re: im 15 and wanting to run away

It’s great to see that you’re considering different options and that you want to be able to make it on your own. You asked some important questions that show you're really thinking this through.

If you get your parent’s permission to leave, they could obviously at any time decide that you have to come home. That’s one of the down-sides to that option. Sometimes people find it helpful to get something in writing, but in the end if it doesn’t go through the court system your parents would still be legally responsible for you and thus could still make you come home.

When it comes to emancipation, you generally have to prove before getting emancipated that you can “make it on your own”. It’s generally not an easy process and one that may require a lawyer. To the best of our knowledge even the areas that have emancipation as a process don’t do so often. If you want us to check into emancipation in your area we would need to know a city and state to look in. We could also provide you with a legal aid number to get more specific legal information about it.

It’s great that your education is important to you. Normally you need a guardian to sign you in and out of school, get past school records, etc. If you are able to get emancipated, then school shouldn’t be much of an issue because you could sign yourself in and out. There is a law, the McKinney-Vento Act that states that all youth have the right to go to school regardless of living situation. It was mainly started for homeless youth (still in the care of their guardians), but does have a stipulation that includes unaccompanied minors (aka runaway youth). The act states that a school is supposed to enroll a student first and ask all the questions later (get records, talk to guardians, etc). The process to get into a school under this act involves contacting the homeless youth liaison for the school district. To find a list of these liaisons go to: http://www.serve.org/nche/states/state_resources.php One limitation to this act may be that it does say that if the school has a policy on how they handle runaways, they may have to find a way to work with it. This may mean that the guardians or the police are contacted. Here’s the link to the unaccompanied minor section of the website in relation to this act, http://www.serve.org/nche/ibt/sc_youth.php, if you want to read more about it.

If you want us to look into local resources for you, let us know where we can look. Also, just so you know one of the services we provide here is conference calling between youth and local social service agencies. This means if you were to call us during business hours we could help you contact the homeless liaison or whomever. We know that sometimes it’s a little intimidating to do on your own and we have no problem advocating for you!

**Unregistered** · 05-27-2011, 12:52 PM

me and my gurlfriend want 2 run away 2 i am 14 and she is 15 bout 2 turn 16 we lovde each other but her family doesnt love her and she wants 2 lie on her own and we dont kno where or what 2 do

**ccsmod2** · 05-27-2011, 02:34 PM

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Switchboard. We are a confidential and anonymous crisis line for youth; we’re glad that you have reached out to someone on your girlfriends behalf.

You said that you and your girlfriend want to run away together because her parents don’t love her. We’re sorry to hear that and think it’s great that she has a supportive boyfriend.

If you were to run away, where do you think you would go? At the National Runaway Switchboard, we have a database of resources that include shelters. We can try to help you locate a safe place to go and can help you call them. We can also help you locate other possible resources and discuss other options that may be available for you.

Please call us anytime; we are available 24 hours a day at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck.

~NRS

**guest101** · 07-06-2011, 08:13 PM

15 i want to run away (Femalel)

The reason I want To run away is because My Family is Not Classified as A Family..Because Everybody In my Family Has been Abused By my Dad He Doesnt Care ABout His Family At All only His Self..He Beats Up For No Reason And He Finds Fault To just Have a Reason To put His Hand On us He Tried Hitting Me The other Day...but Thanks To my mom She FOund What Ever He was Looking For..To Make it All worst He Moved Our Whole Family To Ga Away From My Home town Florida I Want To go back So bad And that's Where I Want To Runaway To. There is No way Anyone can talk me out of running away cause i made my mind up.

Q1: How Can i Get Out ?
Q2: What Can I Do ?
Q3: if I run away Can i still get My education?

**ccsmod8** · 07-07-2011, 12:05 AM

RE: 15 I Want To Run Away (Female)

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to tell us your story. It sounds like so much has happened to you but you manage to remain strong. It is not your fault. You do not deserve any of it. We imagine how difficult it must have been to get uprooted from the life you have known for some time now. We glad you contacted us for emotional support and resources. We seek to empower you in order for you to make decisions that will better your situation. Have you talked to your mother about how you are feeling lately? It sounds like your entire family is going through a whole lot right now. You are not alone. We want to help.

One way we are able to help is if you were to call us directly to get a live liner to speak with to discuss these issues over the phone. It may help to hear from a real person since you are face with so much that seems outside of your control. This must be really frustrating for you. If you call us you can speak about anything you like because we are confidential and anonymous. We do not talk about anything you say with anyone else. However, we are also mandated reporters.

We are expected to report what has happened to you if you were to give us your father's name, number and address and your name and date of birth. You are not force to act on this issue if you call us. It is just one option. We are concerned for your safety. Do you feel safe at home? Have you considered filing an abuse report before? We use this word because you mentioned earlier that everyone in your family has been abused by your father.

After a report is filed, a professional worker with child and family services will come out to visit your family. They will start an investigation to see what is happening and make a decision on what they find. We do not guarantee the outcome but we certainly call the right people to get things started. This is just an option. Have you thought about other ways to remain safe? We offer resources such as family therapy or counseling if this is something that might help your family cope with the stressfulness of your homelife.

Do you think your family may benefit from this sort of information? You mentioned that there is no way anyone will be able to talk you out of running away. We do not offer advice but want to make sure you have options or a proper plan to remain safe. What is your plan? It is our experience that if a youth is going to leave that there is nothing that will stop them unless the family find new ways to work it out together or if you had a change of heart. If you wanted to talk more about what you can do we are here for you. It is a matter of what to expect from your parents if you did leave.

It is not illegal to run away but it is illegal for someone to harbor you if you do not have permission from your parents. Where might you stay or how will you survive? You do have a right to an education. One law that exist is called the McKinney-Vento Act that helps you to figure out school where you may go. We tell you this because it is your right to know this info but we cannot control some of the obstacles you may face along the way. Please call us to talk more about this option soon. Good luck.

-NRS

**Unregistered** · 10-23-2011, 06:20 PM

Im 15 I dont want to live here at home

its not like my parents are entirely bad to me I feel I would be better living idk some where else and also better for them im troublesome and lazy and I think I Should kill my self Im thinking about living on the streets neirgh my school and go there(school) new york falls are cold idk

**ccsmod0** · 10-23-2011, 07:14 PM

Re: Im 15 and wanting to run away

Hi,
Thanks for coming to us here at The National Runaway Switchboard. It sounds like you are going through a difficult situation at home right and we are sorry to hear that. It must be hard to feel like you're in this position right now. Is there anything that you can do at home to try and make things better? Sometimes working with your familly through things like counseling, or mediation, or just finding a way to communicate in any sort of healthy way coould possibly improve how you're feeling.
If you truly do feel suicidal you can always call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. They are there for you 24 hours a day to help you get through times like that or to talk with you about suicide in general. Have you put any thought into where you would go if you left? It can get pretty hard on the streets, especially with the winter coming up as you have said. Do you know where you would get food? clothes? money? Do you think your parents would look for you? These are all things to think about if you do decide to leave. We would like to be able to help you as much as we can. Please call us anytime at 1-800-RUNAWAY to talk more about your situation. You can also reach us through chat from 4:30-10 pm CST everyday.
We look forward to speaking with you and wish you the best of luck.
NRS

**Unregistered** · 03-03-2012, 09:57 AM

im 15 in texas

so my sister & i wanna go live with my boyfran who is 17. his mom says she'll take us in because she want u to hve somewhere safe to stay. but our parents dont want us to leave. they constantly mentally abuse us by saying 'oh its okay if you die we still have your sister and brothers and our dog' and my mom doesnt talk to my sister at all anymore and she forces us to go to schools we dont like. they never have anything positive to say about us and they make us cry and they have just never been there since day one. we want to go live with my boyfran would that be legal or could his mom get in trouble ?

**ccsmod2** · 03-03-2012, 11:02 AM

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Switchboard; it sounds like you are going through a very stressful time right now and we are glad you have taken that first step in asking for help. We aren’t legally trained here but we can definitely try to find you some other resources that may be able to answer all of your questions.

It sounds like you and your sister want to go live with your boyfriend because your parents are mentally abusive toward you. We are sorry to hear that because nobody deserves to have anyone say things like that to them. They deserve to feel safe and secure in their environments. You also mentioned that they have been like this since day one; does that mean your relationship has always been this way? Also, have you ever told anyone else about the mental abuse?

It sounds like you and your boyfriend have a very good relationship. It’s great that his mom is so supportive of you and your sister. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you what would happen if you were to go there. Generally speaking, she may get in trouble for harboring a runaway or contributing to the delinquency of a minor. If you were to leave, your parents would have the option of filing a runaway report with the police. Now, it’s not illegal to runaway but it is a status offense; a status offense is something that you can’t do because you are under the age of 18. If your parents were to do that and the police located you at your boyfriend’s house, which is when his mom runs the risk of getting into trouble. Again, we aren’t legally trained so we wouldn’t be able to tell you what is specifically going to happen in Texas.

We have included some legal aid for the state of Texas. If none of these work for you or if you would like to further talk about your options, please give us a call. We are a confidential hotline and are available 24 hours a day at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). You can also live chat with someone at http://www.1800runaway.org 7 days a week from 4:30 PM-11:30 PM (CST).

Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas: 512-472-8303 or http://www.austinlrs.com. They have reduced legal fees for family law matters and guardianship. You must be a resident in the area and have to be telephoned screened.

Legal Services of North Texas: 214-744-5277 or 888-529-5277. They are available from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM, Monday-Friday.

Houston Volunteers Lawyer Program: 713-228-0735. They are available from 8:30 AM-5:30 PM, Monday-Friday.
We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck.

~NRS

**Unregistered** · 03-03-2012, 11:08 AM

im 15 in texas

Yea my sister & my mom have been fighting since we were little. if i called my grandma who lives in a nother city & she said it was okay for me to live with my boyfriend & his mom would that be okay ? i mean soon im gonna get a job and at 17 i can move out but honestly i dont think my sister and i can wait that long. i wanna leave really badly but i cant just leave my sister but i dont want his mom in any kind of trouble.

**ccsmod2** · 03-03-2012, 02:00 PM

Thank you for getting back to us and continuing to give us additional information. Hopefully, we can continue to give you some resources that will help you out.

It sounds like your mom and sister fight a lot. Can you tell us a little more about that? What about your relationship with your mom?

You asked if you could get permission from your grandma to go live with your boyfriend. As we said before, we aren’t legally trained here but we can give you a general answer. Since you are under 18, your mom is still considered to be your legal guardian which means that she has responsibility over you. Your grandma wouldn’t be able to say whether or not you could live with your boyfriend. If you were to talk with your mom about going to live with him, what do you think she would say?

It sounds like you have a plan to find a job and move out at 17 but you don’t think you’ll make it until then. How old is your sister?

If you have any other questions or would like some other resources, please give us a call anytime or chat with us online. We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck.

**guest** · 06-18-2012, 02:32 AM

Im almost 15 and i cant atke it anymore.

Okay so i have a fiance and everything. My parents gave me permission to be with him and everything. BUt my mom is a druggy she doesnt use our money wisely for food for the house and she REFUSED to buy me school clothes and supplies. My fiance's mom will let me stay at her house and is willing to take care of me.(Which she already does.) She buys me clothes and feeds me when my mom wont. She and my fiance provide the gas money to get me to my dr app.(Because thats the only way she will take me is if she gets something out of it. All i want to know is what can i do about all this. Im miserable and i have great grades. I will still be able to go to school and everything. I want and NEED help with something.

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im 15 and wanting to run away

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