Runaway from a group home

[Guest]

Hi there:
A friend of mine is a grandfather of two sisters. His son is the biological father and is completely AWOL and has given up his rights. The mother is in jail and has given up all rights. The girls (sisters) are officially wards of the state; one is in a group home (she's 13) and her older sister is 14 and lives with her uncle and aunt (younger brother of the bio Dad) and officially adopted the oldest girl. The uncle and aunt tried to adopt the youngest, as well, but she would not stay home, she is a victim of trauma and ran away daily.

The youngest girl (in a group home at this time) has run away from her group home occasionally, and her last run away was around August 6th. To my understanding, she is still missing her grandfather just found out about that two days ago. His last contact with the group home staff and the DCS casemanager was that she was IN this group home. What is your recommendation for the grandfather or uncle and aunt (who have her older sister) to file a missing persons report with the police? Can or should they do that? What should they do when they have a granddaughter (niece) who once found and returned to the group home will start to plan to runaway again? My fear is that she is in harms way clearly right now as a 13 year old somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. Please advise at your earliest.
L. Sandbloom

[ccsmod3]

Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We are here to listen and help as best as we can. It sounds like you are going through a really tough time not having your youth home and being unsure of their safety. They are lucky to have someone that cares so much about them.

One of the first options that can be important to explore is contacting your local law enforcement to file a runaway report. We are not legal experts here, but typically it is not illegal to runaway or leave home without permission. However, if a runaway report is filed, police that encounter a runaway youth will work to return them home when found. Keep in mind though, that the efforts made to search for runaway youth can vary from state to state or even within districts. Often it is up to the parents to advocate for themselves and keep track of the steps taken to find their youth.

If you have a way to communicate with your child either email, text, phone, or social media you can inform them that we are offer confidential 24/7 support. We can try to locate some resources that could be of assistance, wherever they are located, to help keep them safe. If you do not have contact with your child, we also offer a message service where parents can call us to leave a message for their child. If the youth calls in, we can deliver this message. We also take messages from youth to their parents that we deliver as well. This can be a great option for you to express yourself in a safe, productive, and non-confrontational way. If you choose to utilize our message service, we encourage you to spread the word to anyone you think may be in contact with your child to increase the chances of your message being retrieved.

Unfortunately we do not have a service that assists with locating youth, but there are agencies that offer to help in this way. One option is the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which can be reached at 1-800-843-5678 or this link http://www.missingkids.com/home. You can also try Child Find at 1800-426-5678 or at this link http://childfindofamerica.org/. During a time like this, it can be important to remember your own self-care. Taking care of yourself and feeling heard can make an overwhelming situation more manageable. You can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY to talk or find additional resources.

[Guest]

so my friend has been in a group home for about 4 months or so and he turned 18 last week and we live in Alabama so I was wondering why is caseworker won’t let him come home because he’s legally an adult now. Is she lying to him or can he not leave the home until he’s 19 he’s really struggling there and wants to come home.

[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 and your friend are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of their 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, however in Alabama the age of majority is 19 instead. If you are under 19 in Alabama and leave home the foster case worker may file them as a runaway and they may be returned home. Also, those they 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 email 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

[Guest]

hi i was wondering if i can run away to my grandparents house and not get in trouble or them getting in trouble is it possible for me to stay there as well or would i have to return to the group home thank you

[Guest]

Is it possible to run away from a group home at the age 17 about to turn 18 in 3 months and stay with my grandparents and they not get in trouble

[ccsmod4]

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.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent/guardian permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, they may file you as a runaway and if picked up by the police 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, contact the local non-emergency number to the 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 email 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 and take care,
NRS

[Guest]

My group home won’t let me move out can they do that

[ccsmod15]

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out to us. Generally speaking, if you have been placed in a group home and are under 18 you would need permission from whoever has custody of you to live elsewhere. You may want to talk to your caseworker about your situation and see what they have to say. We would like to help further bur really would need more details from you about your situation. The best way for us to help would be for you to either call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat with us via the chat feature at www.1800runaway.org. That way we can help you figure out what your options are. We also have a large database of resources, including legal aid if you would like to speak to a lawyer about what's going on.

We hope this information helps. Please stay safe. We hope to hear from you soon

All the best,
NRS

[Guest]

I gave my group home 30 day notice I’m 28 years old and they refuse it

[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. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. 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).
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,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi there,

I'm at a group home right now for Sober Living and I no longer want to be here. I would rather be happy back at home. I am 17 years olds and I am mature enough to handle myself in the real world. This sober house Im living at is terrible and I probably would be happier and less stressed if I just ran away. I'm not sure if they notify the police or not, but if they did- can I get in toruble?

[ccsmod16]

Hello –
Thank you so much for reaching out to us! It sounds like this Sober Living group home is not working out for you. It seems like there must be a lot going on in your life if you’re thinking about leaving the facility. It’s great that you were able to find out some information about our hotline. Hopefully we can help.

As far as getting in trouble for calling police – we are not too sure how every police office is going to react. We aren’t legal experts, and laws are different state-by-state. Typically happens in each state is if you are below the legal age of majority (18 in most states except Alabama and Nebraska [19 or upon marriage], and Mississippi [21]), your parents would have the right to file a runaway report when you would leave without permission. Since it’s only considered a status offense and not a crime to run away, the only thing that would happen is that the police will pick you up and bring you back home.

Because this forum isn’t confidential (meaning that anyone can see our conversation), we greatly encourage you to reach out to us here so that we can talk one-on-one. Our staff members would be happy to talk to you about this further using email, our chat feature, or through our 24/7 hotline number (1-800-786-2929).

[Guest]

I'm 15 and don't wanna be in a group home I wanna be with my mom or dad what will happwn if I run away

[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 or legal guardian 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.
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 email 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

[Guest]

what your facebook

[ccsmod3]

Hello!

You can check out our Facebook page by visiting this link: https://www.facebook.com/1800RUNAWAY/

Thanks for reaching out, and feel free to connect with us directly by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY or by chatting with us live at www.1800runaway.org. We're available 24/7 and are always happy to listen, and to help.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 20 years old and live in Mohsin's Cozy Home, a group home for disabled adults in Palm Coast, Florida. I want to run away because I feel alone/abandoned. However, I do NOT have any money, and the staff will NOT let me run away. I feel trapped. What should I do?

[ccsmod9]

Thank you for contacting NRS,
We appreciate that you would share with us your difficult situation. From what you are describing it seems as though you do not feel comfortable there any longer. It can be frustrating and scary to have to be somewhere you don't feel safe or cared for. From what we can understand about your post, you are in a group home for disabled adults. Many times with disability issues the government can have a hand in deciding whether someone stays in a group home or not. Another situation like that is where your parents/guardians have made that decision for you. If leaving that group home is something that you really feel you need it might be a good idea to get in contact with your parents/guardians or caseworker for the state. They can help get you the help you want. At the very least have a conversation about it so that you know more about the options available to you. Besides that, it seems as though there is a bit more information we would need in order to give better options. 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 email 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 ( http://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

[Guest]

Hi i need help asap this is a very urgent matter ill be 18 in 58 days and i live in this group home they treat us wrong and the house manager took all of my things and gave it to other girls i have nothing, no money, nothing i could steal food from the group home to live but i need to know if i ran away what would happen to me if they found me, what would happen to me also what happens when im 18 and what happens to the people who r gonna help me and do u think i should do this to get out of the abuse and neglect im in

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS. It sounds like your living situation at the group home has been incredibly stressful and you are feeling that leaving may be be your best option. 18 is usually the age you are able to leave home without permission, so there could be some legal issues. If you decide to leave before turning 18, the group home can report you as a runaway to the police. Running away is not illegal, but it is a status offense. This means you could be returned to the group home if you are found by police. Anyone who you stay with could be at risk of being charged with harboring a runaway.

You would know better than anyone what the best choice is for you and your wellbeing. It may be helpful to consider factors such as where you will be staying, how you will support yourself, and if you have a back up plan in the event something falls through. Having a solid plan before leaving can help you to reduce the risks and challenges that can come with running away. It seems you have been thinking through if this is the best decision for you. To consider this choice further, you could try to write out what your goals and plans are for the future and consider if leaving now might hinder those future plans at all.

Leaving can be a big step to take. If you would like to talk more in depth about your situation and your plans to leave please do not hesitate to reach out by phone or live chat. We are also happy to look up housing resources as well if those would be useful for you.

Be safe,
NRS
1-800-RUNAWAY;1800runaway.org

[Guest]

Please do not try to find me because I want to find and I will appreciate it

[ccsmod5]

Hi there,

Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you. We are confidential, but we are also mandated reporters therefore if someone were to share an address and/or full name with us we are obligated to report if we suspect any abuse going on in the home. 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).
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,
NRS

[Guest]

i’m 18 years old in DHRS custody. i ran away from a group home and now am living good and taking care of myself. if i try and get my ID and i have a missing report filed can they see that and take me back?

[ccsmod15]

Thank you for reaching out it shows a lot of courage. Its great that you seem to be doing better now. We are in no way legal experts. Since you are an adult, they are less likely to take you back. It could be worth reaching out to the person that oversaw your case previously to find out more details about situation. Remember you are not alone, and you can ways reach out to us to more detail about your case. Stay safe and strong.

Please remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat.

Stay Safe,
NRS

[Guest]

hello i am 14 years old and i want to runaway because i can not stand being apart from my girlfriend the group home is fine but i can't really communicate with my girlfriend so i plan on running away just to see her and i can just crash with some friends i got my girlfriend is an hour away so its kind of easy although cash i have i just need to get it from the staff but yea

[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. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. 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).
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,
NRS