Can I leave my home at 16 without my parents' consent?

[ccsmod5]

Hey there,
Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We are glad that you are reaching out for help—that takes a lot of bravery. It sounds like you deeply care for your grandson and want to help him in every way possible. We are here to support you during this difficult time.

We are unsure from your post if you have already filed an abuse report or not, but you can call us here at NRS or reach out to a school guidance counselor to file an abuse report at Child Protective Services (CPS). Although we are not legal experts, given that there is physical abuse, this may support your grandson’s case further.

Something else to consider is that if you do not have full custody of your grandson and he stays with you without your grandson’s father’s permission, your grandson’s father could potentially file against you with something called “harboring a runaway.” This is a legal term for kidnapping. Might sound extreme, we understand. He could also potentially file a missing child report to the local police department. Law enforcement will collect basic information about you that will go into a national database, and they can then return your grandson home in the event he is found.

That being said, we can offer temporary youth shelters for you in your local area for your grandson. Some shelters require parental permission for teenagers at a certain age, but since he is 16 years old, he may be able to find a shelter that will take him in and offer a safe place. If you call us (1-800-RUNAWAY) or reach out via chat at 1800runaway.org, we’d be happy to provide those resources for you.

Another option to consider is something called “Emancipation.” Emancipation makes a minor youth a legal adult before they reach the legal adult age (this varies from state to state). While we are not legal experts here at NRS, it is important that we inform you that emancipation can be a costly and lengthy process. In addition, to become emancipated in most states (not all states offer emancipation), a youth must be able to prove in court that s/he can take care of her/ himself financially, s/he have a place to live and are mature enough to care for her/himself. In any case, if you would like to be provided with more options or would like more information do not hesitate to reach out to us at the NRS chat at 1800runaway.org or the NRS phone number at 1-800-786-2929.

For more legal, definitive advice, perhaps find a local family lawyer that will provide more solid advice on temporary custody questions that you may have. You may try dialing 211 to United Way, where they may be able to locate legal aid in your local area that can offer a free consultation for you.

We are here as support to help through this challenging time. 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

hello My Grandson, is being physically! abuse and verbally emotionally by his father he is a good kid always honest. he moved in with me cause his father abused him thinking my grandson was lying to his father whipped him till he bled. he asked my grandson if he was outside, he said no father heard noise in the background and thinking he was lying when it was the tv noise and beat him he no longer wants to live with his dad if he is 1 min late to class the teachers call his dad and he gets beat bad ...his father has a violent history.in file of abuse how can i get temporary custody my grandson is 16

[ccsmod10]

Hi, we're thankful you reached out to us. It sounds like you have very good reason to want to run away/move out. The treatment you've described from your dad sounds emotionally abusive, excessively controlling, and like it exclusively benefits him. You don't deserve to be treated like this.

It sounds like he has made it really difficult for you to take any sort of action that might get you more freedom. This is a common tactic used by emotional abusers to maintain control over others, and reaching out to us is a very helpful first step in breaking that cycle.

Emancipation is an option. In Florida it is available to young people between 16 and 18 who are able to fully support themselves. You can view this link for more information (it includes referrals to potential legal aid resources where you could talk to an attorney about the process): https://www.15thcircuit.com/sites/de...fact-sheet.pdf

Additionally, we are here to support in whatever way we can. You deserve someone on your side to talk to about what's been going on. Please reach out to us again by text chat (1800runaway.org) or phone (1-800-786-2929) t o discuss your options and ways we can make things better.

Im 16, live in Broward County, FL. My dad is very emotinally abusive towards me (even from a young age) and manipulative. He uses me for free labor at his company, and has bouts of anger that usually end in destruction of items around the house, and me losing everything. He made me quit my paying job for no good reason, restricts access to my friends, and is also very controlling. I am in dual enrollment at Broward college, have savings, and plan on getting another paying job. As of right now, he has taken my car, phone, permission to see friends, and reduced to becoming his do-boy. My mom has discussed with me maybe getting a divorce from him, as she also gets these things i have listed, but i was looking into the option of emancipation, as a final resort.

[ccsmod10]

In the state of New York, emancipation can occur as a result of child support or custody case in a court of law. In order to be emancipated, you must live separately from your parent and must not receive any money or other support from them.

It sounds like that might not be possible before you move. Additionally, it is not realistic that you would be removed from the home by CPS even if you did contact them, and even then you wouldn't be able to go live with your friends.

You could run away from home; if you did so you would run the risk of your mother reporting you as a run away and law enforcement trying to return you home to her.

There is not a 100% safe or legal option for you to leave and live on your own unfortunately; if you'd like to speak further about your situation and explore other options like shelters or programs to improve your circumstances at home, you can live chat someone on our team at 1800runaway.org or call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY.

Hi, I just turned 16 and my mother is a alcoholic who is emotionally and verbally abusive, My friends mom wants to help me but I don't want her to get in trouble. We were thinking of renting a apartment together, but I can't sign any paperwork until I am emancipated, and my mother will not give parental consent to anything, so I have a old school id from 2018-2019 as identification. I don't have access to my birth certificate or my social security card. My mom recently forced me to move across the US. I live in NY State now, she moved us up here to move in with her boyfriend in Canada. I do not want to go to canada, she is moving us as soon as her lease on this apartment ends in February. I need to be emancipated by then. My Father is out of the picture, he abandoned me 13 years ago but he still has parental rights. Is there anyway to get moved out without her consent? If I'm not emancipated by February I will have to run away because I can't get stuck in a household with two alcoholics in another country where most people speak a language that I don't know. Thank you

[ccsmod10]

We're thankful you reached out to us; it sounds like you've been under a lot of pressure for a long time. Having to experience emotional and verbal abuse makes everything in life harder, and it's scary to know that it might affects others (like younger siblings) when we leave. Emancipation can be the right choice for some people, but you're right that it can make some parts of life harder because it demands you devote a certain amount of time to working, which can be hard when you're in school.

We cannot tell you what to do, but we can talk through your options and help you make sense of what feels like the right choice for you. It may be helpful to live chat with someone (1800runaway.org) or talk with someone on the phone (1-800-RUNAWAY). We're here to listen and help as best we can. You don't have to figure this out alone.

hi um- I'm not being treated right at home I'm 16 and suffering from verbile and emotional abuse, I don't know how to get out of it it's gotta bad and I have 3 little siblings, and they're the reason I haven't run away because I don't want to leave them to get treated how I do. I am planning to get ematiobpation but I'm aware it will take a while and I just want to know if I will get to leave before 18, to be honest with you..I'm heavily thinking about getting rationed but I think I want to go through with it but I need a job b I don't want one yet because I want to know I can handle school work.

[ccsmod3]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like things have been stressful at home for a while now. It doesn’t seem right that your parents didn’t allow you to go outside at all during the summer and now it has caused you to have bad reactions to the sun. It also sounds like your parents are controlling with not letting you have your permit or get a job because they fear you will run away. With school starting again, an option is to talk to a trusted adult at school and see if they can help in any way or help you with talking to your parents. It seems like you have a tentative plan to get pregnant by your boyfriend so your parents will kick you out, but it is important to recognize that being pregnant and then having a child is a lifelong commitment which can be overwhelming especially when you are 16. We could help you discuss other options or talk about this further if you are interested. If so, please call our hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat us online at 1800runaway.org. We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS

I am 16 I want to move out I don’t have my permit yet because my parents think I will run away so they don’t let me have a job or license. I can’t go out and when I try too they get made and say I go out to much since I have school. I live in an Asian house hold and they won’t let me live till I’m 18 I want to leave once I’m 17. Everyday my father is just mad about something and makes everyone mad at each other he breaks things and tells me and my brother and mother to clean up. He is the Alfa of the family. I can’t never have fun nor do the things I want. This whole summer break I’ve been locked up and haven’t seen sunlight due to my parents and this is 2022 so vivid has died down but I’ve been stuck inside the house for 3 months I only saw sunlight when it was to take out the trash. I remember when I finally got out side for a family reunion I couldn’t stand the outside due to me staying inside so much my body wasn’t used to it to the point I have painting problems and very bad reactions to the sun now. I can’t never be a teen and the only thing I can think of is be pregnant so my parents can kick me out officially. Me and my bf have been together for about 9 months he is going to rent a place out but I can’t leave yet… sadly he is 17 almost a senior and off to college while I’m a sophomore student in HS. The only way out of my house is if I get pregnant. And my bf pays the dowery can I leave at 17 with my boyfriend.

[ccsmod3]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you are wanting to move out with your older sibling. The best way or legal way to go about moving out is to have your parents’ permission otherwise yes they can force you to come home. We can offer more support when we know more about the situation if it could be helpful to discuss this further. If so, please call our hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat us online at 1800runaway.org. We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS

can i move out at 16 if i have a sibling thats 18 moving out with me, and if i do can my parents force me to come home.

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We recognize the stress you must feel under at this time and we are sorry that you are going through this. Please know that we are not legal experts, however, our general knowledge is that legally, you are under the care of your parent/legal guardian until age 18. We understand that you are looking for an alternative solution at this time, and we are happy to welcome you to reach out to us through our online chat option, found on our website at www.1800runaway.org or by phone call at 1-800-RUNAWAY. With more direct support, we would be able to have further conversation with you about the situation and/or brainstorm through ideas or resources that may be helpful for you at this time. Your well-being is important and you deserve to be happy and feel uplifted.

We wish you strong health, safety, and peace and we look forward to the opportunity to talk further with you.

Sincerely,
NRS

hi i’m 16. and i have been emotionally abused in my house for months and i want to know how i can make it possible to leave. i have another place to live and i would still be going to school and be getting a job. but i can seriously not take the pressure of going through this anymore. i need a way out of here. I want to know any input you have on this and what i can do to make myself feel happier.

[ccsmod1]

Hello,

We appreciate you reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS) and sharing this information with us. We recognize the courage and strength it takes to reach out for help and we are deeply sorry that you are going through this. Please know that you are strong and smart and you are worthy of feeling proud of the person you are and we are sorry to hear that your family has made you feel otherwise. We want you to receive the best support you can at this time and because of this, we regret to inform you that National Runaway Safeline is solely based in the United States and we unfortunately do not have the resources to further assist individuals outside of the country. With that being said, we found an organization called Childline Gauteng that is designed to provide support for your specific location. You may reach them by dialing the number 116, or they also have a chat option on their website to directly speak with their support team. You can find their website at https://childlinegauteng.co.za/

We hope that this was able to help and we are wishing you the absolute best ahead. Please remember your well-being and mental health deserve to remain your number one priority.

Take care,
NRS