friend is running away at 11 years old

[Guest]

Hello, I have some important questions regarding unaccompanied minors in the shelter. My friend is a minor living in an abusive household and is in dire need of help. They are unable to go to their guidance counselor at school or contact somebody via phone without their parents' knowledge. That is why they are planning to go to the shelter on their own. Therefore I wanna ask, is it possible for them to receive help at the shelter without involving the parents? And how does the procedure go once they arrive? If that is not the case, please let me know if there are other alternatives as soon as possible.

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out; we are glad that you did. It sounds like you are a really good friend who is trying to research and help your friend.
We are very sorry that they are being abused at home and that school isn't helping.
If you friend goes to the shelter, the shelter will reach out to your state's Child Protection Agency, or Child Abuse Hotline. They are the ones who help in a situation like this. They will investigate the abuse and decide what is best for your friend.
We hope that your friend will reach out to us so that we can talk about this with them and locate a shelter for them if there's one in your area. They can chat us through this website, or call us at 1-800-786-2929 (1-800-RUNAWAY). We are here 24/7 for both of you.
Sincerely,
NRS