Moving out at 17 in California

[Unregistered]

Please help

Hi I'm in California and I can't stay where I'm at. I have a sister (not blood related but very close family friend) and others like her that are willing to let me stay with them. I'm 17 turning 18 soon. I'm a junior in high school but I've already consulted my counselor and she said that if I leave when the school year is over it won't affect my grades. I'm able to get a job. My sister lives in Texas. I have the money for the trip I just want to know if I should tell my dad about it or just go. And what are the consequences or repercussions of this? Is this illegal and will she be able to enroll me in school even though we're not blood related?

[ccsmod5]

re: Please help

Hi, and thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline.

It sounds like you have a few big decisions you’re considering, and we are glad you’re taking the time to consider them carefully. Leaving home without permission can have several consequences, and we want to make sure you stay safe and informed if you decide to leave.

We’re not legal experts, but if you leave home without your legal guardian’s permission, you would be considered a runaway. Any time someone lets you stay/live with them – and they know you are a runaway – they can get charged with ‘harboring a runaway.’ If you leave at 17 years old, and where you live still considers that a minor, whoever you stay with could get in trouble.

In terms of going to school, there is a law called the McKinney-Vento Act that says all youth are able to be enrolled in school. However, schools may still have runaway notification policies that require the legal guardian to be notified at some point if the youth enrolls. If you’d like to look around on your own, you can check out: http://www.serve.org/nche/states/state_resources.php and find resources and contacts by state.

Aside from legal and educational consequences, running away from home can have relationship consequences, too. How will your relationship with your dad change if you leave home without telling him? If you call in to 1-800-RUNAWAY, we can discuss what is going on at home that makes you want to leave and explore potential options that are available to you.

In all, we appreciate you contacting us. We are not here to tell you what to do, but we want to make sure you stay safe. We are here to help whether you’re at home or have runaway, so please do not hesitate to call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Best, and stay safe,

NRS

[Unregistered]

I'm 16 years old and I'll be 17 this July. Ive been having family drama for as long as I could remember. Not just normal family drama, drama with my mom being in and out of my life, going to jail a few times she's just a lot of drama never really been my mom and my dad takes her back every time. As I've gotten older I realized this isn't the place I want to be in anymore. My boyfriends family is very supportive of me and have offered me to live with them. I am planning to move in when I'm 18 but the more drama that happens here in my house I just want to leave. Going to be 17 I was wondering if its even worth being emancipated or just leaving. I want to just leave but I don't want my parents to make a police report for a runaway.

[ccsmod14]

Re:

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. We’re here to help you the best that we can at the National Runaway Safeline. Things sound pretty tough right now with your mom coming in and out of your life as well as jail. It has got to be really hard living with your dad and seeing the toll this takes on him, taking her back every time. We’re glad that you reached out, we’re here to support you.

So it sounds like you’ve got a lot of support from your boyfriend and his family, which is wonderful to hear. Having a support network through difficult times can be really helpful. While we are not legal experts here, generally speaking the emancipation process can be a lengthy and expensive process. This is not to discourage you but to just give you a heads up on what we do know. If you would like to explore this option further, you can give us a call at 800 RUNAWAY (786 2929) and we can look up the appropriate legal resources for your state that would be able to further assist you with what that would look like.

It is understandable why you would want to leave right now, having that support from your boyfriend’s family and seemingly lack of support at home. Again, we’re not legal experts but generally if a minor (someone under the age of 18 ) leaves home without consent from legal guardians, they have the right to make a runaway report with police. If a report is made and the police find you, typically they just bring you back home. However, anyone that you stay with could potentially be charged for harboring. Is there any sort of compromise that could be reached with your parents, to stay with your boyfriend’s family a certain percentage of the time so that things are less stressful when you are at home?

We’re here to listen and here to talk. Please do not hesitate to call or chat us here at NRS if you would like to explore further options. We’re here to support you.

Good luck and stay safe,
NRS

[Unregistered]

Moving out at 17

Hi. I'm 17, I have about 9 months until I turn 18 (I know, it's still a ways to go) but my parents are kicking me out at 18, I didn't do anything illegal or bad, it's just I messed up in school, so now my grades aren't great (it was just this school year, I normally keep a 3.0 average), and they feel very strong about their religion, whereas I do not. So we aren't exactly close, but it's not an unsafe home environment or anything. So I don't think I have grounds for emancipation, but I would like very much so to leave now, or as early as possible. I have two different places I could go, one of them with an older sibling, whom my parents HATE, (because of religious differences) and an adult friend, also whom my parents hate due to religious differences. My parents also recently decided I can't work, which posed a huge problem for me, until both my brother and friend offered to support me until I start working, which I also insisted I'd pay them back if it came to that. So I'd like to leave now, and get on with my life, but I'm not sure if that's possible. So if I were to leave without their knowledge, would they be able to file legal action against my brother or friend who took me in? Or would I be able to somehow convince them to let me leave? Or basically, is it possible for me to leave now and or get emancipated without their permission?

[ccsmod11]

re: Moving out at 17

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out. I’m sorry to hear that you’re not getting along with your parents, religious differences can be extremely stressful. Please remember that we are here to listen and to help you in the best way we can.


Although we are not legal experts, from our understanding it is possible that if you were to leave before you turned 18 a runaway report could be filed. However that being said if your parents were to file a runaway report and the police were to find you it is possible that they would return you to your parents and that the person you were staying with could be charged with harboring a runaway. To be sure you could call the non-emergency police department for your town and ask them about your specific situation to get an exact answer.

I’m sure this is a very difficult time for you but it seems like you have some great support in your life. In regards to emancipation, this is usually a very long process requiring proof to the court that you are capable of being independent. That usually looks like having a job and having had some other living arrangements. However if you were still interested in pursuing that you could call in to us 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). Thank you again for reaching out to us I hope I was able to help, and please feel free to call us any time if you have any more questions.

Stay strong,

NRS

[Unregistered]

17 turning 18 in 2 days in CA

I am 17 turning 18 in about two days and I ha just left my home because of the verbal and almost physical abuse that I have experienced. I want to know if I can make it these next two days without being sent back home. I don't have a job yet but I have money saved up and I am planning to get a job the money I turn 18. It it possible for me to get sent back home?

[ccsmod0]

re: 17 turning 18 in 2 days in CA

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out today and asking your question. It sounds like you left home because of what you were dealing with at home and that you wanted to make sure that you were protecting yourself. It’s smart to leave a place where you don’t feel safe. It sounds like you’re working on getting as much information as possible so that you can decide what to do next. So let’s see how we can help you out.

We aren’t legal experts here, but we are able to speak generally. In general, that answer to your question is yes, you could potentially be brought back home – but it would be pretty unlikely. If you are under 18, your legal guardians are legally responsible for anything that happens to you, so they have the right to decide where you can live. As soon as you turn 18, you gain legal responsibility for yourself, so then you would be able to decide where you live. So if you leave home before 18 without your guardian’s permission, then your guardians have the right to file a runaway report and bring you back home.
Now, because you are so close to 18, it is unlikely that the police would take a report from your guardians and even less likely that they would search for you and bring you back home. If there is a runaway report on you, as soon as you turn 18, it goes away. It does not stay on your permanent record and it is not illegal to be filed as a runaway, you could just be brought back home.

So, in short, it is possible for you to be brought back home, but it is unlikely that would happen. If it did happen, as soon as you turn 18, you would be able to leave.

We hope that this is helpful to you. If you’d like to talk more about what you’re dealing with or have any other questions, please don’t hesistate to contact us. You can call us 24 hours a day at 1800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us through our website (www.1800runaway.org) from 4.30pm-11.30pm central time.

We look forward to your call or chat.

Best of luck to you,

NRS

[Unregistered]

Moving out

So I won't be 18 until December & I really can't stand living with my mom and her bf so I've talked to my grandma and she is willing to take me in and so is my Nina . But my mom won't have it so if I were to get my dad to agree on letting me live with one of them , could i I have higher chances of then being able to move out ?

[ccsmod6]

RE: Moving out

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). Sounds like things at home with your mom and her boyfriend has become unbearable and you want to move out. You asked if your father gave permission would that be enough to leave. It really depends on whether or not your father has guardianship or parental rights over you. It may be beneficial to speak to a family lawyer or someone with legal expertise to provide more specific answers since we are not legal experts at NRS. If you would like to talk through your situation more or would like resources for legal aid, please consider chatting with us through our website www.1800runaway.org or speak with us directly on the phone through our crisis phone line at 1-800-786-2929 (we are toll-free, confidential, and operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone).

We look forward to your call or chat soon.

Good luck and take care,

NRS

[Unregistered]

Moving out at 17.

I am currently 16, living in california but i would like to move out at 17 and go to michigan. I used to live there but my mom made me move to my dads. My boyfriend who will be 18 while im 17 has a place set and an apartment. I would be getting a job and working almost everyday, i just wondered if this was legal/possible to do.

[ccsmod5]

re: Moving out at 17.

Hey there,

Thank you for being able to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline, it sounds like you are going through a pretty tough time at this point in your life and we want you to know that we are here to listen and to help in the best way that we can. From what you shared, it sounds like you have been through quite a tough time and would like to get away for some time.

We want to start off by letting you know that we are not legal experts here, meaning that we are only able to speak in general terms. In most states, if you are under 18, you are still considered a minor and your parents would still be able to file a runaway report. Typically if you are found, you would be forced to go back home. Another factor to keep in mind is that if you were found living with someone else, the people you are staying with could potentially be charged with harboring a runaway, the charges for that vary from fines to jail time. Once you are 18, in most states you are able to make your own decisions and decide where you want to live. The best way to find out about what your mother is able to do, I would highly encourage you to reach out to your local police department and ask some general questions. If this is something that might make you nervous, I would encourage you to reach out to us then we would be able to make that call for you.

Our lines are available 24/7, this is the fastest method you would be able to get in touch with us. We are more than willing to listen to your situation and help in the best way that we can. Our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), we also have a live chat program, it seems like that would work best since you are unable to get to a phone. As we mentioned, we would be more than happy to talk about your situation and see what the best way that we can help you is. We wish you the best of luck and hope to get your call or chat soon.

Stay strong,

NRS

[Unregistered]

Re: Moving out at 17 in California

I'm currently trying to move out. I'm 17, will be 18 in December. I want to get emancipated, but I can't get a job because we live fifteen miles out of town and I don't have a car. I have a few places I could go if I did move out while I get a job, but the emancipation process can't begin until I have a job. what should I do?

[ccsmod10]

RE: Moving out at 17 in California

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like you are really thinking through your options and how you might go about improving your situation.
In terms of looking more into the emancipation process, one helpful resource we recommend is this website: http://family.findlaw.com/emancipati...ancipated.html. It talks in more detail about the requirements and specific laws of your state. In our experience, we’ve seen that emancipation can be a long (6 months-1 year) process for some youth, but we are definitely here to help how we can.
You mentioned in your message that you’ve also been looking for a job to fulfill that part of the emancipation requirements. As you’ve been searching, have you tried any places near your home? Perhaps the library, park district, or a small store? Maybe there are places that would be closer for you to get to, since you don’t currently have a car. It sounds like you are being very proactive in your search!
We are not legal experts here, but if you’d like to discuss the emancipation process further, or any other options you may be considering, please feel free to reach out to us via our 24/7, confidential hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929).

Best of luck to you,
National Runaway Safeline (NRS)

[Edward figueroa]

help

If i wanted too can i move out at the age of 17 in a half, without perent permission i turn 18 in 2017. I have been keeping my grades up in school an i have a job and a place to live so would it be possible?