running away while a ward of the state

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you and you're sister are in a hard situation, so we're glad you reached out.

We are not legal experts and so it would be hard to speak to your sister's specific case. The age that a person can legally live on their own could vary depending on their situation. If you want to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) we could look up legal resources in your area that would be able to speak more to your sister's specific case and get you the answers that you need. You would also be able to call the police and ask for more information.

Please don't hesitate to give us a call so we can try to get you the resources and answers that would most help.

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

I am 18 with a 17 year old girlfriend that is a ward of the state. She has been in foster care for most of her life. She's from the Philippines. They moved to the states and her parents couldn't take care of her so they gave her to the state. We've been together for almost 2 years. But now that she's pregnant her foster parents hasn't been allowing me to see her, so we have been sneaking. Her parents found out and had her moved to a different foster home. If she runs away will she be able to have the baby without getting picked up. Will the hospital call the department of children services? She turns 18 in June.

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thanks for writing in. It sounds like you and your girlfriend are in a tough situation. We’re not legal experts, but we can share general information. Generally speaking, if your girlfriend leaves her foster home before she turns 18, her foster parents are obligated to file a runaway report. If the police are able to locate her, they will return her back home. As far as having the baby, we aren’t 100% certain on hospital policies in your specific state. To our knowledge, hospitals should not refuse service to your girlfriend if she goes to the hospital and not necessarily need parental consent. That being said, some hospitals will still notify the guardian (in this case, cps). If you’d like to talk about the situation more specifically, please feel free to reach out to us at 1-800-786-2929. Best of luck.
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I'm 25 years old I live in fostercare my fostermom is my guardian I want to run away with my boyfriend can I still run away even though I have a guardian I mean I'm over age and is it illegal

[ccsmod15]

Hi, thank you for reaching out to us. Though we are not legal experts and don’t know the legal specifics of your situation, we can advise you on general laws around running away.

Since you are above the age of 18, you are not legally required to live at home with your guardian. This means it is not against the law for you to leave home with your boyfriend. However, you may want to think about your needs and safety if you were to leave home. How well you know boyfriend, if you would feel safe living with him, and how you would support yourself living on your own are all things to think about. If you would like a referral to legal aid that may be able to answer more specific questions about your situation, you can call us at 1-800 RUNAWAY (786-2929).

We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

[Guest]

I am 18, turning 19 in July. My husband is 20. We got legally married this morning. I am in states custody pregnant and we have an 8 month old. My husband has his own house, works as an electrician 40 hours a week, and he’s a great father. They won’t let me live with him until I can prove that I can support myself and my two children on my own. I currently am in college but have no degree so I am finding it hard to seek a job that’s in cooperation with my hours, and still pays great enough to raise myself and two babies. My husband helps and has no problem going without for us but the state doesn’t want me to rely on him because they don’t think it’s likely that he will stick with us because in their minds young love never works out. Him and I don’t want me to be in states custody because we want to be a family and live together. We hate having to share our daughters time and it’s emotionally distraught on us. Since I am married to him does that mean I am legally emancipated and no longer a ward of the state? If not, what can I do to no longer be in states custody? I live in Missouri.

[ccsmod11]

Hi there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and congrats on the nuptials. We hope we can help in what appears to be a difficult situation on you, your daughter, and your husband.

We aren’t lawyers, so we won’t be able to really give you any specific legal information. We can speak generally, however, and give you some ideas of where you might be able to find out more specific information about your situation.

We aren’t sure what prompted the state of Missouri to deem you a ward of the state as an adult. Usually, someone who is 18 is emancipated from the state’s custody based on their age. You may have been emancipated already and just not realized it. If you are sure this is not the case, it appears you should have been appointed a guardian via the state, and you may wish to reach out to them to see how they can limit the restrictions put upon you. You may also wish to contact legal aid to see what steps you must take to gain more independence or terminate your status as a ward of the state. Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services, Jefferson City, can be reached at 573-659-0678 for information and advocacy.

We hope this response was helpful!** We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum.** Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: **https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

[Guest]

I’m 14 and my bf is 16 I’m trying to go to Louisiana and live with my bf and his dad but I’m concerned about school. Since he’s not h legal guardian and I’d be a runaway would I be able to start high school up there still? Or not how could I make this work. My mom calls w a worthless piece of ******** and claims she hates me. She won’t speak to me any longer except to scream at me and she won’t even look at me. I’m tired of living like this an I’m not welcome at my dads house so what can I do?

[ccsmod16]

Hello, thanks for posting. It sounds like home is extremely stressful and you are wanting to get out. That is really understandable given what you described!

The way your mom is treating you sounds like it could be abusive. If you feel it is abuse, you have the right to talk to people about options, like filing a report or getting custody transferred to a safe adult like a family member or friend’s family. Child Help is a hotline that can help with that if you are interested: 1-800-422-4453, childhelp.org.
We here at NRS can also help you file an abuse report if you would like to take that step. We understand it can be scary so call anytime if you would like to set up a conference call to report. Otherwise, you can always call us and speak anonymously and confidentially.

It sounds like your boyfriend and his dad are supportive for you. We are so glad you have them in your life! You mentioned being worried about school as a runaway status. That makes sense! There is a risk that you would not be able to enroll without a legal guardian or that if police find you on your way to Louisiana that they may return you back home. One resource that may be able to help with school is called the Mckinney Vento Act—they are there to make sure all youth have access to education. Here is their hotline number that can put you into contact with a local liaison: 1-800-308-2145.

We are here 24/7 to help you think of and discuss different options and to provide support and resources. Please call anytime at 1-800-786-2929 or chat when we are live. Best of luck and be well! You are brave for reaching out!

[Guest]

I'm 17 and don't turn 18 till next year I'm pregnant and have been in care for 2 years is it illegal for me to run away if so is there anyway I can stay out of the system legally till i turn 18

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out. Since you are still a minor, you would need permission to leave otherwise your guardians will file a runaway report. To our knowledge, you would remain a ward of the state unless you were adopted, but don’t have any further information. That would be a question for your caseworker. If you need anything else, please give us a call at 1-800-786-2929.
NRS

[Guest]

hi I live in Maine, I'm 18 I'm a ward of the state can they come after me if I left the state

[ccsmod5]

Hi, we are not legal experts but to our knowledge you are able to leave whenever you like if you are 18. Your best resource in this case would be your caseworker.
--NRS

[Guest]

How do you do live chat ?

[ccsmod7]

Hi there! Please go to www.1800runaway.org and click on "chat" and then "chat now."

We look forward to chatting with you.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 16 and I ran away a while back from my foster home because I was getting sexually abused I was in Washington but I went o Cali to see my grandma but she can't take me and I don't want her to get in trouble what do I do? Do I go to juvie if I turn myself in?

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand that it takes courage to seek help. We are very sorry to hear that you were sexually abused. What happened to you is not your fault. You have the right to report the abuse. Talking to someone could help, RAINN (1-800-656-4673) is a great resource for support. It sounds like you want to stay with your grandmother but you don't want to get her in trouble. Your grandmother could contact legal aid to see if she can gain custody of you. We are not legal experts so we cannot say for sure whether you would go to juvie if you turn yourself in. You could try contacting your case worker to see what the consequences would be. Another option that you have is contacting DCFS, if you don't feel comfortable calling them we could call for you. We hope that this information helps, if you have any other questions or just want to talk please contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat.

[Guest]

I am 17, will be 18 in 5 months. I have lived with my bf who is 22 for the last few months. I had to get mental help but my parents live in a different state and couldn’t sign consent so now I’m a ward of the state and in a foster home until I’m 18. If I runaway will they look until they find me? If I’m found what charges and how long jail time would I get? If I’m in a diffeeent state than the state I’m a ward in, nobody would know I’m a ward in another state right?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you are in a really frustrating situation being in the state's care because your parents could not sign a consent form.

If you leave your foster home before you turn 18, your foster parents are generally required by law to report you as a runaway to your local police. Running away is typically a status offense rather than being illegal. Meaning it is something you cannot do just because you are under 18. So if you are found by police you would generally be returned home and it does not affect your permanent record. You would not be arrested, however, if you are found far away or in a different state it is possible that you could be detained until police or DCFS figure out how to get you back home. Your foster parents can tell police where you might be, but police would not search for you in places where they do not suspect you will be. Also if you run into an officer while you are on the run and they run your name through their system, they can see that you are listed as a runaway.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you have additional questions or need any support or resources. We are here to listen, here to help.

Best,

NRS

We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

[Guest]

I’m 15 my mom requested that I be held back so I’m going into my second year of 8th grade, my mom kicked me out a couple weeks ago, the schools have already sent out the Schedules that I don’t live in that town anymore and I also don’t know if I can enroll myself into a school as in my name my sisters took me And everything has been a whole lot better less stress and no more abuse, but I was adopted what do I do who can I go for to get help. And if I can enroll my self into a school can I move on to high school and not be stuck in 8th grade again?

[ccsmod10]

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We are happy to help in any way we can.

You mentioned that since moving in with your sisters things have been better. That is great that you were able to identify a safe place to stay. If your mom knows where you are and your sisters are happy to continue housing you, you can have them sign this temporary guardianship agreement: https://2ytt3i133a1n3xwxd52mztun-wpe...reement-11.pdf. This can help to make your living arrangement more valid and could help with your schooling questions.

If this does not seem like something your mom would agree to, you do have other options. You said that there was abuse when you were with your mom. If you do not feel safe living with her, you might be interested in filing an abuse report. The National Child Abuse Hotline, Child Help ( childhelp.org ), is an organization that helps victims of child abuse, including abuse reporting. You can call them at 1-800-422-4453. This can be a difficult call to make alone, so if you would like to make that report and want another line of support, you are welcome to call in here to NRS at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), and we will make the call to Child Help with you. If you ever find yourself in an abusive situation with your mom, please dial 9-1-1.

It’s great that you are thinking about your education! In terms of schooling, the National Center for Homeless Educational Helpline may be of help to you. Their phone number is 1-800-308-2145. You can also visit their website at https://nche.ed.gov/helpline.php. They may be able to better answer your questions about schooling in a new district.

If you have any other questions or want to talk through any of these or other options, feel free to call into us here at NRS at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We are a toll-free, completely confidential helpline available 24/7. Here to listen, here to help.

Best of luck,
NRS

[Guest]

My son ran away and he is a word of the state but he doesn't want to go back to the group home but I don't want him to as well he was taken from me by c.p.s before me and his father could get him back his father past away and now it's only me and now he's a word of the state but he has medical issue that need attention he's missin out on high school and I. Don't know what to do

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a very scary situation and it sounds like you care a lot about your son. It’s a bit difficult for us to say what your next steps would be because of the issues involved (your son being a ward of the state, having medical issues, your wanting him to return). Your best resource would be your son’s case worker. You could also try calling Child Help: 1-800-422-4453.
Thank you again for reaching out. We hope this was helpful and we encourage you to reach out by phone if you need additional resources or need help figuring out your options. Our number is 1-800-786-2929 and our lines are always open. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your feedback of our crisis services at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

[Guest]

I have a question I am a ward of the state and my case worker says I can't sign myself out until I am 21 is that true and if it isn't how do I go about this?

[ccsmod11]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. We're not affiliated with the agency your case worker is employed through, nor are we familiar with laws involving custody of wards of the state. You may be interested in contacting legal aid resources. We can help you reach legal aid resources in your area. Just give us a call at 1-800-786-2929.

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm a mother of 3 children that are ward of the state and I was curious on what would happen if I ran with them out of state

[ccsmod11]

Hello! Thank you for reaching out today.
Here at National Runaway Safeline, we are not legal experts. We can speak to general trends we observe, but we also understand that every situation is different so we cannot provide any definitive legal information.
It sounds like you are dealing with a complex situation that could have many different outcomes depending on several factors and decisions. If you want to speak about your situation/options more in depth, please give us a call at 1-800-786-2929. We are toll free, 24/7 and completely confidential.
Thanks!

[Guest]

I am 17. I am not a foster kid in a home but I do have a social worker. I turn 18 in february. i just go to college. Which is why I'm not in a home im on campus. If i run away to a different state, can they legally bring me back?

[ccsmod7]

Hi, thanks for reaching out to the NRS today.  As you say you have a social worker, it sounds like you may be a "ward of the state." If this is correct, it means the state is your legal guardian until you are the age of 18.  Therefore, they are probably responsible to determine where you live until then.  If you run to a different state, their obligation will be to do whatever they can to be sure you are safe until their responsibility ends at age 18.  This means they will almost certainly report you to the police as a runaway and if they find out where you are, they may try to bring you back.  Since you are close to the age of 18, the likelihood they would do this is somewhat less, but it's impossible to predict with any certainty what they will do.  We're wondering if you've considered talking with your social worker about what you want to do to see if they might give you permission or help you figure out what your alternatives might be.  If not, this would be a great option to think about.  Otherwise we'd be glad to talk with you confidentially about the details of your situation and help sort out other options.  You can call us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY.