Frequently asked questions
The answer to these questions very much depends on how old you are and whether you are in danger or imminent harm from a parent or guardian. Let’s take each situation independently.
- I am 17 and ran away from home because I don’t feel safe in the house because my mother’s partner yells at me constantly and is emotionally abusive. Do I have the right to live independently?
While you do not have an independent legal right to live outside of the home without some kind of court intervention or order (as a result of an active DCF court case), you do have several options to consider as an older youth.
First – you can call DCF and ask them for help. The DCF hotline is 1-800-842-2288. While DCF is not the answer for all situations, you are guaranteed assistance for food, clothing and shelter as long as DCF is involved. If you believe you are imminent danger as a result of your home living situation, you should call the police (9-1-1).
Second – you can live with a family member (an older brother or sister, for example), or a friend who can provide you with a safe place to live. Remember that you do not have any independent rights to rent an apartment as a minor, but you can stay with a family member or friend while you try to straighten things out with your immediate family.
Third – you can go to court to get an Emancipation Order. An emancipated court proceeding can be brought by a 16 or 17-year-old in either Juvenile or Probate Court. This is essentially a court proceeding where you seek to divorce yourself from your parents or guardians, but it also means that they are no longer legally responsible for you in any way. It is a very serious proceeding and emancipation orders or only granted in cases where minors can show the court (the judge) that they are self-sufficient (both economically and emotionally) or they are being housed and supported by other individuals. You can learn more about emancipation by going here.
- Where will I go to school if I move in with a friend’s family, who happens to live in the next town over from my house?
The law regarding homeless public school students allows you to continue to attend your “school of origin” (your hometown school). The law is called the McKinney-Vento Act, and if you are living with another family member, relative or friend who is not your legal guardian, you are considered homeless for school purposes and you can continue to go to your hometown school. Each school district has a McKinney-Vento liaison who is responsible for helping homeless students. You can find out who the McKinney-Vento liaison for your home district is by going here.
If you are in any danger (from a parent or guardian or anyone else), you should call 9-1-1- immediately. If you are not in danger, you can call the DCF hotline (1-800-842-2288) at any time, 24 hours a day, even if you have a safe place to stay with a friend or family member. Depending on how old you are, and what happened at your house, DCF may choose to file court papers if they want to take you into custody. At that time, you will have a lawyer appointed to represent you for as long as the DCF court proceeding lasts.
No. As a minor, you cannot rent or lease an apartment in your own name, unless you have gone to court which declared you an emancipated minor, and you have an emancipation order from a judge. You also cannot purchase an automobile, a firearm, or be bound to any contract you might sign. And while you can be charged with a crime (either as a juvenile or an adult), you cannot be held responsible for any contract you sign, or be personally responsible for any money damages that occur to another person for injuries you might cause as a result of your conduct.
