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When can I leave home?
Under 16 years
Your parents are legally responsible for you until you are 18 years old. Also, while you are under 16, you can only leave home if your parents agree and if they have made adequate arrangements for your care i.e. accommodation, clothing, food and medical care.
16 years old
You can leave home without your parents’ consent. But, if the Department for Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) or the police think you are “at risk” because you are, for example, mixing with the wrong people or becoming involved in crime they may intervene and organise a Family Group Conference. The end result may mean you have to go home.
If your parents are concerned about you they can apply to the Family Court to have you put under the guardianship of the court. This means that the Court can make all of your major decisions for you until you are 18 years old. However, even if this happens, the Court will only make decisions about where you live if there are really good reasons for doing so.
Over 17 years
Once you are 17 CYFS has no power to direct you to live at home - or anywhere else, even if they think you are “at risk”.
Any age
If you are committing criminal offences however, part of a condition of bail, probation or community service may be that you live at home or somewhere else that the court directs, regardless of your age.
But if you are unsafe at home
If you are being physically, psychologically, and / or sexually abused then leaving home is an act of self preservation. A crisis like this means that you need to get out, no matter how old you are.
When it’s not safe at home, find someone you can trust to talk to. If you don’t have a sympathetic adult (like a school counsellor, teacher, church leader, youth worker or relative) who you trust, there are some good agencies that can help, including:
- Youthline on 0800 376 633
- Kidsline on (09) 522 4223 (between 4pm-6pm only)
- Child Youth and Family Service on (09) 912 3820; website www.cyf.govt.nz or email at cyf.govt.nz (or look under the “blue” Index of Government Services section in the front of the “Whitepages” of your telephone book).
If it’s an emergency phone the Police on 111.
If you are leaving because it is unsafe to stay, make sure you take any identification papers (eg birth certificate), money, cards (including bank account card), any medical supplies and phone numbers of friends, family, doctor or your school, etc. with you. There are things you can do to protect yourself from an unsafe home, including getting a Protection Order, involving CYFS or the Police or changing your care arrangements.
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Latest page update: made by YouthLaw
, Apr 6 2010, 7:19 PM EDT
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| Anonymous | wanting to leave home at 14 | 1 | Sep 7 2011, 7:57 PM EDT by YouthLaw | ||
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Thread started: Sep 6 2011, 7:25 PM EDT
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I am a 14 yr old male an don't want to live at home but don't have money or any were to staywhatdo i do
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| Anonymous | Sixteen and Wanting to Leave Home | 1 | Jul 18 2011, 6:45 PM EDT by Anonymous | ||
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Thread started: Jul 14 2011, 8:58 AM EDT
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My husband's 16yo child keeps running away from their Mum's house because she/he wants to leave home. He/she is not capable of looking after themselves and we cannot support her/him. The child's natural Mum has given up, even though the step-father hasn't. My husband does not want to sign the Independent Youth Benefit papers for emotional reasons but the child cannot live with us.
What is the legal situation? If my husband refuses to sign the papers, will the child have to live with us? Neither him nor I could handle it financially or mentally. |
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| Anonymous | want independence | 1 | Oct 19 2010, 9:48 PM EDT by YouthLaw | ||
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Thread started: Oct 18 2010, 3:46 AM EDT
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i dont have the best relationship with my mother, i am currently stayinq with my qrandparents but i am stil under her care her rules. i am 17 and ive been told i can do as i please when im 18 but for years now i have been wanting to leave home. i dont qet out much and when im lucky and qet too hanq with my friends i have too keep in contact with her which is understandable mum also has to know where i am at all times, when im qoinq when il be back, how im qettinq there and back why im qoinq also what are my friends like and the list is continious. alot of the time my answer is NO . and i stay home miserable as ever and upset or anqered. i understand her duty as a mother is to protect but i dont think thats all to it, she tends to qet quite nosey and i really am just wantinq to catch up with my friends out of school. what i dont qet is that i would say i am a reasonably responsible teen mature for my aqe so i dont know why she is so hard but yeah im thinkinq about movinq out i want to continue qoinq to school but unsure how il manaqe as im unemployed and have no where to qo/stay ..or maybe i should just wait til im 18? but even so i want independance when im 18.....any quidance in what i should do?
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