Jump to content

Menu

Help me help this child


Recommended Posts

My daughter is friends with a girl who is about 1.5 years older than she and is two grades ahead. This girl goes to public school but apparently is not living with her mother who has very serious problems. She has a younger brother and sister and I am not sure that they are with the mother anymore. Mom has boyfriends in and out and has more problems than that but I don't know what they are- alcoholism, drugs, abusive behavior, mental illness or what/. I do know the girl talks with her mother once a day but only if a trusted adult is next to her while she is doing that. Apparently she has been staying with different members of our church- the pastor and his wife, the bible study leader and her husband, and last night, she stayed at our home. She is very polite and nice. She must be doing well in school since she is in AP Bio and AP English.

 

The two couples who have her in the home don't have any more children at home. I am not sure if any other families are taking her in. I don't know what her legal situation is- she is 16 and a junior in school. I suppose I should try to talk with one of the other women who are taking care of her to see what I can do.

 

I know several families here have taken in teens before who were in bad situations. I would like to ask for any advice.

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would just check with a school social worker or other person like that to make sure the mom can't say she is a "run away" and that you are harboring her. In our state, they can leave at 17 but NOT 16. If mom puts it in writing she can stay with someone else, etc. then it might be OK.

 

We had the cops show up on our door more than once for us harboring "run aways" when we had kids just show up at our house for the afternoon or evening (NOT even overnight) and their parents didn't know where they were.

 

Sounds like she is a girl in need of help though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...