Parent Trouble

Parents can legally make a son or daughter over age 16 leave home. The most common reasons for family breakdown are:

• Conflict between the young person and a step-parent or new partner
• Substance abuse
• Mental health issues
• Disagreements about friends
• Disagreements about boundaries

If your parent wants you out but you want to remain at home there are a number of things you can do. Talk the problem through with your parent or someone outside the family. Use the Online Survival Guide to get help with issues around substance abuse, mental health and negotiating boundaries.

Living with a teenager can be frustrating and confusing for parents so it’s likely that they could benefit from advice and support. There are organisations just for them to help them cope.

Find out more: Staying at home, Family, Running away

Things getting worse? Get help

If the situation at home is very bad, you may feel that you are out of options. But there are support organisations which can help you, and sometimes just talking to someone can be a big help. People you could talk to:

• A Connexions Worker or Youth Worker
• A helpline, like Childline or The Samaritans
• A local housing advice group, you can find them in housing contacts

Local housing advice groups can offer services such as family mediation, temporary accommodation or advice. Family Mediation is used to assist in resolving family conflict or difficulties by seeking solutions that will help. Some of the groups are especially for young people, others can help support parents, or help families where alcohol or substance abuse is a problem.

Key link: Banbury Young Homeless Project (covers all Oxfordshire)

Find out more: Domestic violence, abuse, protection from abuse, drugs and alcohol

Experience: dealing with authority

Some people leave home because they can’t deal with authority but you still have to deal with it one way or another even if it’s just being told to move along by the police. – James Hatch, 33, Oxford