Help for Runaway Teens

Help for Runaway Teens

Statistics show that more than 1 million teens are added to the list of runaways each year and 86% of the runaways are between 14 years old and 17 years old. Do not ignore the signs that lead you to believe that your teen may be thinking of running away. Running away does not solve the problem, so it is important to let your teen know that there is help out there should they get them selves into such an unpleasant situation. Education and early prevention is the best defense you can have to protect your teen.

Sometimes, as much as we try to help our teens with their problems, we are just not able to reach them. Make sure you provide your teen with the tools he or she will need in the event that they make the wrong choices and runaway. There are many shelters and local businesses that will gladly take in runaways and try to get them pointed in the right direction. Many of the local businesses will have signs posted that indicate that they are a safe house but teens may not be aware of exactly what that is. The last thing you want is your teen to be on the streets, tired, cold and hungry, making them very susceptible to predators and crime.

Try to keep the lines of communication open with your teen and educate them as to what to do in the event they feel they have nowhere to go. Give them a list of resources to contact and places that are safe for them to go to. Many times teens are scared and do not know where to turn when things get bad in their home. Be proactive and teach your children what their options are. Runaways come from all races and classes, no child is protected 100% from feelings of despair.