Teen Runaway - Preventing teens from runaway and finding a missing child
One of the greatest fears that parents can experience comes when they discover that their child is missing or has run away. Parents will experience a range of emotions. The stress of the situation and the different ways in which parents, family, friends and police respond can reach crisis proportions and create further crisis within a family.
The most comprehensive study done in 1989 by the Government Accounting Office indicates 1.3 million kids are on the street each year. The Children''s Defense Fund cites approximately 1200 youth run away each day. An estimated 2.8 million youth living in the United States reported a runaway experience during the prior year (Research Triangle Institute 1995).
The Difference Between a Runaway Child and a Missing Child:
There is a difference between a child who has runaway and child that is missing. A runaway has left home or left a supervised environment. They usually run to escape or avoid something, or they are running somewhere to find or get something. A missing child might be lost, abducted, injured or held against their will by others. A runway is not necessarily missing. A runaway in not the same as a child who "sneaks" out at night to be with friends.
Motivations of a Runaway:
- To avoid an emotional experience or consequence that they are expecting in some future encounter or situation
- To escape a recurrent or ongoing unpleasant, painful or difficult experience in their life.
- To avoid the loss of activities, relationships or friendships that are considered important or worthwhile
- To be with other people who are supportive, encouraging and active
- To be with others or in places that are distraction from other problems in their life
- To change or stop what they are doing or about to do
Problems that Increase the Risk of a Runaway:
- Child abuse or neglect
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Divorce or separations that are not handled appropriately
- Oppositional and defiant behavior combined with inappropriate romantic or involvement with an antisocial peer group
- Death in the family that is not handled appropriately
Warning Signs of a Potential Runaway:
Attempts to communicate result in arguments, raised voices, interruptions, name calling, hurt feelings and failure to reach an acceptable agreement.
The child has a network of friends who are largely unsupervised, oppositional, defiant, involved with drugs and other antisocial behaviors.
An increasing pattern of impulsive, irrational and emotionally abusive behavior by either the parent(s) or teenager. (Michael G. Conner, Psy.D, www.crisiscounseling.com)
If you feel like your adolescent/teenager is a potential runaway or is a runaway, please fill out our Request Information Form and we will guide your family to pre-qualifying programs.