Any social or DHS workers?

We have a 16 year old boy living with us, friend of my son. His mom was told the kids could not stay in the house anymore because of the condition of the house. They had no car or place to live, so the boy came to stay with us. He is doing great and seems to be getting really involved in school. He doesn't like his mom much and wants to stay with us. His mom doesn't call or really seem to care about him. My question is what rights does he have? If she wants him back, can he choose to stay with us? It sounds like he had a worker, but I don't know who. He doesn't seem to know much about that. He used to stutter a lot and now he seems to be getting over that. My husband and I are at a loss, we don't really know his mother and she is just living with friends and has moved twice since Aug. What should we do?

Health & Human Services office. It would be helpful if you have the young man's social security #. They should be able to put you in contact with the correct caseworker.

Depending on how rules bound they are they may move him out of your home if you are not licensed Foster Care. Hopefully they will treat him as a run away and turn a blind eye. He can always seek emancipation via contacting legal aid. I don't know much about that process though.

I just don't know what they would do. My husband worries about if anything happens to him and we have to take him to the doctor or something. I say, we will just take it as it comes, but he doesn't like to do that. I can understand.

...If the boy is 16, he could be legally emancipated, which would allow him to choose where he lives. You should probably contact Legal Aid or a friendly attorney that you know of who works with family/children cases.

laws vary state to state, emancipation, child protective services will have a roll. good luck

CB- MSW