There is no law about what age you can leave home, but your parents generally have to look after you until you're 18.
What Counts As Abandonment? If a parent fails to provide their child with enough food, clothing, shelter, medical treatment, or care, or if they desert the kid and leave them without means of support, then Australian law clearly states that they are guilty of the crime of Abandoning a Child.
Once you turn 16, you won't normally be forced to return home by the authorities as long as you've got a safe place to go and you can financially support yourself. If you're under 18 and leave home, the police and Child Safety may investigate the reasons why you left home.
Its not illegal to move out of home before you are 18, but since your parents have a responsibility to look after you, they might make you come home. If the police are involved, they will look at where you are staying currently and whether or not you are safe, and look at whether or not you would be safe at home.
The legal age for consensual sex varies between 16 and 17 years across Australian state and territory jurisdictions (see Table 2). For other sexual activities, the criminal legislation relating to different types of sexual behaviours and interactions varies across Australian jurisdictions.
Your child cannot leave schooling until they are 17 years old. Your child must go to a school campus (or an approved alternative) until they finish year 10.
If the Minor Is Not Emancipated
Kicking an underage child (meaning under 18 in most states) out of the house, without the child being emancipated, can often be considered child abandonment, which is a crime.
It could be against the law. All Australian school-age children are legally required to attend school everyday. Unexplained absences can cause legal problems for your family, including financial penalties. Legal requirements are different for every state and territory.
The age of consent for sex is 16. At this age, teenagers can also marry, but only with parental consent. A 16-year-old is legally allowed to leave home without parental consent but parents remain responsible for their child's wellbeing until they are 18, so they may still require support.
If your teen is under the age of 18, they are considered to be underage in most states. If you kick your minor teen out of your home, this is considered to be abandonment. This is a crime, and you can face legal consequences, no matter where your teen moves to.
There is no law about what age you can leave home, but your parents generally have to look after you until you're 18. The most important thing is you have a safe place to live. If you are under 18 and there are Family Court orders about you or you are under guardianship, then the law may be different for you.
In Australia, you're considered to be an adult when you turn 18 years old. But for certain things, the legal age can be younger. The information in this article is general in nature, and laws differ from state to state.
Once a young person reaches 16 they can leave home or their parents can ask them to move out. However, parents are responsible for their children's wellbeing until they turn 18 - and they'll likely need support (anchor link).
If your teenager is repeatedly refusing to go to school, communicate with teachers or school counselors so they know why your child is struggling to get to class and can provide extra support. For example, school staff may wish to discuss setting up a 504 plan.
babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone. children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency and should not be left at home alone for a long period of time. children under the age of 16 should not be left alone overnight.
Absolutely not. They broke the law by kicking you out as a minor. Let them in, and you will have not have a way to get rid of them.
Housing and leaving home
When you're under 16, your parents or carers have a responsibility to keep you safe. That means that you can't decide to move out and your parents can't ask you to leave. If you leave home without your parents' or carers' permission, the police have the right to take you home if it's safe to.
As you build up to leaving your child alone for longer stretches, keep checking in and making sure they're comfortable. Being left home alone for an hour is very different to being alone for a whole afternoon or overnight. We wouldn't recommend leaving your child home alone overnight if they're under 16 years old.