Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

You can choose to move out when you’re 16 years old. But this can often be a challenge as it's difficult to find somewhere to live. Being made to move out, either because of your parents or home not being safe is counted as being homeless. If you’re homeless and under 18 years old, the local authority may have a responsibility to find you accommodation. The local authority is responsible for all the public services in your area – like housing, schools and social care.

If you don't want to move to Ireland you’ll have to find somewhere to live. If your boyfriend has a safe place and you can live with him, you can do this - even if your mum doesn't want you to. At 16 years old you’re able to make that decision yourself. If you can't live with your boyfriend in his current home, you'll need to find somewhere else.

Usually a good first step is to contact your local Children's Services. They should be able to help you access the support you need. Because you have a baby they should be making sure you and your child aren’t in any danger of having nowhere to stay. If you search online for "children's services" and your local town or city you should be able to find it. If not then your local council's website should have some contact details you can use as a starting point.

If you want more advice about your rights if you're at risk of being homeless, you can also try contacting Shelter. They have a helpline you can call or you can chat to them online. Our counsellors are here for you as well if you want to talk about what's happening and how you're feeling.

I hope this helps, take care.

Sam