needing advice and confused

[stacey1m]

What is the name of your state? SC
Help please I am 17 about to be 18 in couple of months I am adopted and live with biologically my grandparents but legally they are my parents now at what age can I legally move out and choose whom I can live with either my adopted family or birth parents? I really need some answers to this as my adopted parents are holding me back and raising me to stay a child and I would like to be able to move out when I am 18 is this possible or do I have to stay with them till I am 21 I am still in school right now. I am also getting a ss check each month they can barely make ends meet too.
Confussed due to being adopted and the laws**************...
Stacey1m

[LdiJ]

Originally Posted by stacey1m

What is the name of your state? SC
Help please I am 17 about to be 18 in couple of months I am adopted and live with biologically my grandparents but legally they are my parents now at what age can I legally move out and choose whom I can live with either my adopted family or birth parents? I really need some answers to this as my adopted parents are holding me back and raising me to stay a child and I would like to be able to move out when I am 18 is this possible or do I have to stay with them till I am 21 I am still in school right now. I am also getting a ss check each month they can barely make ends meet too.
Confussed due to being adopted and the laws**************...
Stacey1m

At age 18 you may choose where and with whom to live.

[stacey1m]

Hi
Thanks for the information too but I must ask to does this apply if I am consider to have disablities too does the same age apply to me as well? At 18 can I still choose whom I want to live with? Oh I sure hope so.
Stacey1 m

[rmet4nzkx]

Originally Posted by stacey1m

Hi
Thanks for the information too but I must ask to does this apply if I am consider to have disablities too does the same age apply to me as well? At 18 can I still choose whom I want to live with? Oh I sure hope so.
Stacey1 m

Please expain more about your disability so more specific advice may be provided.

[stacey1m]

Hi
I have learning disabilities and have provassive developement delay and ADHD and autism. However please be aware I am not sure if this is correct because when I had to do testing my adopted parents told me to play dumb.
My birth parents think I am smarter than anyone really knows.
Thanks
Stacey

[stacey1m]

Originally Posted by stacey1m

Hi
I have learning disabilities and have provassive developement delay and ADHD and autism. However please be aware I am not sure if this is correct because when I had to do testing my adopted parents told me to play dumb.
My birth parents think I am smarter than anyone really knows.
Thanks
Stacey

Can someone please give advice as I really need to know what my rights are as I have asked to live somewhere else and want to move out now as I went to spend sometime with my birthmom and did not want to come back home but my adopted parents say I have to come back home so this is why I really want to know if when I turn 18 can I can legally move out or do I have to wait till I am 21 due to my disablities Thanks for the help I did not know where else to turn to for the answers and another friend told me about this site too they had wanted to live with their father because their parents got divorced and someone here gave them advice on this.
.
confused and needing advice due to the laws
stacey

[LdiJ]

Originally Posted by stacey1m

Can someone please give advice as I really need to know what my rights are as I have asked to live somewhere else and want to move out now as I went to spend sometime with my birthmom and did not want to come back home but my adopted parents say I have to come back home so this is why I really want to know if when I turn 18 can I can legally move out or do I have to wait till I am 21 due to my disablities Thanks for the help I did not know where else to turn to for the answers and another friend told me about this site too they had wanted to live with their father because their parents got divorced and someone here gave them advice on this.
.
confused and needing advice due to the laws
stacey

The way that you word things doesn't sound like the kind of person that has disabilities sufficient enough to overcome their rights as a legal adult. Would your birth parents be willing to help you if your legal parents decided to attempt to get your declared as an adult needing a guardian?

[stacey1m]

Thanks for the vote of confidence however I have had a lil help from a friend of mine with some of the wording to this but I do know what I want and how to let others know this and speak my mind. However I would like to know what is involved with this concerning my birthparents if my legal parents did try to get me declared adult needing a guardian? Also is thier anyway around this and could I right now move out of thier home and choose to stay with birthparents even if my legal parents said no right now or would I have to wait till I was 18 or 21? Could my legal parents stop me from making this decission and go behind my back and have me declared adult needing a guardian? THanks for the advice and help with this too.
confused and needing advice due to the laws....
Stacey

[LdiJ]

Originally Posted by stacey1m

Thanks for the vote of confidence however I have had a lil help from a friend of mine with some of the wording to this but I do know what I want and how to let others know this and speak my mind. However I would like to know what is involved with this concerning my birthparents if my legal parents did try to get me declared adult needing a guardian? Also is thier anyway around this and could I right now move out of thier home and choose to stay with birthparents even if my legal parents said no right now or would I have to wait till I was 18 or 21? Could my legal parents stop me from making this decission and go behind my back and have me declared adult needing a guardian? THanks for the advice and help with this too.
confused and needing advice due to the laws....
Stacey

A consult with an attorney (once you turn 18) is probably the wisest move for you.

[stacey1m]

thanks for the advice but won't it cost to see a attorney even when I turn 18? Is there any other way around this? ALso could I choose now to move out or do I have to wait till after I am 18 to be able to do this?
confused and needing advice due to the laws
Stacey

[rmet4nzkx]

I'm sorry not to have responded earlier.
Here is a link to the state agency that assists those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, [url]http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dd/aic/states/sc.htm[/url] Please check with your caseworker re your transition to independent living. You fall in a limbo area and more than likely you have what is called Asperger's but because of funding your disability is described much along the lines you cited. Many famous people had Asperger's and have made great contributions to society, technology and literature. Also goto [url]http://www.faaas.org[/url]. In reality until you reach a certain point you will need a supportive environment and to work with people who can mentor and colaborate with you. It is also very important to find a good match of your talents and skills to employment. Do you have SSDI andor SSI?

[stacey1m]

Thanks for the information but still I have not found out the answer to my question . If I wanted to move out now and live with my birth mom and she was willing to let me stay with them legally would I be able even if the legal adopted parents said no? Or would I have to wait till I am 18 or 21? Or could I go to my case worker and tell her my wishes and then let her make the transition for me. I have told my legal adopted parents this is my wishes is to live with my birthfamily and not be in the home with my adopted parents any longer and yet the said no because I get a check each month and they are using the check to provide the home including for themselves because without my check they would have to move they could not live on thier checks they get and the check is being used for this and not on my education my birthfamily says they would use the check solely for my education if I still got one and I would like to try to live with my birthfamily do I have this rights? My birthfamily has always wanted me but at the time thier situation prevented me from being with them and they were forced to give me up. I feel I would be able to make it with them verses my adopted family so is this possible?
Thanks
confused and needing advice due to the laws
Stacey

[nextwife]

Originally Posted by stacey1m

Thanks for the information but still I have not found out the answer to my question . If I wanted to move out now and live with my birth mom and she was willing to let me stay with them legally would I be able even if the legal adopted parents said no? Or would I have to wait till I am 18 or 21? Or could I go to my case worker and tell her my wishes and then let her make the transition for me. I have told my legal adopted parents this is my wishes is to live with my birthfamily and not be in the home with my adopted parents any longer and yet the said no because I get a check each month and they are using the check to provide the home including for themselves because without my check they would have to move they could not live on thier checks they get and the check is being used for this and not on my education my birthfamily says they would use the check solely for my education if I still got one and I would like to try to live with my birthfamily do I have this rights? My birthfamily has always wanted me but at the time thier situation prevented me from being with them and they were forced to give me up. I feel I would be able to make it with them verses my adopted family so is this possible?
Thanks
confused and needing advice due to the laws
Stacey

Simply, NO, you can't legally decide where to live until age 18. A child's LEGAL parents, whether they are their biochild or their adopted child, is both liable and responsible for their child until age 18. You have a lifetime of time you can CHOOSE to spend with anyone you wish AFTER age 18. Until then, your LEGAL parents have rights and responsibilities regarding you.

[rmet4nzkx]

Please talk with your caseworker about your transition after you turn 18, you can start planning now. A part of this process will be changing your representitive payee if you are on SSDI. Have you graduated from high school yet? Your perception of the legal facts may be different than reality and the same for your and your bio parents circumstances. If you are conserved this may be an issue as well and there is no guarentee that your birth parents are equiped for your special needs.

Often times, a transition takes place by transitioning you to a group home or school where you may attend school and learn life skills to help you with eventual idependent living. These are things your case workes can assist you with. You would be free to visit your family as well, but it is important to have all the support you can get as your approach adulthood.

Please contact your caseworker on Tuesday, Monday is a holiday, then post back with what they say.

[stacey1m]

Hi
Thanks for the responses to this. First I don't have a caseworker any longer awhile back my adopted dad was accused of being abusive to me and we moved from the area we were living in and since then I have not had a caseworker. I was also almost put in jail because my adopted mother had bruises on her arm which I was accused of putting them on her arm since then we moved to another county however I do have a mental health conselour that I do talk with and I have a guidance conselour that I also have thru school but this is all I have. I don' t feel safe talking to them because they tell my adopted family things that I talk with them about. I get a ssi check every month which is not used solely for me. This is why I have posted here as only my friend and I know about this and no one can tell my adopted family as I am scared they will either put me some place or cut off my visitations with my birth family I have even consider running away just to be with my birth family.
As for the birth family they have always wanted me and have told me they would use my check for my education and not to provide me a place to live like my adopted family has. They would love to raise me as thier own if my adopted family which is not likely seeing I told the adopted family I wanted to live with them and they said no I could not and I could not go to school where they live neither and I feel I would benefit from being with my birthfamily and not the adopted one why can't my adopted family see how much I want this and allow me to live with them now I have spoken to my birth family about this and they are willing to do all they can for me and help support me but they too do not have alot of money to fight legally**************.And so I have to wait just a few more months I have waited a lifetime for this I guess a few more months won't matter. I was sure hoping I could decide not to go back to the adopted family and stay with my birthfamily but I understand so now I guess I will just have to wait till 18 and then I can choose the family I want to live with and thats my birthfamily. So thanks everyone for the advice. Any other advice anyone? I really wish the laws were different for us adoptee's because I want to live with my birth family yes I am grateful to the adopted parents but I don't think they are looking out for my best interest which is I would not feel like I do if they would allow me to try living with my birth family and the school thier right now I am just tired of being told no I can't be with the family I want to live with. any other advice?
confused and needing advice due to the laws
Stacey