what right does a 16 year old have if they are no longer living at .unable to remove any personal belongings.and her mother is still claiming child benifiet for the last 3 months

[mrdnajames]

z

[boxtops]

what rights are you thinking of?

[LoftyLottie]

She should seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau as soon as possible. Phoning Child Line might be an idea as well.

[flitty]

child benefit can be claimed up to the age of 19 if in full time education. If the stuff was bought by the mother it is technically hers as she paid for it, unless it can be proved it was a gift. However if the child paid for it herself and cannot get it back then keeping it i would consider is theft. However take legal advice and also send letter saying you want the items back and ask for a suitable time, but send by recorded delivery so you have proof of the letter being received

[mrdnajames]

ie her mother is still claiming child benfiet even though she has been living with her aunt for the last 3 months...also her mother will not allow access to the home to remove any of her personal belongings..and she gets know cash of her mother at all

[flitty]

as the money ids meant for the childs benefit then i would tell the mother you are chasing it up and contact the child benefit agency for advice

[daffy654]

Flitty, I have no idea where you get the idea that a child's belongings such as clothes technically belong to the mother. That is not the case.

I would ask the mother for the belongings and give her a time and date when you will be coming to get them. If she refuses to hand the stuff over you could always approach the local police and ask them to visit the house with you and the girl to retrieve the stuff. I had to do something similar when my daughter (then 16) left some lodgings she had been living at and the person she lodged with refused to give her clothes and belongings back.... I did actualy try to kick the woman's door down first but I wouldn't recommend that course of action
:-.

[mrdnajames]

thank you most helpful

[joko]

i think flitty means 'technically'...personal items like clothes are the daughters but it could be argued by the mother that items such as radios, tv, bedding, books, even toiletries etc are shared by the household and therefore not the childs..even though in reality they are.

[ummmm]

When a child leaves home/runs away...your first thought is not 'oh...must tell the child benefit'