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Well, for emancipation you'd be looking at probably a half year from start to finish, and not to mention it won't be the cheapest option. Anyway, to do it, social services will have to get involved so as to provide some greater leverage on your side, so no matter what they'll be there.
My opinion is varied. Personally I think that it would be best for her to contact social services straight out and then get them to sort everything out. If the parents are as bad as they seem, then it shouldn't be a problem to have her taken away.
Another option would be for some significant other not from her family to adopt her. It may seem over the top, though it would be a quick way to fix all the legalities and whatnot.
If you want her to keep living a relatively normal life, then just work out a way to get them to withdraw her from the private school in which she is enrolled. From there just get her to finish off school in a public high school, and emphasise the importance of her being able to go to college. The experience of going away to college is a process that will make her better able to get her head around life. Mind you, she would need to get some sort of low-interest loan or whatnot, and also work, though I'm still of the opinion that the whole thing would be of merit.
When I read back your second post, you do make a point. It is difficult to have a child leave a parent unless there is some sort of proof available. Verbal won't be enough, so the only chance would be to take some photos of any injuries that she receives from her parents. Mind you, I don't suggest that she self-harm, as someone well versed can usually tell the difference quite easily.
And gumby, don't discount social services. If she is in as much harm as she makes it out to be, then there is a dire need to place her in some sort of care. I mean, she only has about a year and a half to go until she is technically an adult anyway, so it's not all that long to be in foster care (and I know, I can't judge if I haven't experienced it myself).
But my major though is that she is making the whole thing out to be bigger than it actually is, and that she is just trying to rebel against the parents. You mentioned that she was in psychiatric care for a while, so who knows, maybe she has a mild case of conduct disorder or whatnot, and the parents are unable to cope? The constant running away from home is a hallmark of the disorder, so I'm more inclined to think that may be the case. And the claim of verbal abuse is common by adolescents in regards to their parents, especially if the child is rebelling. Don't forget good old ADHD which may be something worth considering, though I'm leaning more towards conduct disorder. I mean, the parents did pay a few thousand for the psychiatric care, and for private school, so it's not like they are as bad as they are being made out to be. Especially in regards to private school, you mentioned, when talking about the care she received after the case of para-suicide that she was unable to be kept there for a long period because the family could not afford it. They don't have much money spare, yet they still make sure she can go to private school? Seems like they care for her more than she thinks.
And like I said before, and echoing Spooky's comments, school is a great way to improve one's life. Not just the education, but the whole experience related to moving away to college.
Careful with Job Corp. It's like prison, but with shovels.
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