Sue Scheff talks about Teen Runaways

A Growing Problem for Today's Families

One of any parent's greatest fears is a missing child.

Each year, one million troubled teens from every social class, race and religion run away from home. Unfortunately, for American families, that number continues to rise.

Confused, pressured and highly impressionable teens follow their peers into bad choices. In most cases, runaway teenagers want to escape the rules and regulations of their family and household.

Disagreements with parents leave them unhappy and frustrated to the point of rebellion.

Naiveté leads them to believe they could survive outside the nest; and dreams of a life without parental guidance, rules and punishment seem ideal.

The dangers of a runaway lifestyle are obvious. Afraid and desperate, teens on the street are easy targets for robbery, rape, prostitution, drug addiction and violent crime.

While the official Runaway Hotline cites nine out of ten teens return home or are returned home by the police within a month, any amount of time on the street can change a child forever.

Protecting our children from a potential runaway situation is incredibly important; the problem is serious, and the effects are severe.

My name is Sue Scheff, and through my organization, Parents Universal Resource Experts, I am working to keep America's teens safe. A troubled teenager is a difficult and uphill battle, but you are not alone! As parents, we must work together to educate and support each other through the crisis.

The best resource is that of someone who has been there; and at P.U.R.E, parents can find the information and support of so many dealing with the same situations.


Are you worried that your troubled teen will run away from home? We have compiled some of the most helpful resources on teenage runaways.

Visit our website, Help Your Teens and our Teen Runaway Website. You are not alone!