My name is Dakota, my 15 y.o. niece came from N.C. to live with me in Atlanta during her pregnancy, with the understanding that she'd be putting the baby up for adoption. Now with 3 months before the due date, she's informed me she has changed her mind, wishes to move back to N.C., keep the baby.
She has no permanent home to go to there, as her family has disallowed her from living with them. I'd certainly allow her to stay with me, but have a young one myself, and her presence here has changed our family dynamic enough, let alone what a newborn would do, so her raising the baby in my home is not a option.
My question is..... Is it possible for a 15 y.o., on public assistance, with no money, no housing and no spouse to legally raise a baby in the state of N.C.?
Her boyfriend, who turns 18 in October (a month before the baby is born) has said he would sign adoption papers.
Will the state put her in a foster home as well as her child? Will she be able to keep the baby?

Thanks for any advice you can give me. Dakota

I am not in your state but I do not think it is possible for a 15 yr old to move out on her own and live on public assistance, legally she is not an adult. You may wish to contact he case worker. There may be a program for young mothers or some way they could help her. Some states do have "group" homes for young moms so they can keep thier babies and finish high school.

Here (http://www.naccfa.org/dire_level/crisis.html) is a list of group homes in North Carolina that may be suitable for a teenage mother in crisis.