THROWAWAY

A throwaway is a youth who meets either of the following two criteria:

A child is asked or told to leave home by a parent or other household adult, no adequate alternative care is arranged for the child by a household adult, and the child is out of the household overnight.

A child who is away from home is prevented from returning home by a parent or other household adult, no adequate alternative care is arranged for the child by a household adult, and the child is out of the household overnight.

Two basic differences emerge between a runaway and a throwaway. First, a throwaway has no choice in the matter and is forced to live elsewhere with in-place guardian consent; and, second, a runaway is, in contrast, an individual who chooses to live elsewhere without legal guardian consent. A review of the various definitions, as shown above, demonstrates that there is no consensus regarding age. This is important from a legal perspective, as age becomes a determining factor in the ability to access social services including crisis, temporary, or transitional shelter. 

Source: http://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&context=childrenatrisk