New York Parental Responsibilities

In New York State, parents have legal responsibilities that they must meet for their children 1. These laws generally apply while the child is living at the parents' house, although additional legal requirements must be met if the child wants to move out before he turns 16, according to the Empire State Coalition. Parents should be aware of their responsibilities, so that they can provide their children with everything that is required by the law.

Finances

Parents are expected to care for their children financially until they turn 21. In addition, parents can be charged if they abandon a child under the age of 14 or refuse to support a child who is less than 16 years old. If a child between the ages of 16 and 21 leaves the family home without good cause or refuses to obey the rules of the house and is kicked out, the parents are not responsible for her finances, reports the Empire State Coalition. If the child leaves the house before she turns 21 because the conditions are unbearable, the parents remain responsible for supporting her financially.

Education

From an educational standpoint, parents have the responsibility of sending their children to school and ensuring that they arrive on time every day. They should also be aware of their child's work habits and meet with teachers should any issues arise. When the school wishes to communicate with the parent, the parent should respond in a timely manner and attend all meetings without being disruptive. While these are not legal requirements, parents are required to agree to these responsibilities if they wish to send their children to a public school, notes the New York City Department of Education 1.

Health Care

Health care is an important issue for minors and all parents are required to provide medical care for children while they live at home. This is true even when the parent has not given consent for the treatment, since the parent has a legal obligation to care for the child. If a medical emergency occurs, the parent legally must pay for the child's care. When a child moves out on his own, however, he becomes responsible for his own health care, even if he is under the age of majority, reports the Empire State Coalition.

Liability

New York law states that when a child between the ages of 10 and 18 willfully does damage to a property, the parent is liable to pay for that damage. The parent can also be held liable if the child steals property from a building or falsely reports or places a bomb in any location. The most that a parents can be forced to pay in this situation is $5,000, according to FindLaw.com.