To think that you can’t legally ground an over 16?

[christmas18]

Once a dc is 16 you can’t can you?
Actually enforce a grounding ??
Surely it’s imprisonment if some sort even if they behaving atrociously and recklessly you can’t actually ground them and carry that out ?

The legality of it isn't really the issue...I doubt you can physically stop her anyway as she will probably just smash a window or something.

Telling her she is grounded is fine and legal.
Although with a 16 year old it's probably too harsh a punishment as they are entitled to some freedom.
Locking the door is probably not practical.
So you are left with trying further threats/punishments/discussion to try and stop her...
Withholding money might be a good idea
Can you reach some kind of compromise - e.g. you can go out but only with these people/you must be back by this time or similar? to encourage her to make a better choice but without restricting her altogether?

Teens not having their mates around is a common thing. We get so used to playdates from primary that we expect this to continue well into the teen years.
Even when they do have them around, not many want to talk to the parents and so very likely to tell you much anyway.

To enforce a grounding would mean to physically stop her leaving the house and this is a situation I want to avoid as well as her threat to call police

If she did call the police, they would probably attend, confirm no crime had been committed, and suggest you all had space to cool off, ie that your dd went out. I'm not sure what the law\ says here, that's just my experience of what tends to happen in these circumstances.

Do you have any services involved with her? Social workers, camhs, etc? If not, social services might be able to advise, but tbh these are not the most clear cut of situations.

I really sympathise, I also have a child who does not accept groundings and who will physically force his way out of the home. To keep him in I'd need to use physical force beyond a level most would consider reasonable. It's a horrible situation to be in: restriction to keep them safe that is probably an illegal level of restraint, or stand back and let them go out to danger.

Sometimes she will agree
Once out she is influenced? I’m not sure and then acts irresponsibly
She can’t understand when I tell her that a situation is not safe. Talks about herself in a third person way that she is invincible

Yes CAMHS we are waiting for further appointments

Legally you can't prevent her leaving the house, and if she ran away, she couldn't be forced to return as she's over 16.

However, you grounding her is not illegal. It just depends how you enforce it