What are is the legal perspective of under 16's living in your care but in a seperate building?

[cupcakes]

This is for a friend. She has a lovely house in the country with a seperate building a few feet away from her back door. Can her teenagers use this as their bedroom even though it is not technically under her roof? If it's on her property is it different from them moving out?

I think it's only a seperate dwelling if a) it has a seperate postal address and b) council tax is paid on it seperately from the main house.

I don't see why not. After all, at 16 you can leave home and get married. I'm sure no one will bother than they're sleeping a few feet across the garden.

oh, and I think there might be rules re fire escapes, toilet facilities etc

That's really good. Thank you.

Two of my teenagers are in a seperate building with their own bedrooms, bathroom and loo. I cannot see a problem with this.

I have friends who know a family where the teenage daughter finds her parents so impossible (hahahhahh) that she has voluntarily moved into the ramshackle caravan at the bottom of the garden).

I know a large family where the parents have moved their 4 eldest, aged 14 - 19, into an entirely separate property which they had previously rented out.

No idea how it works legally - I do know that for practical purposes the eldest lad is 'in charge'.

When I was 12 I lived in a caravan in my families garden - cooked, cleaned etc for myself. The school complained about it (no idea why), the police came round and said that - as my washing was done in the house it was technically at home!

I have no idea what implications taht has - I think most parents of newley removed teenagers still do washing - does this mean they have technically not left home?