<p>I agree that she should request a dependency override. The school already has received a taste of mom’s odd side. </p>
<p>It sounds like your granddaughter doesn’t live with her parents. Does she live with you? Do you have - or did you have prior to your granddaughter reaching the age of 18 - legal custody? If so, she is independent automatically. </p>
<p>If your granddaughter applies for a dependency override, she will need to DETAIL everything that has happened that has led to the breakdown with her family - including details she may not wish to share. This info will be kept confidential, but it is necessary to make a determination (too many kids “don’t get along” with their parents, and that isn’t enough to warrant a dependency override - sounds like your granddaughter has more going on than that). You will need to write your own letter detailing circumstances. If possible, a letter from a professional (counselor, psychologist, social worker, clergyperson, doctor, etc) on letterhead would be really, really good to include.</p>
<p>We know that some parents don’t deserve the label … that is what dependency overrides are for. Again, you must help the aid officer understand what is truly going on. Professional judgment is an art, not a science, so helping the aid officer see the real situation will allow him/her to decide if a dependency override is warranted & give him/her the necessary documentation to hold up in the event of an audit.</p>