Which circumstance does not qualify a juvenile to be classified under CHINS?

Living independently without supervision does not qualify a juvenile to be classified under CHINS, which stands for "Child in Need of Services." The CHINS classification is primarily concerned with the wellbeing of the child in situations where their safety and basic needs are not being met due to the actions or omissions of caregivers.

Juveniles defined as CHINS typically face circumstances where their living conditions directly endanger their physical or emotional health—this includes situations of neglect, endangerment, or involvement in criminal behavior, such as sex offenses. However, a juvenile who is living independently, while it might raise concerns regarding their welfare and capacity to thrive without adult oversight, does not inherently indicate that they are in need of protective services under the CHINS statute. Independence itself does not imply that the juvenile's basic needs are neglected or that their safety is compromised by caretakers, which is the core criterion for the CHINS designation.