SUMMER holidays are just around the corner; it’s best to be prepared, including knowing how long kids can stay home alone.
It can be hard for parents who are working or have errands to run during the holidays to always find care for their children.
Even nipping to the shops quickly can be tough with kids, but leaving them at home could lead to trouble for the parents.
So the question is – at what age can you legally leave children at home on their own in?
Currently, there is no law to say what age when you can leave a child on their own, but it is a criminal offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk.
You can be.
This is because it is ato leave a child unsupervised “in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to“.
The government recommends parents use their own judgement on how mature their child is before leaving them alone, whether it’s at home or in a car.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)gives a more comprehensive guide.
“Every child matures differently, so it would be almost impossible to have a ‘one size fits all’ law,”; it says on its website.
The NSPCC recommends children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to be left alone for a long period of time.
Children under 16 years of age should not be left alone in aovernight.
In addition,babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone.
The NPCC’s Helen Westerman went into greater detail and said parents needed to take into consideration a couple of critical factors.
This includes how they feel about their children playing outside unsupervised, and also how their child feels about it themselves.
“Lots of parents will be thinking about whether it’s safe to leave their children at home safely, and if they’re old enough to leave the house unsupervised,”; she told the Liverpool Echo.
“As well as determining if a child is ready to be left alone, many parents will also find balancing work with the school break quite challenging, especially considering the rising child costs and thecrisis, which is placing additional strain on families.”;
Helen added: “As children get older, it’s common for them to want more freedom and learn to be independent.
“This is an important part of growing up, but we know there can be a lot to think about for parents.
“As every child is different, we recommend building up their independence at their pace and checking in with them to make sure they feel safe.”;
