WITH hundreds of schools set to close early this week due to extreme heat, children across the country will be gearing up for some unexpected time off.
This could, however, create a dilemma for those parents struggling to arrange last-minute .
Children across the country will be gearing up for some unexpected time off Credit: Onest Mistic
Leaving children on their own is an area fraught not only with moral issues but also legal obligations Credit: Taras Grebinets
In total, 243 schools across England and Wales have announced they will close or finish early for several days this week to protect pupils from .
A spokesperson from the told The Sun: “In terms of who decides if a school stays open or closed, it’s up to the school rather than the local authority.”
Yet when it comes to the rules at home, leaving children on their own is an area fraught not only with moral issues but also legal obligations.
While there is currently no in England that sets a specific age for leaving a child unsupervised at home, it is a criminal offence if youngsters are put at risk.
Parents can face fines or even jail if a child suffers harm due to being left alone.
Under child protection laws, it is illegal to leave a minor “in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health”.
urges parents to use common sense and judge how mature a child is before leaving them on their own, even briefly.
The NSPCC recommends children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to be left alone for a long period of time.
Kids aged under 16 should not be left home alone overnight, no matter how responsible they seem.
, toddlers, and very young children must never be left alone, even for a moment.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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