What Age Can Children Be Left Home Alone ?

[Seight_Returns]

Just read on BBC News that a woman is likely to be charged with Wilful Neglect after she went on holiday to Afghanistan (prefer Spain myself, but whatever) leaving her 3 kids aged 11, 6 and 5 at home to fend for themselves.

Outrageous clearly, but thinking back I remember being at home alone regularly when aged 8 or 9 for a few hours whilst I waited for my parents to return from work, shopping etc - noone thought this unusual and certainly no-one arrested my parents for Wilful Neglect.

So at what age can you legally leave kids home alone whilst you, say:
- Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ?
- Go out for a meal ?
- Go away for a weekend ?
- Go on hoiliday for 2 weeks ?

[davido140]

Cant answer the question but I was reglarly left at home for a few hours from 11 onwards I think.

Would be left locked in the car at the pub car park for a couple of hours too. Got given a coke and a packet of Big D nuts so was a bit of a treat really. Got to sit in the drivers seat and take it in turns with my brother pretending to drive! I had no problem with it at the time or now, wouldnt leave my lad like that though, strange....

Character building stuff!

[ali_kat]

Seight_Returns said:

So at what age can you legally leave kids home alone whilst you, say:
- Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ?
- Go out for a meal ?
- Go away for a weekend ?
- Go on hoiliday for 2 weeks ?

Most 'modern' children under 13 years of age would not be able to cope with an emergency in my experience.

To answer your queries, i was left at the ages of
14 (11 on own)
14
16
16

But then it wasn't just me, there was my 3 years younger brother to consider as well.

This is the advice given on the NSPCC website

NSPCC said:

Leaving children at home alone - What the law says

The law does not set a minimum age at which children can be left alone. However, it is an offence to leave a child alone when doing so puts him or her at risk.

How do you decide if you can safely leave a child alone?

There are many important things to consider before you decide to leave a child alone. These include:

the age of the child
the child's level of maturity and understanding
the place where child will be left
how long the child will be left alone, and how often
whether or not there are any other children alone with the child.
For example, most parents would think it's OK to leave a 16-year-old alone for the evening, but to leave them for a week would be unacceptable.

Many young children play outdoors with other children without supervision but most people would agree that this is an important part of growing up.

Edited by ali_kat on Thursday 11th September 15:41

[TIGA84]

Seight_Returns said:

Just read on BBC News that a woman is likely to be charged with Wilful Neglect after she went on holiday to Afghanistan (prefer Spain myself, but whatever) leaving her 3 kids aged 11, 6 and 5 at home to fend for themselves.

Outrageous clearly, but thinking back I remember being at home alone regularly when aged 8 or 9 for a few hours whilst I waited for my parents to return from work, shopping etc - noone thought this unusual and certainly no-one arrested my parents for Wilful Neglect.

So at what age can you legally leave kids home alone whilst you, say:
- Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ?
- Go out for a meal ?
- Go away for a weekend ?
- Go on hoiliday for 2 weeks ?

No guide by any means, but I can vaguely remember how old I was (I'm 28 now, so things were probably a bit different)

- Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ? - About 7/8?
- Go out for a meal ? - 11/12
- Go away for a weekend ? - 14/15
- Go on holiday for 2 weeks ? - about the same I think, but then I was trusted to go out until pretty much whenever.

I'm not sure if there is any legal ages for the above though?

[Timmy35]

[quote=ali_kat]NSPCC stuff[quote]

Interesting, I genuinely thought there was a minmum age, 12(?) under which a child couldn't be left alone.

[Mr POD]

ali_kat said:

Seight_Returns said:

So at what age can you legally leave kids home alone whilst you, say:
- Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ?
- Go out for a meal ?
- Go away for a weekend ?
- Go on hoiliday for 2 weeks ?

This is the advice given on the NSPCC website

NSPCC said:

Leaving children at home alone - What the law says

The law does not set a minimum age at which children can be left alone. However, it is an offence to leave a child alone when doing so puts him or her at risk.

How do you decide if you can safely leave a child alone?

There are many important things to consider before you decide to leave a child alone. These include:

the age of the child
the child's level of maturity and understanding
the place where child will be left
how long the child will be left alone, and how often
whether or not there are any other children alone with the child.
For example, most parents would think it's OK to leave a 16-year-old alone for the evening, but to leave them for a week would be unacceptable.

Many young children play outdoors with other children without supervision but most people would agree that this is an important part of growing up.

Edited by ali_kat on Thursday 11th September 15:41

My parents appied this:

- Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ? 7
- Go out for a meal ? 8 (You know where next door is if an emergency arises !!!)
- allowed to go youth hostelling with friend? 13
- allowed to go camping with friend? 14
- Go away for a weekend ? 16
- Go on hoiliday for 2 weeks ? 17 (I rebuilt my motorbike in the Kitchen)

[ali_kat]

Timmy35 said:

ali_kat said:

NSPCC stuff

Interesting, I genuinely thought there was a minmum age, 12(?) under which a child couldn't be left alone.

So did I till this came up at home with my nephews a few weeks ago when they asked why it was needed that I babysat when M&D go out at their ages of 16 & 14 They had done their homework to argue against it, bless em - that aroused suspicions immediately

[ali_kat]

Mr POD said:

My parents appied this:

- Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ? 7
- Go out for a meal ? 8 (You know where next door is if an emergency arises !!!)
- allowed to go youth hostelling with friend? 13
- allowed to go camping with friend? 14
- Go away for a weekend ? 16
- Go on hoiliday for 2 weeks ? 17 (I rebuilt my motorbike in the Kitchen)

Was that them allowing you to go, or leaving you alone whilst they went?

[Mr POD]

ali_kat said:

Mr POD said:

My parents appied this:

- THEM Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ? 7
- THEM Go out for a meal ? 8 (You know where next door is if an emergency arises !!!)
- THEM go to work in the summer holidays for 7 hours ? 10 (I cooked real chips at 10 with no one around to make sure I did not burn house down)
- ME allowed to go youth hostelling with friend? 13
- ME allowed to go camping with friend? 14
- THEM Go away for a weekend ? 16
- THEM Go on hoiliday for 2 weeks ? 17 (I rebuilt my motorbike in the Kitchen)

Was that them allowing you to go, or leaving you alone whilst they went?

As above.

[TWSTEEL]

Children can be left home alone when they have children of their own

[Mr POD]

Timmy35 said:

ali_kat said:

NSPCC stuff

Interesting, I genuinely thought there was a minmum age, 12(?) under which a child couldn't be left alone.

If your child is totally stupid and untrustworthy 12 is too young.

[Shaw Tarse]

TWSTEEL said:

Children can be left home alone when they have children of their own

13??

[Fetchez la vache]

46

[trimbo]

NSPCC said:

For example, most parents would think it's OK to leave a 16-year-old alone for the evening, but to leave them for a week would be unacceptable.

So you can procreate, get married and join the army; but spend 7 days without Mummy and Daddy?

[Shaw Tarse]

davido140 said:

Cant answer the question but I was reglarly left at home for a few hours from 11 onwards I think.

Would be left locked in the car at the pub car park for a couple of hours too. Got given a coke and a packet of Big D nuts so was a bit of a treat really. Got to sit in the drivers seat and take it in turns with my brother pretending to drive! I had no problem with it at the time or now, wouldnt leave my lad like that though, strange....

Character building stuff!

So you're 35/40 ish

[Timmy35]

Mr POD said:

Timmy35 said:

ali_kat said:

NSPCC stuff

Interesting, I genuinely thought there was a minmum age, 12(?) under which a child couldn't be left alone.

If your child is totally stupid and untrustworthy 12 is too young.

By that yardstick about half the adult population need a Nanny ( oh yes they have one, the state )

[Mr POD]

trimbo said:

NSPCC said:

For example, most parents would think it's OK to leave a 16-year-old alone for the evening, but to leave them for a week would be unacceptable.

So you can procreate, get married and join the army; but spend 7 days without Mummy and Daddy?

My sister in law wouldn't trust her 18 year old for one night alone. To me that does no favours for a young person. I was also told, that they wouldn't teach him to drive as he was too immature. They said this with him in the room. I saw red, told them exactly what I thought. He's off to university in 2 weeks. I'm told (by him) that he can't wait to be rid of them.

[mechsympathy]

TIGA84 said:

- Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ? - About 7/8?

Nip out to the shops? At about that age I was regularly sent to the shops to buy my parents' smokes

[ali_kat]

Mr POD said:

trimbo said:

NSPCC said:

For example, most parents would think it's OK to leave a 16-year-old alone for the evening, but to leave them for a week would be unacceptable.

So you can procreate, get married and join the army; but spend 7 days without Mummy and Daddy?

My sister in law wouldn't trust her 18 year old for one night alone. To me that does no favours for a young person. I was also told, that they wouldn't teach him to drive as he was too immature. They said this with him in the room. I saw red, told them exactly what I thought. He's off to university in 2 weeks. I'm told (by him) that he can't wait to be rid of them.

NSPCC guidelines, not law

But, in their house, knowing the parties they will throw, and the mayhem and destruction they could come home to

There is a reason why my 16 & 14 year old nephews still get left with a babysitter if M&D are going to be out longer than an hour There maybe a good one as to why you SiL won't leave her son

Edited for spelling

Edited by ali_kat on Thursday 11th September 16:32

[mybrainhurts]

Seight_Returns said:

So at what age can you legally leave kids home alone whilst you, say:
- Nip out to the shops for 10 mins ?
- Go out for a meal ?
- Go away for a weekend ?
- Go on hoiliday for 2 weeks ?

Are you Gary Glitter...?

You are, aren't you...?