When to leave kids home alone

JUGGLING childcare throughout the summer months can be a dilemma for parents.

However, a grey area for many is when is it the right time to leave a child at home alone?

Currently, the law says that you shouldn’t leave a child alone if they will be at risk. But, the reason why this is such a grey area is because currently there is no set age on leaving a child home alone.

In 2018/19 practitioners working for the NSPCC’s helpline received 5,737 calls and emails from adults concerned about children left home alone.

This is a 21 per cent rise and nearly a third of those calls were in the school holiday months between July and September. Across London the helpline made 374 referrals to agencies across the region from members of the public who were concerned about a child left on their own at home.

To help parents decide what is best for their child, the NSPCC is offering guidance. The main points to consider are:

Babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone.

Children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency.

Children under the age of 16 should not be left overnight.

Regardless of age, a child shouldn’t be left home alone if they don’t feel comfortable with it.

If a child has additional needs, these should be considered when leaving them on their own or with an older sibling.

When leaving a younger child with an older sibling, think about what might happen if they were to have a falling out – would they both be safe?

To find out more, download the NSPCC’s free Home Alone Guide at https://bit.ly/2OdebQt or call the NSPCC helpline for free and confidential advice on 0808 800 5000. Desmond Mannion NSPCC Regional Head of Service, London & South East