The overwhelming consensus by parents I spoke to was that the minimum age of leaving children at home was 10. Ella and Maddie, both mothers of three kids under eight, say somewhere between nine and 11 years old, when they are a bit more responsible and mature, would be appropriate. However, other parents thought older.
No legal age for leaving children home alone
There's no one law in Australia that says how old your child has to be before you can leave them alone. In Queensland, if you leave a child under 12 years of age for an unreasonable amount of time without supervision and care, you have committed a criminal offence.
Only three States currently have laws regarding a minimum age for leaving a child home alone: Illinois, 14 years old; Maryland, 8 years old; and Oregon, 10 years old.
What does the law say. The law provides no clear direction as to what age a child can be left at home alone and so as a parent you need to use your own judgement based on your own family circumstances and the age and maturity of your children.
There is no law in Queensland about what is the legal age to babysit. As in other states, the parents (of the children being cared for) are legally responsible for their children's safety and welfare, in accordance with the Commonwealth Family Law Act.
children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency and should not be left at home alone for a long period of time. children under the age of 16 should not be left alone overnight.
That said, most councils and local authorities recommend 8-years-old as a good time to start the process of learning to walk to school alone.
8 to 10 Years - Should not be left alone for more than 1½ hours and only during daylight and early evening hours. 11 to 12 Years - May be left alone for up to 3 hours but not late at night or in circumstances requiring inappropriate responsibility. 13 to 15 Years - May be left unsupervised, but not overnight.
While every child is different, we wouldn't recommend leaving a child under 12 years old home alone, particularly for longer periods of time.
Most children will not be mature enough to manage being alone on a regular basis until they are about 10 or 11 years old. However, some parents may be OK leaving a more mature 8- or 9-year-old home alone for a half hour or so once in a while.
Chronological age: Young children from 0-6 years should not be left alone for even short periods of time. Children 6-9 years should be left for only short periods, depending on their level of maturity.
Children under 13 years old should not be allowed to travel in the front seat of a car. The back seat is generally the safest place for a child to ride. While air bags can save lives, kids riding in the front seat can be seriously injured or killed when an air bag comes out in a crash.
Ideas to discuss with your children
But because of its violence, coarse language and some sexual references, it isn't suitable for children under 7 years and we recommend parental guidance for children aged up to 10 years.
Legal Help for all South Australians
There is no law that says how old a child must be to be able to babysit. Parents are expected to make their own decisions and in doing so the only guidance the law provides is that they make make reasonable decisions about their children's safety.
Can a 10 year old babysit? Yes, as long as he or she is responsible, mature, and knows how to take care of smaller children.
Most experts say that by age 10 or 11, it's OK to leave a child alone for short periods of time (under an hour) during the day, provided they're not scared and you think they're mature enough to handle it. But you may want to wait another year or two before leaving them alone at night.
They also suggest that kids ages 9-12 should only be left alone for short periods of time, such as an hour or two. DFCS advises that kids ages 13 and older shouldn't be left alone for more than 12 hours at a time. What Is Safest for Your Child?
9-10 years old may be ready to be left unsupervised up to 1.5 hours during daylight and early evening hours. 11-12 years old may be ready to be left unsupervised up to 3 hours during daylight and early evening hours. 13-15 years old may be ready to be left unsupervised more than three hours but not overnight.
“In general, most children can be left alone for an hour or so between 8 and 10 years of age. If an 8-year-old must be home after school alone, it's best to have them call to check-in, and have a structured schedule set for homework, chores, TV, etc. until parents get home,” says Howe.
According to children's charity the NSPCC, 12 is the age they recommend children reach before they are left home alone – but only if they are comfortable being left. The advice is a little more vague when it comes to being allowed to go out and play with their friends, or walk to the shops alone.
Kids should never be left alone until they are 8 years old, and kids between the ages 8-10 shouldn't be left for more than an hour-and-a-half or during night-time hours. Don't assume they're looking up at the night stars with a telescope made for children.
WALKING TO AND FROM SCHOOL ALONE
“There is no law prohibiting children from being out on their own at any age.
"Every child is different – but some schools advise children under eight shouldn't walk home without an adult or older sibling. "If you and your child do feel they're ready to come home alone, it helps to go over some rules about staying safe."
In reality, many children often spend time alone at home unsupervised, but is this legal? In Quebec, there is actually no legal age for leaving your child home alone.
In general, it's not a good idea to leave kids younger than 10 years old home alone.