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However, leaving children alone before they are ready may result in criminal charges and penalties. Maybe you have an important meeting that you can’t miss, or it’s school holidays and you have no one to look after your kids. You might be wondering whether it is safe to leave your teenager home alone or at what age your kid can legally stay home without adult supervision. All children are unique and deal with situations differently. Some show more maturity than others do.
Also consider that your child might be legally old enough, or older than 10, but not mature enough to be left home alone yet. She says that there are many other factors to consider, when trying to decide at what point your child can be left at home alone. Ken joined LegalMatch in January 2002. From Golden Gate University School of Law, and a B.S. In Business Administration from Pepperdine University. He is admitted to practice law before the State Bar of California, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
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Dubbed “latchkey kids” because of the telltale key hanging around their neck, these children go home to an empty house after school, or in the case of summer, end up staying home by themselves. Some states, such as California, offer little guidance, with no minimum age set for when children can be left home alone. The majority of states with laws cite 12 years old as the cutoff, while some states lean younger, including Maryland and Georgia at 8 years and Kansas at six. California laws do not specifically provide a minimum age requirement to leave a child home alone, or a minimum age for a child to be able to care for younger siblings.
Look at previous situations where they have had to use their own judgment. These types of decisions depend a lot on their character. Beverly Bird has been writing professionally since 1983.
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She came home to find he had barricaded himself in his room out of sheer terror. In the age of helicopter parenting, it can be hard to know when to let go. Although your teen is not small, it is best to still pack any possibly dangerous items away securely. These items can include things like alcohol, medications, guns and lighters. Knowledge of basic first aid is also necessary.
Do you have a backup adult to contact in case of an emergency? This should ideally be a nearby neighbor that can get to your house very quickly if need be. Clinical Psychologist, Juazel de Villiers advises that generally, a child should not be left home alone before the age of 10.
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“Being able to stay home alone and care for yourself is a healthy part of a child’s development and builds confidence in kids,” she said. California, like most states, does not have a law that says, specifically, how old a child needs to be to stay home alone. That decision is left up to parents, and it’s an issue every family faces at some point.
My daughter is 12, and insists she is too old for a sitter. She is responsible and mature, and probably right. I have an event to attend, and won't be home until 11pm. We have a downstairs neighbor who is willing to check in on her periodically throughout the evening, and we will both be available via phone. I can't find a "legal" age for leaving a child alone.
Is your child ready to be home alone?
Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
For parents trying to make a decision of leaving their child home alone, it is important to determine if your child is ready. Furthermore, it may be useful to do a practice run before actually leaving your child home alone. Later, you and the child can discuss the results of the practice run and determine what needs to be accomplished for the actual event.
The list can also include reminders and a checklist of important information or things to remember. Different states have their own laws or guidelines regarding the minimum age at which a child is allowed to be left at home alone such as in Michigan the age is 11 and in Colorado it is 12. There are, however, many states such as Texas and California, that do not state a minimum age. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.
Those factors will also weigh in on whether or not the child is old enough to left alone. Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only. Make sure your child knows not to tell people that they are home alone as this poses a safety risk. Another thing your child will need to know is what to do if there is a stranger at the door. Firstly, your child should be able to lock and unlock all the necessary doors and know how to work the home security system if you have one.
For parents, leaving a child home alone can be a difficult decision. However, some situations arise where it can become necessary. Therefore, if you are planning to leave your child home alone you need to ensure that it is legal to do so. There are guidelines determined by each state to help avoid any safety concerns once leaving your child home alone.
She covers many legal topics in her articles. In an emergency situation, call local law enforcement or 911 immediately. Parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised ‘in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health’. The law does not say an age when you can leave a child on their own, but it’s an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. Societal expectations are a factor, too.
You have access to your child’s location history and can even listen in if needed. Even though the law in some states does specify either a legal age or recommendation, there are many other factors to consider before leaving your child home alone. Experts say one of the simplest ways to tell that a child might be ready to go it alone for a short time is to ask. Signs that a child is scared, and not yet ready, include wanting to turn on all the lights, blaring the television or having nightmares. I am a single parent, coming from an ugly break-up. He will do anything he can to cause problems.
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