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But no laws, no guidelines to leave a child alone at home! The Florida Department of Children and Families says Florida law does not include a hard and fast rule about when children can be left home alone, but expects parents to consider all circumstances when deciding on the level of supervision needed. North Dakota – There are no minimum age laws, but the Department of Social Services has its own policies and guidelines. Children between 0 and 8 years of age should not be left alone under any circumstances. Children between the ages of 9 and 11 should not be left alone for more than two hours. They should not be left home alone even after dark and should not be responsible for caring for other children. Children 12 years of age or older are allowed to babysit, but only after completing an approved childcare course. Children under the age of 15 should not be left alone overnight. To eliminate as much confusion as possible, I share with you the laws to leave children home alone in each state. Honestly, my second son just started staying home with his big brother for a very short time. An example is when my husband has to leave, but I`m still about 10-15 minutes away.

We will continue to do such things and gradually increase the time. Parents always wonder if their children are growing up too fast. In the meantime, their children would probably respond that they are not growing up fast enough. While children and their parents have to argue about when they are finally adults, how does the Magnolia State legal system distinguish between minors and adults? Here`s a brief overview of Mississippi`s statutory retirement laws. They note that “to determine whether a child is capable of being left alone and whether a parent provides appropriate supervision in key situations, Child Protection Services (CPS) will assess several areas” such as “the child`s maturity”, “accessibility of caregivers” and “the situation”. Each parent must decide at some point in their parenting career at what age their child will be allowed to stay home alone. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends adult supervision for children up to 11 or 12 years of age. But to be honest, there is no age of cookie cutters. It depends greatly on the degree of maturity and personality of each child. Several agencies and organizations have checklists on checklists that you need to consider before deciding whether or not your child can stay home alone. Iowa has no law or policy.

The state Department of Human Services states: “Iowa law does not set an appropriate age for leaving a child alone. Every situation is unique. They ask parents to consider various factors, such as a child`s emotional maturity and the dangers and risks of the neighborhood, and whether they are able to contact a parent when deciding whether or not to leave a child alone at home. I found your article very interesting and the fact that you listed the relevant laws of each state is helpful. Although I don`t have children at home, I searched in Nebraska. I am surprised that there is no more regulation in this area. Well gone to pick up my husband. New York — There is no law setting a minimum age, but New York City Child and Family Services suggests leaving 12 or 13 alone. South Carolina – There are no laws established in this state, but state authorities say that no child under the age of 8 can be left alone. There is no established law or guideline regarding the minimum age at which a child can be left home alone in Pennsylvania. There is also no minimum age policy for babysitters.

The Vermont Department of Children and Families states, “There is no universally accepted age at which all children can safely stay at home. Caregivers must consider the child`s maturity and physical, mental, developmental and emotional needs, as well as their willingness and comfort to be alone. Massachusetts does not set a specific age at which children can stay home alone. In the State, these issues are decided on a case-by-case basis. At what age can a child legally be left alone at home? (See table below). In Wisconsin, there is no law or guideline on the best age to leave a child alone at home. However, various state and municipal authorities seem to believe that 12 is an acceptable age. The Wisconsin Law Library website offers local and national resources for parents.

The legal age of Mississippi is shown in the table below. There are safety issues that need to be considered when considering leaving your child at home. Make sure your child has phone numbers for you and other adults. Also, make sure they know how to contact emergency personnel in case of an emergency. It`s also a good idea to contact your local Red Cross and sign up your child for first aid and other safety courses. Make sure your child is familiar with fire safety rules and evacuation procedures. The same goes for severe storms. We can`t always predict the weather, so your child knows what to do in the event of a tornado, other severe storms or an earthquake? No specific law or policy is established by the state of Connecticut, but the state Department of Children and Families notes that “experts believe that a child should be at least 12 years old before being left alone, and at least 15 years old before he can care for a younger sibling. This is the minimum age. Second, not all children are ready. Hello, I am from Europe and I have never heard of the existence of a law that dictates to parents at what age they can leave their children alone at home.

If we feel that he is ready to stay home alone here and there, he will have his chance. But for now. Staying home alone with Big Brother is pretty special for him. Do you remember the movie “Home Alone” where 8-year-old Kevin is accidentally left home alone while his whole family is on vacation in Paris? When would you be comfortable leaving your children alone? Parents face the difficulty of letting their child sleep in their own bed during the first years of childhood. Learning to sleep alone can be introduced to your child with this fun story. I have a 12-year-old granddaughter. Is it illegal to leave their home alone for 1-3 hours? I`m in Kentucky. Idaho – There is no minimum age in this state. This is at the discretion of the parents. However, it is recommended to wait at least 12 years before being allowed to stay home alone.

I think that if no one does anything about it, the age of loneliness will be raised to 18! It`s already happening! Parents are arrested and sentenced to death for leaving their 17-year-old children just for a second! It stinks! Given how unclear (if any) the rules are in most states, parents who want to be on the safe side should ask their local courts for recommendations before leaving their children home alone. I was shocked to learn that there was no legal age law for children to stay home alone. I live in Georgia, my son just turned 13 and his dad is struggling to get him to stay home, he is very mature for his age and knows how to use the microwave to fix his food, and I leave him all the contacts and go through the procedures in case of fire or emergency. According to the Washington Department of Human and Social Services, there are no laws or rules about the best age to leave a child home alone. As a result, leaving children alone at home is more frightening, and parents are more reluctant to do so. The Virginia Department of Human Services website states: “Virginia state laws do not specify a specific age at which a child can legally remain alone. Age alone is not a very good indicator of a child`s maturity. Some very mature 10-year-olds may be ready to take care of themselves, while some 15-year-olds may not be ready due to emotional or behavioral difficulties.

Connecticut – There is no specific law regarding the minimum age for leaving a child home alone. However, many state experts suggest waiting until the child is at least 12 years old and children should be at least 15 years old before caring for younger siblings. Again, only 3 states with laws set a minimum age to leave children home alone. For other states, you should consider the guidelines provided as suggestions. This website was developed by Database Systems Corp., a leading provider of community services, including CARE (Call Reassurance). CARE is an automated service that calls individuals at home to ensure their well-being. CARE can be managed online by the individual or family member. If the person does not answer this call, family members or volunteers can be contacted to check in with their loved ones to make sure they are okay. CARE can also be used to record children alone at home, sometimes called Latchkey Kids.

DSC also offers a community organizing program called eCARE, which allows communities to make these services available to their members through an online program. SOURCE: Database Systems Corp. * These states do not set a specific age at which a child can legally stay home alone, but do make recommendations. West Virginia does not have a minimum age to leave children home alone, nor does it specify a proposed age. Arizona – Child Protective Services emphasizes that children under the age of 6 cannot take care of themselves and should not be left alone. It is not recommended to leave children aged 6 to 9 years at home for more than three hours. This could lead to an investigation into child neglect.