When a child can be left home alone in the summer holidays

As the school holidays are fast approaching, numerous parents might be grappling with how to manage childcare.

From the end of July, school children nationwide will be spending more time at home. While the youngsters may relish not having to attend school, parents and guardians will still have work commitments.

Finding and affording childcare and summer clubs to keep a child occupied throughout the summer holidays can also pose a challenge. As a result, some parents may opt to let their child stay at home alone while they're at work.

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What age can a child legally be left alone?

There aren't any strict rules in the UK defining the age at which a child can be left at home alone. Ultimately, it's down to the parent or carer to determine whether the child will be safe on their own while they're away from home.

Official government guidance encourages parents to use their own judgement and assess whether they believe the child is mature enough to be at home alone. However, advice from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) emphasises that a child under the age of 12 is seldom mature enough to be left alone for a lengthy period.

The NSPCC also advises against leaving children under the age of 16 alone overnight. Moreover, it states that babies, toddlers, or very young children should never be left alone under any circumstances.

The NSPCC says: "Infants and young children aged 0-3 years old should never be left alone – even for 15 minutes while you pop down the road. This applies not just to leaving them home alone but also in your car while you run into the shops."

While there's no hard age limit, it remains a criminal offence to leave a child alone in a way that could cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

For primary schools the NSPCC says: "While every child is different, we wouldn't recommend leaving a child under 12 years old home alone, particularly for longer periods of time.

"Children in primary school aged 6-12 are usually too young to walk home from school alone, babysit or cook for themselves without adult supervision.

"If you need to leave them home, it's worth considering leaving them at a friend's house, with family or finding some suitable childcare."

If you're considering leaving a child home alone, the NSPCC recommends setting some basic rules to ensure their safety. For instance, the child should know how to handle a situation if a stranger calls or knocks on the door.

On secondary children the NSPCC says: "Once your child reaches this age, you could talk to them about how they'd feel if they were left alone at home. Whether they're 12 years old or almost 18 years old, there might be reasons that they don’t feel safe in the house alone.

"Just because your child is older doesn’t necessarily mean they‘re ready to look after themselves or know what to do in an emergency. It can help to go over the ground rules and remind them how to stay safe at home."

They should also have a list of contacts for emergencies; hence, it's crucial to write down your phone number and those of friends and family in case they need to get hold of someone.

It's also wise to regularly check in with a child who is home alone, especially if you'll be out late into the night.

Further details on the NSPCC's guidance on leaving a child at home can be found on their website.