During the summer holidays, you may be struggling to fit childcare around working and sticking to your normal routine. So, you may be asking yourself when and if leaving your child at home alone is a viable option.
Whilst there is no legal age for when a child can be left home alone, there is the concern about whether they can look after themselves or whether you would be putting them at risk.
To address this dilemma, the NSPCC has outlined guidelines for if a child is able to be left home alone.
According to the NSPCC, they recommend leaving a child under the age of 12 in the care of an adult, rather than being left on their own. However, every child is different, so they may be capable of being left at home alone sooner or later than this age.
Most importantly, you must take the child’s feelings into consideration. If they don’t feel safe being left at home alone, you should listen to them and work through why they feel this way.
Each individual should be nurtured to ensure they gain independence and are confident as they approach adulthood, but leaving them at home when they feel unsafe could have an adverse effect.
Another consideration is whether the child has complex needs. You must take their specific requirements into consideration, and should not leave them at home unless you are confident that they can care for themselves.
At Almond House, we take a child-centred approach to ensure that every child in our care is well-equipped for the outside world. We offer a complete package including educational, therapeutic and social care.
Need support? Contact us.
