The NSPCC has had to issue clear advice about what age you can leave your child home alone over the summer holidays.
It has come after the charity received 453 calls between July and September last year about children being left alone - three quarters of which had to be reported to police or social services.
There’s no legal minimum age but it’s against the law to leave children if it puts them at risk.
Last year the NSPCC’s Childline helpline received 1,729 calls and emails from adults concerned about children being left to fend for themselves - and delivered 273 counselling sessions to children and young people who were worried about being left home alone.
NSPCC guidelines are:
• Babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone
• 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
• Parents and carers can be prosecuted for neglect if it is judged that they placed a child at risk by leaving them at home alone
• A child should never be left at home alone if they do not feel comfortable with this, regardless of their age
• If a child has additional needs, these should be considered when leaving them at home alone or with an older sibling
• When leaving a younger child with an older sibling think about what may happen if they were to have a falling out - would they both be safe?
Last year, one woman who called the 24-hour helpline said: “I’m really worried about a young girl who’s been in the house by herself for a whole day now. Her mother visits her partner over the weekends. The child is always looking very sad and unkempt which upsets me. This has been going on for months but I felt as if I couldn’t say anything as I’m related to them and I didn’t want to compromise our relationship. But I just can’t keep quiet anymore.”
Another told counsellors: “I’m worried about some children who live nearby and are left alone all day. Sometimes they don’t even go to school. I feel sorry for the mum because she’s working full-time. She used to have a babysitter for them but even she’s stopped coming around. Sometimes I pop over to check up on the children but they don’t always open the door to me even though I can hear them inside. I’m worried something dangerous could happen to them while their mum’s at work. It makes me really sad.”
Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC said: “Summer holidays can be a fun time for children but it’s also when they are more likely to be left home alone as parents face increasing childcare pressures. This could explain why we see a spike in calls to our helpline during these months.
“Leaving your child home alone can be a difficult decision as children mature at different ages – there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer. But it could put them at greater risk of accident or injury. So I would urge parents to use their common sense when deciding if their child could cope. They should also ask them how they feel about being left alone and talk to them about what to do in an emergency. Parents are best placed to know what is right for their child so it vital there is flexibility for them to decide.”
