As your child starts to get older, you may wonder whether or not it is safe to leave them at home
without adult supervision.
This is a difficult question to answer because the law is a little vague. However, there are some general rules of thumb, discussed below by a prep school in London.
Ultimately, when it comes to deciding if the time is right for your child to spend time at home alone,
it comes down to your own assessment of their maturity.
This is why there isn’t really a “one size fits all” rule. Children under 12 are rarely mature enough to be left at home alone, but your 12-year-old might be more mature than your 15-year-old.
Under 16s should never be left at home alone overnight.
Have a chat with your child and find out how they feel about the prospect of being left at home
without you. If they seem frightened and upset by the idea, it’s probably not the right time.
However, this might just come down to a lack of confidence.
If you feel comfortable that your child would react well in an emergency and can prepare a simple meal (like a sandwich) without trouble, then they’ll probably be ok.
It might be worth having a few practice runs in which you just sit outside in the car for 15 minutes or go for a short walk nearby.
As well as practising in short bursts, you should also chat to your child about some of the things they
might need to know whilst you’re away.
Help prepare them as best you can so that they are ready for every outcome. For instance, explain what they should do if someone knocks at the door.
You will also need to make sure they have some emergency contact numbers so that they can call
someone if you are unavailable.
Disclosure: this is a collaborative post