Home alone: the summer holidays brings challenges to child care as parents and carers are stretched to get out to work.
Dear Editor,
The end of the school summer term is on the horizon and while most children will be overjoyed, many parents with work or other commitments will have to decide whether their child is ready to be left home alone for part of the long holiday. It can be a tricky decision and it is made even more difficult by the fact there is no legal minimum age for children to be left alone so it is up to parents and carers to use their judgement.
It is vitally important that parents get this decision right – in some cases parents and carers are prosecuted for neglect if it is judged that they placed a child at risk by leaving them at a property by themselves.
To help make this decision, NSPCC Northern Ireland has some key advice and tips.
We recommend that babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone under any circumstances.
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 while youngsters under the age of 16 should not be left alone overnight.
It is important to remember that a child should never be left at home alone if they do not feel comfortable with this, regardless of their age.
Also bear in mind if a child has additional needs, these should be considered when leaving them at home alone or with an older sibling.
And remember 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?
We know that children mature at different rates so it is vital there is flexibility for parents as they are best-placed to know what is right for their child and parents should check their children are happy and confident and know what to do in an emergency if the decision is taken to leave them alone at the family home. There’s further advice for parents on our website at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-we-do/what-we-stand-for/northern-ireland/
Your sincerely,
Neil Anderson (Head of NSPCC in Northern Ireland.)
