age children can stay home alone
It depends on the child’s maturity and experience and parental discretion. “The parents know the child best,” says Rob Thompson, communications director, Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. The Child and Family Services Act does not specifically state an age when a youngster can be left alone. It does say that if a child younger than 10 years old is left unsupervised, the onus of establishing that reasonable provisions for supervision and care were made rests with the parent or guardian. Children between ages 7 and 10 years aren't generally ready to self-supervise for an extended period, but in a routine and predictable environment, such as just after school, they can manage, Tanner said. Children 12 and 13 years old should be judged on a case- by-case basis but should not be left alone overnight. 1 7 years and under: Should not be left alone for any period of time. 2  8 to 10 years: Should not be left alone for more than 1½ hours and only during daylight and early evening hours. 3  11 to 12 years: May be left alone for up to 3 hours but not late at night.  13 to 15 years: May be left unsupervised, but not overnight. (See the chart below). The National SAFEKIDS Campaign recommends that no child under the age of 12 be left at home alone. However, consider a child's age and maturity level. For example, if a child is extremely impulsive, it might be best to wait until he or she is older than 12. There appear to be very few states with specific regulations about the age of a child left at home alone. Generally, a mature youngster at age 10 or 11 may be capable of being home alone occasionally for short periods, perhaps an hour or two, according to Family and Children’s Services of Waterloo. They should not be expected to care for younger siblings. Age Guidelines 1  ... 7 years and under: Should not be left alone for any period of time. 2  8 to 10 years: Should not be left alone for more than 1½ hours and only during daylight and early evening hours.  11 to 12 years: May be left alone for up to 3 hours but not late at night. 1 8 to 10 years: Should not be left alone for more than 1½ hours and only during daylight and early evening hours. 2  11 to 12 years: May be left alone for up to 3 hours but not late at night. 3  13 to 15 years: May be left unsupervised, but not overnight.  16 to 17 years:May be left unsupervised. 1 Child must be comfortable being alone. 2  Youth must have a safety plan worked out with the parent/caretaker, which includes:  How to access parent or other responsible adult at all times (including knowing the parent/caretaker’s whereabouts and having a telephone number where parent can be reached). 1 8 to 10 years: Should not be left alone for more than 1½ hours and only during daylight and early evening hours. 2  11 to 12 years: May be left alone for up to 3 hours but not late at night.  13 to 15 years: May be left unsupervised, but not overnight. St. John Ambulance offers a Home Alone program that covers the safety basics for children ages 10 and up. Visit sja.ca. Generally youngsters start babysitting at age 12, says Shannon Scully-Pratt, a first aid and water safety expert with the Canadian Red Cross.
8 to 10 years: Should not be left alone for more than 1½ hours and only during daylight and early evening hours.11 to 12 years: May be left alone for up to 3 hours but not late at night. 13 to 15 years: May be left unsupervised, but not overnight.