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Is there a legal age at which child can be left at home alone?

There is no legal age telling you when it is OK to leave a child alone at home. It would be very difficult to make a ruling that would be helpful for every type of home and each situation. Children of the same age can also vary hugely in their ability to assess risks and to cope with responsibility.

Most children over about 10 years old can usually be safely left alone for short periods if there is no alternative. If you do need to leave a young child alone make sure you have talked to them about possible dangers in the home and about how to get help if they need it. Children of this age should never be asked to supervise younger children or babies when in the house alone.

Capt can offer some tips on reducing the risks to young children left on their own – such as leaving a snack so children don’t have to use the oven, removing matches and other temptations and teaching children how to make an emergency call. Top