[Sif]

My two eldest boys have been going out and taking public transport (to and from school for a while, until we moved closer, now just for occasional errands) since they were nine and seven. I have no issues with letting them go to the park or run errands to the corner shop, or the local shopping centre. Yet, neither of them have been left alone at home yet.

I'm pretty sure I could trust either of them alone at home (they're now almost 11 and 13), but I have to admit the idea of them being home alone TOGETHER makes me nervous because they're more like to conjour up some sort of idiocy or get into a fight over something.

I will start leaving them home (probably one at a time at first) for short periods of time in the next few months, though because I do want them to develop some confidence while they're still young enough not to believe they're completely invincible.

Maturity and circumstance are both key in deciding when is best for your individual child.

[kerilyntaryn]

I was just talking to Mission Australia about this as my son is 11 and unable to go to school Mon/Tues and we were trying to work out our work options and care options - we were wondering the age plus next year he'll be in high school and wont have afterschool care.

They werent sure so called child safety and they said 12 and we also asked about sibling supervision as my older son is 15 and they said - they have to be 18 to be able to supervise



I was just talking to Mission Australia today about this as my son is 11 and unable to go to school Mon/Tues and we were trying to work out our work options and care options - we were wondering the age plus next year he'll be in high school and wont have afterschool care.

They werent sure so called child safety and they said 12 and we also asked about sibling supervision as my older son is 15 and they said - they have to be 18 to be able to supervise

Reply from Child Safety

QUOTE
Thank you for your email regarding the age of children that can be left alone at home.

Under the Criminal Code Act children under the age of 12 cannot be left alone at home without supervison.

If you have any concerns or enquiry please contact your local Child Safety Service Centre.

Yours sincerely

Administration Officer
Enquiries Unit
Dept of Communities (Child Safety)
Ph : 3224 8045
info@communities.qld.gov.au

We also asked Child safety about sibling supervision as my older son is 15 and they said - they have to be 18 to be able to supervise

[4kidlets]

Thats not strictly correct though - as has been posted on this forum before, children cannot be left alone for an unreasonable time without reasonable supervision - words to that effect.


this of course is so open to interpretation - I think most people would consider leaving a mature 11 year old alone for 10 minutes would be reasonable - a 2 year old for an hour obviously not.

You dont suddenly jump from being 11 and not allowed at home alone for 10 minutes to 12 and allowed home alone all day.


Likewise with supervising - a straight out not until 18 does not make sense - a 17 year old looking after a baby or younger child for a little while would be reasonable supervision.

(and that's without considering situations like what if the 17 year old is the baby's mother - should she never be unsupervised with her own child - that would be very silly interpretation of the law)

[inspirational]

How are they supposed to learn to cope with 'adult stuff' if they've never experienced it?

You do need to gradually introduce adult responsibilities as children become capable of them. That's the only way they learn how to manage them, because you don't suddenly become a mature, responsible person upon reaching adulthood.

Hi, I do agree with you here and once you know your teen can handle the responsibility it is our responsibility as parents to also let them experience and enjoy their teen years by sharing the responsibilities and not just expecting our children and teens to take over our responsibilities as parents. Too often I see parents handing on too much responsibility to their children and teens putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on them to grow up quickly.

[steppy]

For us it was when they could no longer go to after school care. After that we had to trust them to come home and not burn the place down. So they were alone about 3 hours. The first school holidays after that, they learned to be home alone all day - they had to be there to answer the phone when we called and we'd check on them twice a day. It worked out okay.

[Propaganda]

i thought there were laws about children under 12 being home alone

given that i wouldn't do it until then

[skepticaemia]

Their answer is deliberately incomplete. They will never say "it is fine to leave them at home under 12", that would open them up to all sorts of trouble. However, the QLD Criminal Code Act ACTUALLY states:

[s 364]
Leaving a child under 12 unattended
(1) A person who, having the lawful care or charge of a child under 12 years, leaves the child for an unreasonable time without making reasonable provision for the supervision and care of the child during that time commits a misdemeanour.
Maximum penalty—3 years imprisonment.
(2) Whether the time is unreasonable depends on all the relevant circumstances.

Quite different to "Under the Criminal Code Act children under the age of 12 cannot be left alone at home without supervision."