What Age Can A Child Stay Home Alone

To decide if your child can take care of himself consider.

What age can a child stay home alone. Though you could legally leave a child home alone at any age it is wise to use discretion and assess your child s level of maturity and development. The age of the child solely depends on each region and its standards. And laws and policies in your state regarding this issue.

Not every child is ready then. Can he think things through plan ahead make good decisions. Age and maturity of the child.

Only a couple of states specify a legal age to leave a child home alone including maryland age 8 and illinois age 14. One concept that all states agree with is that children should be a certain age before they can stay at home alone. Massachusetts doesn t set a specific age at which a child can be left home alone.

The law does not say an age when you can leave a child on their own but it s an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. In the state such issues are decided on a case by case basis. Many parents are faced with the dilemma of at what age can children stay home alone especially during after school hours or the summertime.

However most states have guidelines with the department of health and human services or other child protective agencies that test a child s ability to be left home alone. These are the minimum ages. Child home alone when deciding whether to leave a child home alone you will want to consider your child s physical mental developmental and emotional well being.

Good question heather brown. When it comes to the child s age eight different ranges are acceptable for each state. When your child is ready one child could be ready to stay home at age 12 while another needs supervision well into his teen years.