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Is this legal?
[url= http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/leaving-child-home-alone/ ]Apparently not. Or maybe, depending on the circumstances. [/url]
The law doesn’t 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.
[url= https://www.gov.uk/law-on-leaving-your-child-home-alone ][/url]
Is it a problem?
https://www.gov.uk/law-on-leaving-your-child-home-alone
no legal age to leave your kids home alone but it is illegal to leave an under 18 year old in charge of another child .
I'm sure their parents have a good idea of whether they think the kids can cope. I'm not sure if do it but they're not my kids.
I think the overnight aspect changes stuff?
Apparently OK if you're off to a Tapas Bar with a few friends.
[quote=cchris2lou ]no legal age to leave your kids home alone but it is illegal to leave an under 18 year old in charge of another child .
Sources?
https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/q455.htm
Q455: Is there a legal age for a babysitter?
No there is no legal age for babysitting. It is the responsibility of the parents using common sense to make the decision. It is worth bearing in mind though that a child under 16 years old cannot be prosecuted for neglect or ill treatment of children in their care. The parents/carers/guardians would be charged in that situation. However, any person who is 16 or over and who has responsibility for a person under that age could be prosecuted.
I can't be arsed to walk upstairs and ask the wife. Social worker. She should know. 🙂
For two nights meaning: left one evening, all the next day and all the next night? I'd be concerned enough to consider calling it in as a problem. Two nights meaning mum has left at ten to do a night shift and been back at breakfast time: much less concern.
children under 16 shouldn’t be left alone overnight
How times have changed!
Chillax, Loads of people have youngsters in charge of siblings. Some are just lucky to have responsible kids.
I was left to run a B&B at a similar age occasionally over weekends.
Go and speak to them if you are concerned. Bet you find someone will have been assigned to keep an eye on them. You are on singletrack so I doubt you're in a socially deprived area.
I'd suggest phoning her would solve this crisis.toppers3933 - Member
I can't be arsed to walk upstairs and ask the wife. Social worker. She should know.
I would be fairly confident leaving my daughter home alone at 11, still wouldn't trust my son at 21.
I did consider it. Decided to watch family guy instead. 😀
Is this legal?
I'm sure you've done this, you're a nice chap. But if you're worried about whether it's legal, it's because you're worried about whether they're safe. In which case, checking up on them and making sure they know they can ask you for help if they need is a better bet than researching whether the parents can be prosecuted.
🙂
I'm sure you've done this, you're a nice chap. But if you're worried about whether it's legal, it's because you're worried about whether they're safe. In which case, checking up on them and making sure they know they can ask you for help if they need is a better bet than researching whether the parents can be prosecuted.
Aaand....this is how the parents will see him checking in on them..
Aaand...
True, true. So the only option is to involve the police and social services really. 😉
when i worked nights in the supermarket a fair few women left thier kids at home to work through the night 10 till 7 shifts. only way they could work a full shift pattern and drop kids at school and pick em up make breakfast and tea for them put them to bed.
sensible solution in many respects.
If your kids are not able to look after themselves overnight, in the family home, by the time the oldest one has reached 14 you have failed as a parent.
my kids are 3 and 5 and could probably just about manage for that long I reckon
Stop twitching your curtains you pesky nosey interfering annoyance.
I think we need an update, was there death and destruction, fights, wild parties or angry honey badgers?
OP - How do you know this?
Parents returned at 23:00. So the kids were alone for 52 hours.
They were very well behaved. Better then when their "parents" are home.
I wanna see your notebook of the events please Derek...
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Are they nice middle class parents? If so, then its all fine, and there will be an entirely reasonable explanation for all this. Tapas being the prime example.
If they're frightful working class types, then they're clearly ****less layabouts, and are probably down the pub, or out clubbing in town. And social services need to be round there taking their kids into care, sharpish!!
What are you doing asking on here? Get on to the Daily Mail already - they love a bit of moral outrage
****less weed smokers I have mentioned before.
Now, if you'll excuse me....
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cchris2lou - Member
no legal age to leave your kids home alone but it is illegal to leave an under 18 year old in charge of another child .
Considering you can have a child of your own at 16, I think not.
my kids are 3 and 5 and could probably just about manage for that long I reckon
Ditto, Our five year old just seems sort her and her sister's breakfast out most mornings now without being asked, sod waiting for Mummy; Both Weetabix and sometimes upwards of 70% of the milk actually make it into the bowl...
Not sure I'd trust her with cooking tea, or evacuating if a fire broke out just yet though...
I wouldnt leave my kids at that age for 52 hours. No way.
I wouldnt leave my kids at that age for 52 hours. No way.
I would.
Leave your kids alone for 52 hours I mean.
What a lit of people seem to think is "my kids could cope fine" - in the case of nothing going wrong. Before leaving them, I guess one needs to ask oneself whether they'd cope if something went wrong or unexpected events occur...leaking pipe, boiler breaks down, fire, intruders, stranger at the door (not implying paedo at the door here). Still the parents' call I suppose, but the "risk assessment" should account for not-so-best-case-scenario.
I was certainly be left overnight by age 14 but not for two nights that I can recall . by 14 I would have been able to rationalise a way to deal with the following :-
leaking pipe; get a neighbour/ call parents.
boiler breaks down; wear a jumper
fire: get out, call 999 (hide evidence of cause)
intruders: get out geological hammer and sheaf knife from under bed and /or run away shouting help, dial 999
stranger at the door: don't open door interrogate through letter box, , tell to go away using swear words call 999.
From experience many adults are stumped by some of these scenarios and I worry about my 86 year old mum on a daily basis throwing dodgy roofers and internet / telephone scams in on top.
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We used to be home alone for a few hours around that age, IIRC.
Only broke one window, got one electric shock and ruined one record player pretending to be DJs - no worries.
How does camping work with the law? I started camping with my friends at about 11, and my son was about 12.
Indeed, so it's up to the parents to decide whether their kids are as awesome as you were at 14 crankboy. Also, are there trusted neighbours to call upon (given our attitude towards "neighbourhood" has changed a lot in a generation)?
I reckon a fair few 14 year olds have no clue where a stopcock is these days, let alone what one is. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is it's the parents' call, but fairly questionable behaviour, depending on mitigating circumstances of course. I'm taking the OP's description of them at face value.
Personally I wouldn't be happy with this at all. A 14yr left alone for a couple of hours in the evening- fine. Overnight? Not a chance.
Yes there are some mature-heads on early teen children however who is making this judgement and is there a national set standard?
I'd avoid talking to the parents (why? They'll make sure its not obvious the next time they need to do it) and I'd speak hypothetically to social services. Sorry my gf/bro/sister were often put in this situation and it affected my gf as she felt stressed and worried.
My 12-year-olds can't be trusted to stay alive while I pop out to post a letter.
It only takes a few seconds unsupervised for one to kill and eat the other.
Can't see them being capable of being left for two nights at 14, somehow. Or 16, or 18.
#sickofhalftermalready
"I reckon a fair few 14 year olds have no clue where a stopcock is these days" neither did I at 14 see my answer. but I guess a fair few adults don't now .
camping and the law would be the same I had certainly been unsupervised camping for a weekend by 14 though it did all get a bit lord of the flies.
it's the timings that give the clue, returning at 10:30 is coming back after the pubs have closed so the kids have basically been ignored all weekend. I'm sure they could fend for themselves but it's not a great experience, will they have eaten healthily and done stimulating things? sleep? excercise? homework? also are the parents of their mates having to pick up the slack ??
14 and 11, they aren't little kids but they aren't adults either - they still need encouragement and advice
A 14 year old should be able to manage to exists for a few days. You do not help you kids by doing absolutely everything for them. My 3 year old already helps with the cooking and loads the dishwasher.
I will teach him about the stopcock on his 4th Birthday.