Questions?   Privacy   Site Index
			ACF Home | ACF Services | Working with ACF | ACF Policy/Planning | About ACF | ACF News		ACF Search

About NCCIC  Ask NCCIC  Events Calendar  Email Alert Sign-up  Privacy Policy  Site Map Home
	NCCIC Menu Popular Topics Online Library State Contacts State Information NCCIC Publications Recursos en Español For Parents For Providers For Goverment CCTAN Internet Links Search NCCIC

View PDF 102K

Children Home Alone and Babysitter Age Guidelines

The following organization and publications contain information about these topics:

• National organization
• State laws in Illinois and Maryland;
• Examples of child supervision guidelines;
• Examples of babysitter guidelines;
• Demographic information about the number of children in self-care; and
• Information about how to prepare children to stay home alone and to be babysitters.

• Child Welfare Information Gateway
  (formerly the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse)
  330 C Street NW
  Washington, DC 20447
  800-394-3366 or 703-385-7565
  World Wide Web: http://www.childwelfare.gov/

  Child Welfare Information Gateway is a service of Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families. Its Laws and Policies Web page offers information on State statutes, Federal laws, State laws that cover issues ranging from prevention to permanency, and related legal issues. This information is available on the Web at http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/index.cfm.

Illinois and Maryland each have legislation about the legal age that children can be left home alone.

Preparing Children to Stay Alone (May 2001), by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS), has the following information about the legal age to be left home alone in Illinois:

What is lack of supervision?
Illinois law defines a neglected minor, in part, as "any minor under the age of 14 years whose parent or other person responsible for the minor's welfare leaves the minor without supervision for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the mental or physical health, safety or welfare of that minor."
Juvenile Court Act, 705 ILCS 405/2-3(1)(d)

How long may a child be left alone?
What is appropriate under certain circumstances may be considered child neglect in other circumstances.

While recognizing that many factors may apply, Illinois law lists 15 specific factors to be considered when deciding whether a child has been left alone for an unreasonable period of time.

This information is available on the Web at http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/docs/alone.doc.

Frequently Asked Questions, by the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS), has the following information about the legal age to be left home alone in Maryland:

Q: "At what age can a child be left home alone in Maryland?"
A: Family Law Article, § 5-801, provides:

(a) A person who is charged with the care of a child under the age of 8 years may not allow the child to be locked or confined in a dwelling, building, enclosure, or motor vehicle while the person charged is absent and the dwelling, building, enclosure, or motor vehicle is out of the sight of the person charged unless the person charged provides a reliable person at least 13 years old to remain with the child to protect the child.

(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment not exceeding 30 days, or both.

This information is available on the Web at http://www.djs.state.md.us/faq.html. For additional information, contact the DJS at 410-230-3333.

The following examples provide information about guidelines that have been chosen by the State of Connecticut and specific communities. Contact your local Child Protective Services agencies for local guidelines. Staff at Child Welfare Information Gateway can refer you to your local child protective services agency. Contact Child Welfare Information Gateway at 800-394-3366.

Useful Information: Leaving Your Child Home Alone (2003), by the State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families, notes that there is no set age, either prescribed by law or by child development experts at which all children of a certain age can stay home alone. It offers parents some guidelines, certain factors to consider, and things to do if they decide to leave their children home alone. This information is available on the Web at http://www.state.ct.us/dcf/Good_News/staying.htm.

Dakota County, Minnesota

FAQ - At what age may a child be left home alone and for how long? (2000), by the Dakota County Attorney's Office, states:

There is no Minnesota law that states at what exact age a child must be before he or she may be left home alone or left under the care of another child. There are general laws, however, that require adequate and appropriate supervision of children. County child protection offices are required to investigate and enforce that general law. As a result, Dakota County Child Protection, a part of Dakota County Community Services, has adopted a policy, which defines those situations when it will investigate a report of children who may be inadequately supervised.

The policy is as follows:

IX. LACK OF SUPERVISION

A. The decision to assess the reports of unsupervised children will be made in light of the following considerations, according to Dakota County Community Services policy:

1. The maturity level of the children;
2. The accessibility of the parent, guardian, caretaker or responsible adult by phone or in person;
3. The physical or mental health condition of the children;
4. The behavioral history of the children;
5. Whether a young child is using a stove, iron or appliance which poses a danger because of their age;
6. Whether the parents have discussed an escape plan or held a fire drill with the children;
7. Whether the residence has a smoke detector;
8. Whether there are unusual hazards in the home;
9. The children's reaction to being left alone;
10. The ages of the children being cared for;
11. Whether the child has completed a Baby-sitting Clinic; and
12. The reliability of the person that the parent has chosen to provide supervision.

Section III. O-17

B. Considering the above factors, the following reports will be assessed:

1. Reports of children 7 and under left alone for any period of time
2. Reports of children ages 8 and 9 who are alone for more than 2 hours
3. Reports of children 10 through 13 alone for more than 12 hours
4. Reports indicating that children 14 to 17 are unsupervised while parents are absent for more than 24 hours will be screened, considering adequate adult back-up supervision.

This resource is available on the Web at http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/attorney/FAQ/Faq19.htm.

Fairfax County, Virginia

Children Home Alone (2001), by the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, lists the following Child Supervision Guidelines:

Whenever any child is unsupervised/unattended the following should apply...

• There must be no emotional, medical, or behavioral problems which affect judgment or decision-making skills.
• Child must be comfortable being alone.
• Youth must have a safety plan worked out with the parent/caretaker, which includes:
  1. 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).
  2. What to do in case of emergency.
  3. Guidelines for acceptable behavior.
  4. Knowledge of emergency telephone numbers.
  Youth must demonstrate the ability to follow the safety plan and to make decisions that reflect concern for personal safety.

Age Guidelines

7 & under	Should not be left alone for any period of time. This may include leaving children unattended in cars, playgrounds, and backyards. The determining consideration would be the dangers in the environment and the ability of the caretaker to intervene.
8 to 10 yrs.	Should not be left alone for more than 1½ hours and only during daylight and early evening hours.
11 to 12 yrs.	May be left alone for up to 3 hours but not late at night or in circumstances requiring inappropriate responsibility.
13 to 15 yrs.	May be left unsupervised, but not overnight.
16 to 17 yrs.	May be left unsupervised (in some cases, for up to two consecutive overnight periods).

These guidelines are available on the Web at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/childrenyouth/homealone.htm.

• "Child Protective Services" (1998), from the Fairfax County Advisory Social Services Board 1998 Annual Report, by the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, states: "Under Virginia policy regarding the investigation of inadequate supervision of children, determination of the age guidelines is left up to local communities." This report is available on the Web at http://www.co.fairfax.va.us/service/reports/assb98/childprotective.htm.

XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Out of School Home Alone Policy by the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, U.S. Department of Defense, states:

1. This is an XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg out of school "home alone" policy to address the ages and circumstances under which a child age 12 and under can be left alone without adult supervision during all non-school hours. This is a permanent policy which will not expire until rescinded or superseded.
2. Safeguarding children is a parental responsibility. Parents are to make appropriate advance provisions for supervision during the out of school periods of time. Fort Bragg defines three levels of supervision for ages 12 and under.

a. Direct Supervision: Onsite by an adult or parent-designated responsible teenager, 13 years old and up. Exception to babysitter's age requirement is a parent-designated 12 year old having completed the American Red Cross Babysitter Certification Class not providing care supervision for more than a two hour block of time in a day.

b. Monitored Care: Parents designate a responsible adult who would be accessible by phone and live a short distance from the child's home for their child to check in with at intervals and ensures the child is capable and knowledgeable in handling emergency situations.

c. Self Care: Parents or legal guardian has ensured child is trained and competent in home alone skills or has completed Red Cross Babysitting Course Certification.

3. Installation Home Alone ages for levels of supervision are:

AGE	LEVEL OF SUPERVISION	LENGTH OF TIME
10 years and under	direct supervision	at all times
11 years old	monitored supervision	no longer than 2 hour periods
12 years old	self care	no longer than 3 hours

A link to this information is available on the Web at http://www.bragg.army.mil/pwbc-hsg/REGULATIONS.htm. Click on "Fort Bragg policy # 87 (Out of School Home Alone)"

Dakota County, Minnesota

FAQ - At what age may a child be left home alone and for how long? (2000), by the Dakota County Attorney's Office, states

C. Dakota County accepts the following guidelines for older children providing supervision to younger children:

1. It is acceptable for children ages 11 to 14 to baby-sit, with the expectation that the parent, guardian, or caretaker will be returning to supervise the children later that same day.
2. It is acceptable for ages 15 and older to baby-sit younger children for more than 24 hours. (Please refer to VIII.A. Decision to Assess Reports of Unsupervised Children.)

This resource is available on the Web at http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/attorney/FAQ/Faq19.htm.

Prince William County, Virginia

"Babysitting guidance" Child Protective Services, by the Department of Social Services, Prince William County, Virginia, lists the following babysitting guidelines:

Babysitting Guidelines:

Ages 12-13 May babysit children up to 4 hours

Ages 14-15 May babysit children over 4 hours, but not overnight or weekends

Ages 16-17 May babysit children overnight or weekends

This resource is available on the Web at http://www.co.prince-william.va.us/default.aspx?topic=040041000120000757#Guidelines. For additional information, contact the Prince William County Child Protective Services Office at

703-792-4200.

• "Unsupervised Time: Family and Child Factors Associated with Self-Care" (November 2003), Occasional Paper No. 71, by Sharon Vandivere, Kathryn Tout, Martha Zaslow, Julia Calkins, and Jeffrey Capizzano, Assessing the New Federalism, by the Urban Institute, uses data from the 1999 round of the National Survey of America's Families, ), a nationally representative household survey, to examine questions such as how factors such as children's maturity and family resources play a role in the use of self-care when a range of relevant family and child characteristics are examined simultaneously. It looks at how patterns of relevant factors differ for different groups of children. It notes that 3.3 million 6- to 12-year-old children regularly take care of themselves without adult supervision. Seven percent of children ages 6 to 9 and 12 percent of low-income children are in self-care. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/310894_OP71.pdf.
• "Left Unsupervised: A Look at the Most Vulnerable Children" (April 2003), by Sharon Vandivere, Kathryn Tout, Jeffrey Capizzano, and Martha Zaslow, a Child Trends Research Brief, looks at how many young school-age and low-income children are home alone during out-of-school hours. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.childtrends.org/Files/UnsupervisedRB.pdf.
• What Happens When the School Year is Over? The Use and Costs of Child Care for School-Age Children During the Summer Months (June 2002), by Jeffrey Capizzano, Sarah Adelman, and Matthew Stagner, published by the Urban Institute, examined child care patterns for children (aged 6-12 years) during the summer months using data from the 1999 National Survey of America's Families. It found that six percent of 6-9 year olds spend time in self-care during the school year, and one percent spend time in self-care during the summer. Twenty-five percent of 10-12 year olds spend time in self-care during the school year, and twenty-eight percent spend time in self-care during the summer. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.urban.org/uploadedPDF/310497_OP58.pdf.
• Child Care Patterns for School-Age Children with Employed Mothers (September 2000), published by the Urban Institute, investigates the different types of child care arrangements, including unsupervised self-care, that families with working mothers use for their school-age children. It examines how child care patterns differ by the age of the child, family income, race and ethnicity, parental time available to care for children (based on family structure and employment), whether the mother works "traditional" versus "nontraditional" hours, and by State. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/occa41.pdf.
• "Children in Self-Care" (Fall 1999), by Nancy Kerrebrock and Eugene M. Lewit, in The Future of Children: When School is Out Vol. 9, No. 2, reviews estimates of the prevalence of self-care among children. It has information about self-care laws in Illinois and Maryland. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.futureofchildren.org/usr_doc/vol9no2Indicators.pdf.
• Who's Minding the Kids? (Fall 1995, issued October 2000), by the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, shows the number and characteristics of children in different child care arrangements (including those in more than one type of arrangement) and the characteristics of their families. The data came from the fall 1995 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) and continues a series that dates back to 1985. Information in this report shows child care arrangements while the designated parent is not at work nor in school. Additional information shows specific types of arrangements such as Head Start, enrichment activities, and self-care. The report contrasts child care arrangements for preschool and grade-school-age children. The complete document is available on the Web at http://www.census.gov/prod/2000pubs/p70-70.pdf.

• Home Alone Children Fact Sheet No. 46 (November 2004), by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, describes the issues and potential risks and dangers that parents should consider before deciding that a child can safely be left home along. This fact sheet is available on the Web at http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/homealon.htm.
• "Kids Home Alone" (updated September 2002) a Parent Tips fact sheet by Girls and Boys Town, suggests checking with the local Child Protective Services to find out the minimum legal age at which children can be left on their own. It also offers additional factors to consider. The fact sheet is available on the Web at http://www.girlsandboystown.org/parents/tips/kidsalone.asp.
• "Is Your Child Ready to Stay Home Alone?" in The Daily Planet newsletter (Summer 1999), by the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), provides a self-care checklist and resources for information on this topic. This document is available on the Web at http://www.childcareaware.org/en/dailyparent/volume.php?id=66.
• Home Alone (February 1996), by the National Network for Child Care (NNCC), is available on the Web at http://www.nncc.org/SACC/sac31_home.alone.html.
• American Red Cross has a Babysitter's Training Course designed for 11- to 15-year old. Topics include interviewing for a babysitting job; choosing safe and age-appropriate toys and games; preventing injuries and preparing for an emergency; performing first aid; diapering and feeding technique; handling bedtime issues, and marketing yourself safely. To enroll, contact a local American Red Cross chapter. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/courses/babyindex.html.
• The Super Sitter, a booklet of helpful tips and safety information produced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is available on the Web at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/243.html.

Updated June 2006