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LAWS FOR INDIVIDUAL STATES: CLICK HERE Children Home Alone And Babysitter Age Guidelines
This document is for informational purposes only. No official endorsement of any practice, publication, program, or individual by Daycare Express is intended or is to be presumed.
States may have guidelines or recommendations about when a child is considered to be old enough to care for him/herself or to care for younger children, but these are not regulations or laws. These guidelines are most often distributed through child protective services and are administered at the county level. Contact the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information (NCCAN) at 800-394-3366, and staff there will refer you to your local Child Protective services agency to learn about age guidelines in your area.
Example of Child Supervision Guidelines
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:
The maturity level of the children;
The accessibility of the parent, guardian, caretaker or responsible adult by phone or in person;
The physical or mental health condition of the children;
The behavioral history of the children;
Whether a young child is using a stove, iron or appliance which poses a danger because of their age;
Whether the parents have discussed an escape plan or held a fire drill with the children;
Whether the residence has a smoke detector;
Whether there are unusual hazards in the home;
The children's reaction to being left alone;
The ages of the children being cared for;
Whether the child has completed a Baby-sitting Clinic; and
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:
Reports of children 7 and under left alone for any period of time
Reports of children ages 8 and 9 who are alone for more than 2 hours
Reports of children 10 through 13 alone for more than 12 hours
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, list 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
judgement or decision-making skills.
Child must be comfortable being alone.
Youth must have a safety plan worked out with the parent/caretaker, which includes:
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).
What to do in case of emergency.
Guidelines for acceptable behavior.
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 1??urs 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.co.fairfax.va.us/service/dfs/ChildrenYouth/homealone.shtm.
"Child Protective Services" 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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
This information is available on the Web at http://www.bragg.army.mil/mwr/Youth_polic.htm.
Examples of Babysitter Age Guidelines
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:
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.
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 week-ends
Ages 16-17 May babysit children overnight or weekends
This resource is available on the Web at http://www.co.prince-william.va.us/dss/cps.htm. For additional information, contact the Prince William County Child Protective Services Office at 703-792-4200.
Additional Resources - National Organization
The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN)
330 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20447
800-394-3366 or 703-385-7565
World Wide Web: http://www.calib.com/nccanch
The Clearinghouse is a service of the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect and provides resources for professionals seeking information on the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect, and related child welfare issues. NCCAN's publications include Minimizing the Risk of Maltreatment in Early Childhood Programs, Caregivers of Young Children: Preventing and Responding to Child Maltreatment and "Child Abuse and Neglect: Child Care Issues 1993-1998 (Publications Abstracts)." Frequently Asked Questions on Child Abuse and Neglect Fact Sheet is available on the Web at http://www.calib.com/nccanch/faq.cfm.
State Statutes, published by the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information, provides professionals with an array of products and services related to State laws pertaining to child abuse and neglect and related child welfare issues. It can help professionals to identify: definitions of child abuse and neglect; requirements and procedures for reporting child abuse, including reporter immunity and penalties for failure to report; central registry expungement and confidentiality legislation; laws providing criminal penalties for child abuse and neglect and special courtroom procedures used during trial; analyses of civil and criminal laws through statewide comparisons; and additional resources related to statutory issues. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.calib.com/nccanch/statutes/index.cfm.
Additional Publications
At Home Alone: A Parent's Guide, produced by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), is available in both English and Spanish on the Web at http://www.ncpc.org/1safe3dc.htm.
Children At Home Alone: A Parent's Guide (October 1994), by Alabama Cooperative Extension, has information about 1) What Are The Possible Risks And Benefits Of Self-Care? 2) How Can I Tell If My Child Is Ready For Self-Care? 3) Preparing Children For Self-Care,
4) Crisis And Emergency Situations, 5) Developing Rules For Self-Care, 6) Before-School Self Care, and 7) Community Support For School-Age Children. This document is available on the Web at http://www.aces.edu/department/extcomm/publications/he/HE-606/he606main.html#1.
Home Alone (1993), by the National Network for Child Care (NNCC), is available on the Web at http://www.nncc.org/SACC/sac31_home.alone.html.
Home Alone Children Fact Sheet (1995), by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, states:
It is not possible to make a general statement about when (at what age) a child can be left home alone. Older adolescents are usually responsible enough to manage alone for limited periods of time. Parent(s) must consider the child's level of maturity and past evidence of responsible behavior and good judgement. Time periods when parent(s) are absent should be limited. Parent(s) must talk with their youngsters to prepare them to develop a plan that addresses each of the issues or potential problems listed above. In addition, parent(s) should strive to make their home as safe as possible from obvious dangers and hazards and rehearse the developed 'emergency plan' with their children.
This fact sheet is available on the Web at http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/homealon.htm.
How Old is Old Enough? (1996), by NNCC, is available on the Web at http://www.nncc.org/SACC/sac42_old.enough.html.
"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/0399/. For additional information, contact NACCRRA at 202-393-5501 or on the Web at http://www.naccrra.org.
"Kids Home Alone," by Girls and Boys Town, is one of several Parent Tips fact sheets. It states:
Many parents face the question of whether or not they should leave their children on their own during the day. If you are wondering whether or not your children are old enough to be left alone, first call your Child Protection Services to find out the minimum legal age at which they can be on their own. Then consider their ages and abilities. Determine that they are able to follow directions, and then set up a plan.
The fact sheet is available on the Web at http://www.boystown.org/parents/tips/kidshome.htm.
Demographic Information: Number of Children Home Alone
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://newfederalism.urban.org/pdf/occa41.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.
Daycare Express does not endorse any organization, publication, or resource.
CHOOSING CHILDCARE GUIDLINES Many organizations have developed guidelines and checklists on choosing child care based on research, observation, and experiences in the field. Included are organizations that provide information on child care centers and family child care.
Child Care Aware
1319 F Street, NW, Suite 810
Washington, DC 20004-1106
800-424-2246
World Wide Web: http://www.childcareaware.org/index.htm
Child Care Aware is a national initiative designed to improve the quality of care and increase the availability of quality child care in local communities. Child Care Aware can connect parents with the child care resource and referral agency in their locality. These agencies are important community resources that can provide information and guidelines for parents on choosing child care which reflect local regulations and requirements. They can also help find child care to meet parents?rticular needs regarding type and location of care. Let the operator know the county or city where you would like to locate child care. The operator will give you the name and number of the child care resource and referral agency which serves that community.
The goals of Child Care Aware include helping parents to identify a quality child care environment and to find quality child care in their community. Their brochure, Give Your Child Something That Will Last a Lifetime...Quality Child Care, outlines five steps to finding child care and includes an observation checklist which considers both center-based and home-based care. (This brochure is also available in Spanish.) Their choosing checklist is available on-line at http://www.childcareaware.org/fivesteps.htm.
Child Care Action Campaign (CCAC)
330 7th Avenue, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10001
212-239-0138
World Wide Web: http://www.childcareaction.org
CCAC is a national coalition of individuals and organizations focused on increasing the availability of quality, affordable child care for all families. A number of CCAC?nformation guides address child care choices, including Care for Your Child: Making the Right Choice (#13), Family Day Care (#14), Finding Good Child Care: The Essential Questions to Ask When Seeking Quality Care for Your Child (A Checklist) (#19), Finding and Hiring a Qualified In-Home Caregiver (#20), Questions and Answers about Infant and Toddler Care (#17), and School Age Child Care (#15).
Children?efense Fund (CDF)
25 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-628-8787
World Wide Web: http://www.childrensdefense.org
CDF, a non-profit research and advocacy organization, has developed an on-line Parent Resource Network that is designed to help parents navigate the Web. The Parent Resource Network, available on the Web at http://www.childrensdefense.org/parentresnet.php, provides access to more than 75 national Web sites geared specifically to parents, including: adoption and foster care; child care; children with disabilities; child support enforcement; education; health and safety; parenting education and skills; violence prevention in communities; family uses of the Internet and television; and information on parent advocacy.
Children?oundation (CF)
725 15th Street, NW, Suite 505
Washington, DC 20005-2109
202-347-3300
World Wide Web: http://www.childrensfoundation.net
CF is a private national educational non-profit organization that strives to improve the lives of children and those that care for them. CF publishes a brochure, Family Day Care: A Guide for Parents Using or Seeking Home-Based Child Care.
Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (ERIC/EECE)
University of Illinois Children?esearch Center
51 Gerty Drive
Champaign, IL 61820-7469
800-583-4135
World Wide Web: http://www.ericeece.org
ERIC/EECE collects and disseminates research, literature, and fact sheets on elementary and early education, child care, and child development. You may also be interested in the following:
The National Parent Information Network (NPIN), sponsored by ERIC/EECE, includes a "Parent News" section with articles on research findings related to child care which may be useful. This resource is available on the Web at http://npin.org/; and
How Can Parents Identify a High-Quality Preschool Program is a brochure that includes a number of additional resources for getting more information on this topic.
I Am Your Child
World Wide Web: http://www.iamyourchild.org
Several national children?rganizations and the Rob Reiner Foundation launched a public campaign, known as I Am Your Child, to explain to parents, relatives and caregivers of infants and toddlers the recent brain development research that has highlighted the role that environment plays in the development of a child?rain. Two I Am Your Child campaign pamphlets that are available for parents are Quality Child Care: Making the Right Choice for You and Your Child and The First Years Last Forever: The New Brain Research and Your Child?ealthy Development. The Web site includes publications that may be of interest to parents, with recommendations for books and magazines, additional information on the new brain research, discussions of other issues in infant and toddler development for parents and information on how to order their publications.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
1509 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
800-424-2460 or 202-232-8777
World Wide Web: http://www.naeyc.org
NAEYC has brochures to assist parents as they make child care choices including: Choosing a Good Early Childhood Program (#525), Finding the Best Care for Your Infant or Toddler (#518), A Caring Place for Your Infant (#548), A Caring Place for Your Toddler (#509), A Good Preschool for Your Child (#517), A Good Kindergarten for Your Child (#524), and A Good Primary School for Your Child (#579). NAEYC?eb site has a section for parents which includes information on choosing quality child care which is available on the Web at http://www.naeyc.org/parent_resources/default.asp.
Early Years are Learning Years news releases are part of NAEYC?ublic awareness campaign to build parent?nd the public?nderstanding of the importance of high-quality early childhood programs to promote children?evelopment and learning. New releases are posted twice a month on the Web at http://www.naeyc.org/resources/eyly/default.asp. Some of these press releases are "An Important Bond: Your Child and Your Caregiver," "When Babies and Toddlers Are in Child Care, Accreditation is a Key to Quality" and "10 Signs of A Great Preschool."
National Child Care Association (NCCA)
1016 Rosser Street
Conyers, GA 30012
800-543-7161
World Wide Web: http://www.nccanet.org
NCCA is a professional trade association representing the private, licensed, early childhood care and education community. NCCA publishes the brochure The Right Path to Quality Child Care: How Parents Can Make Informed Decisions on Early Childhood Care and Education Centers.
National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW)
53 West 23rd Street
New York, NY10010
212-645-4048
World Wide Web: http://www.ncjw.org
NCJW publishes the booklet Choosing Family Child Care: A Handbook for Parents. The section on "The Follow-Up Conversation" may be useful for parents to consider after completing an initial visit with potential providers. Suggested topics include the provider?raining and experience, stability and back-up arrangements, values, health, emergency planning, and references. The booklet is available in both English and Spanish.
National Network for Child Care (NNCC)
Iowa State University
ISU Extension Distribution Center
119 Printing & Publications Building
Ames, IA50011-3171
515-294-5247
World Wide Web: http://www.nncc.org/Choose.Quality.Care/qual.care.page.html
NNCC is part of the National Extension Service Children Youth and Family Educational Research Network (CYFERNet). The Web site contains many articles including, Be Choosy About Child Care, Is My Child?are Okay? and Quality Child Care: What Does it Really Mean? This group has also developed a "Parent Checklist for Child Care" as part of their series on Choosing Care for Your Children. This article has an extensive list of questions to ask caregivers in either center or home environments based on specific ages of children needing care, from infants through adolescents.
National PTA
(Headquarters) 330 North Wabash Avenue
Suite 2100
Chicago, IL 60611-3690
312-670-6782
World Wide Web: http://www.pta.org
The National PTA prepared "What to Look for in Child Care" checklist as part of their Busy Parent?uide to Child Care.
Quality Care for Children, Inc.
1447 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 700
Atlanta, GA 30309-3030
404-479-4200
World Wide Web: http://www.qualitycareforchildren.org
Quality Care for Children has a booklet titled Child Care Choices for Parents, which provides a guide and check list that parents can use when visiting family child care homes to assess safety, health, and quality care issues.
Zero to Three
734 15th Street, NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005-2101
800-899-4301 or 202-638-1144
World Wide Web: http://www.zerotothree.org
Zero to Three is a national organization focused exclusively on issues affecting infants and toddlers. Its Web site includes "Choosing Quality Child Care" and is available on line at http://www.zerotothree.org/parent.html?Load=parent_intro.html.
Zero to Three?ublications include Caring for Infants & Toddlers in Groups: Developmentally Appropriate Practice (1995) which provides information on: development of the first three years of life; components of quality infant/toddler child care; illustrations of appropriate and inappropriate practice; developmental milestones of the first three years; and references and resources.
STATE REGULATIONS
Child care licensing agencies can provide information specific to local requirements and regulations to assist parents in choosing and monitoring child care. To see if such a guide is available, or to learn of the specific regulations and requirements of child care programs in your state, contact the State office responsible for child care regulation. This contact information can be found on the NCCIC Web site at http://nccic.org/statepro.html.
Additional publications to help parents recognize and find child care to meet their family?eeds include:
Four Steps to Selecting a Child Care Provider is a checklist for parents selecting a quality child care provider, published by the Administration for Children and Families. This publication can be found on the Web at http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ccb/faq1/4steps.htm.
Child Care Safety Checklist for Parents and Child Care Providers is produced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This publication is available on the Web at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/childcare.pdf. For additional information, contact CPSC at 800-638-2772 or on the Web at http://www.cpsc.gov.
NATIONAL ACCREDITATION
A way for parents to identify high quality child care centers is to seek out those which have achieved national accreditation. Accreditation is a voluntary process designed to improve the quality of child care programs by establishing benchmarks for quality which go beyond minimum child care licensing standards. Achieving accreditation involves extensive self-study followed by validation by experts outside the program to verify that quality standards are being met in areas of health and safety, staff qualifications, interactions between adults and children, administration, and programming for children. There are several national accreditation systems for early care and education programs, including:
National Academy of Early Childhood Programs
(administered through NAEYC): 800-424-2460, extension 2003 or on the Web at http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/default.asp;
National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
800-359-3817, or on the Web at http://www.nafcc.org/;
National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA)
sponsored by the National Early Childhood Program Accreditation Commission, Inc. in Conyers, Georgia: 800-505-9878; and
National School-Age Care Alliance (NSACA)
617- 298-5012, or on the Web at http://www.nsaca.org/.
The National Child Care Information Center does not endorse any organization, publication or resource. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us again.
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