At what age can a child be home alone in NC? (law, building)

[NCN]

My son stayed by himself for a little while until his sister got home when he was very young until I went to a meeting discussing how children learn and what causes them to not be able to learn. Latchkey children sometimes cannot concentrate on their classwork because they are worried about going home and are fearful about what they will face when they get home. I then got his best friends mother to let him stay at her home until I finished work. He did not want to go to a babysitter, but I overruled that choice. I thought he needed to feel secure. When he found out what good biscuits our neighbor made, he did not mind staying there. When he comes home now, he still goes over to see his "other mother."

[Dave O]

I was a latch key kid from the time I was about 8 or 9 years old and it worked without incident. I wouldn't recommend trying that today.

[Bethanytedder]

I have been told that a 13 year old could babysit like a latch-key kid for siblings that were say 7-9 for about 2 hours a day.

[lamishra]

There is no law in NC currently. here is info from the DHHS:NC DHHS: Frequently Asked Questions

"What is the legal age when a child may be left home alone?

There is no age specified by law that a child can be left alone in North Carolina. Parents and caretakers must look at the child's maturity, the safety of the community, and access to emergency assistance. A child may be mature enough to stay alone, but not to care for younger siblings. If you are concerned that a child is left alone and is unsafe, call your county department of social services.

[wolfeyes]

What is the legal age when a child may be left home alone? There is no age specified by law that a child can be left alone in North Carolina. Parents and caretakers must look at the child's maturity, the safety of the community, and access to emergency assistance. A child may be mature enough to stay alone, but not to care for younger siblings. If you are concerned that a child is left alone and is unsafe, call your county department of social services.
Most say you can leave your child at home for a few hours as long as they have an emergency contact number and of course you apply the rules of what they can and can not do.

[bakertc4]

There is no law in NC saying exactly the age, but 12 is the age most people, including child protection social workers consider acceptable.

[rkelley30]

Legal Age

There are very few states in the U.S. with legal minimum ages for children home alone, but many state agencies have published guidelines. Georgia, Illiniois, Maryland and Oregon are a few of the states with specific ages mentioned in their laws.

12 years of age appears to be the most common recommendation. [url=http://www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-limits.htm]Latchkey Kids Age Limits Listed By State[/url] provides a state by state comparison with references. This site also provides one guideline from a California agency representative who suggests that 8 year olds and over can be left at home for up to several hours (usually after school before a parent gets home from work).

[RDSLOTS]

Originally Posted by findingmesomeday

Sometimes my 8 year old's bus gets home about 10 min before I do (why it can't come at the same time every day is beyond me..)

The bus's schedule is sometimes determined by how long it takes to get children aboard the bus at the school, and that may vary on occasion due to all sorts of reasons -- the class(es) may have substitutes who take a little longer wrapping things up and getting kids to the bus, or a class that is held because of unruly behavior, or the number of children absent or not riding the bus makes for fewer stops. . . *whatever*. The drivers and the schools try very hard to stick to a tight schedule as the buses and drivers are used for a number of different runs.

[RDSLOTS]

While there is NO law in NC, authorities will tell you it is left to the discretion of the parent(s), and I would well imagine that in the event something happened, if authorities could somehow prove the child had NO business being left alone -- it's not too difficult to establish 'maturity level' by visiting classroom teachers, and the like.

My daughter was an only child, and most mature for her age, and while I gave her credit for having sense enough not to answer the door to a stranger, one never knows what might strike a child of 8-14, or so, as 'plausible.' I could well imagine her getting caught off-guard and opening a door to something that struck her as reasonable or not far-from-the-norm.

My greater concern, however, was for all of those things that can happen in a home, and I worried if she were alone -- slipping on the stairs and breaking a bone, or knocking herself out, the house catching on fire, and the like. Odds are low, but it would only take one time. For that reason, and the actual maturity level or being able to think clearly, I don't advocate leaving children home alone if it can be helped, and never for too long. Even a smart child can make dumb choices, or panic.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by lovemaine

Does anyone know if there is a law on the books or ordinance regarding at what age a child can be left home alone in NC?(providing the child is mature enough)

Children are the most precious gift you will ever have, and you need to consider that when you make decisions that can have such devastating consequences if bad decisions are made. The decision should not be made base simply on laws which some group of legislatures eventually agreed upon.