School Easter holidays: At what age can I leave my child home alone in the UK? Can you leave a child home alone? What is the law?

It is a thorny issue - there have been high-profile court cases in which parents have been brought to justice for leaving their children before tragedy struck. So, what is the law surrounding this?

At what age can a child be left on their own?

In short, there is no easy answer. The law surrounding this does not stipulate an age, for the common-sense reason that all children mature at different rates (and some children may have conditions which hinder their development). So it is not the case that, say, it is automatically permitted to leave a secondary school-age child on their own - even though in the majority of cases it will indeed be safe.

Instead, the law says that “it’s an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk.”

The government statement on the matter says: “Use your judgement on how mature your child is before you decide to leave them alone, for example at home or in a car.”

How can you judge whether a child can be left alone?

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has guidance for parents on the subject, which says: “A child who isn't old enough or who doesn't feel comfortable should never be left home alone.”

So it becomes a matter of parental judgement, albeit with some hard-and-fast principles that must be abided by.

The NSPCC also says that:

• children under 16 should not be left alone overnight, and although most will cope being left on their own for a while, it is important to have a conversation first in case they have any fears
• children under 12 are rarely mature enough to be left alone for a long period of time. It recommends that primary school-age children do not walk home from school alone, nor are they left alone in a house to cook or fend for themselves.
• babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone - not even strapped into a car seat in the car while you pop into a shop, and never in a house.

What can parents do to prepare children to be left at home alone?

It is worth having a chat with your child as they get older to ask them how they feel about being left on their own.

The NSPCC adds: “If they're worried, work out what parts of being home alone worry them. Do they feel safe in the neighbourhood? Are they afraid of the dark?

“Talk about anything that’s bothering them and discuss a solution. Understanding why they don’t feel comfortable will give you an idea of how to help – or why they might not be ready to be left alone. We would always recommend leaving a child younger than 12 years old with family, a friend or in childcare.”