When is it safe for kids to stay home alone? Here's what you should know.

With school back in session, many parents of older children are wondering if this might be the year they can finally allow their child to stay home alone after school. It’s a significant coming-of-age moment. When done right, it will help your child grow into a confident, responsible adult. But if your child isn’t ready, leaving them home alone can put their safety at risk.

To help you and your child feel confident in your decision, here’s what to know about when it’s safe for kids to stay home alone.

It can be a crime to leave a child home alone

While Kentucky does not have a minimum age law stating how old a child must be before they can stay home alone, three states do have such laws; Illinois (age 14), Maryland (age 8) and Oregon (age 10).

Sherri Hannan, RN, coordinator for Safe Kids Fayette County at Kentucky Children’s Hospital, says this should tell us just how important it is to think about safety and maturity before allowing your child to stay home alone.

Kentucky may not have a law, but the state considers it neglect when “children are not adequately supervised for their age.”

“Kentucky sees it as a case-by-case issue. The state recognizes that some children are more mature than other children their same age,” explains Hannan. “However, it’s pretty clear that babies, toddlers and elementary school-aged children shouldn’t be left alone. Older teens are generally mature enough. It’s those in-between years that can be tricky.”

Those are the years when parents really need to ask a lot of questions and take time to consider the issue before allowing their children to be home alone, Hannan says.

What to think about before leaving your child home alone

Hannan provides these pointers for parents who are questioning whether or not it’s safe to leave their child home alone:

• Though most states don’t have a minimum age law, many child safety and pediatric care experts agree that children under 11 years old should not be left home alone. This is because they don’t have the skills needed to handle emergency situations correctly.
• Before letting your child stay home alone, ask yourself these questions:
  • Are they aware of the many situations that can happen while you’re away? Do they know how to handle those situations correctly?
  • Are they emotionally ready to be home alone? (Some children may be scared to be home alone. Ask them how they feel.)
  • Are they physically capable of staying home alone?
  • Are they responsible with their chores, schoolwork, etc.?
  • Do they follow rules?
  • Do they know how to handle an emergency?
  • Do they understand the importance of safety and how to stay safe when home alone?
• If you plan on leaving more than one child at home, be sure the older child is capable of and willing to care for their younger siblings.
• Homes can contain many overlooked hazards. Do a check before leaving your child alone:
  • Lock up alcohol, car keys, household chemicals, firearms and medications.
  • Make sure your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working and that your child knows what to do if they go off.
  • Make sure your child can swim if you have a pool.
• Your neighbors can help. If you trust your neighbors and know they’ll be home, ask if your child can call them for help if needed.
• Your child will need a way to communicate with you while you’re away as well as a way to call 911. Keep in mind: You can use free internet messaging and video calling apps to get in touch with your child, but they still have to have a cell phone or landline to call 911. Your child will need to know — and be able to dial — the phone numbers to get in touch with you and other helpers. They will also need to know your home address in case they need to call 911. Post this information on your refrigerator so they always have easy access to it.

Establish rules. Then, take it slow.

Once you and your child agree that they’re mature enough and ready to be home alone, make sure they know to follow these rules while you’re away:

Don’t

• Don’t answer the door to anyone.
• Don’t create social media content or other online content about being home alone.
• Don’t tell anyone you’re home alone — not even your friends.
• Don’t use home or kitchen appliances without your parent first showing you how they work.

Do

• Do call your parent or trusted neighbor for help — and call 911 for a serious emergency.
• Do listen to emergency weather alerts, and seek shelter during severe weather.
• Do keep all doors into your home locked and garage doors closed.

In addition to these rules, clearly communicate any other rules that you want your child to follow, such as not having friends over, not watching inappropriate shows or movies, or not using the internet in an unsafe way.

The first time you allow your child to stay home alone, make it a short trip. For example, do a quick 30-minute grocery run. When you return, ask your child how it went. Did they feel comfortable being alone?

Do a few more 30- to 60-minute “trial runs” before deciding if everyone feels comfortable being apart for a few hours. Once they’re allowed to stay home alone for several hours, don’t forget to check in with them throughout the day.

“Pick up the phone and call,” Hannan says. “That’s the surest way to find out if they’re doing OK.”