middle school
Home Alone When is it OK to leave your child unsupervised? BY SHAMEIK A RHYMES
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arents’ busy schedules don’t always align with the demands of a new school year. With competing priorities inside and outside the home, some parents must decide whether their school-aged child can be left home alone for parts of the day. Whether parents are running a quick errand or working after school has let out, many factors should be considered before handing over the house key to a child. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Welfare Information Gateway, only three states have laws regarding a minimum age for leaving a child unsupervised at home (Illinois, age 14; Maryland, age 8; Oregon, age 10), while other states offer guidelines. “Parents should be aware that if their state does not outline the legalities of leaving their children alone, the courts do recognize the child’s maturity level, the safety of the child, how long the child was left alone and the parents’ concern for the child’s overall welfare and steps taken to ensure their safety,” says Rolanda Mitchell, an education counselor at North Carolina State University.
72 BACK TO SCHOOL | FALL 2019