Supervision of Children Guidelines

• Children eight or younger should NEVER be left home alone.
• Children between the ages of nine and twelve, based on the level of maturity, may be left home alone for less than two hours. (Never as babysitters!)
• Children thirteen and older, based on the level of maturity, may be left home alone and may perform the role of babysitter as authorized by a parent/care giver for up to twelve hours during the day.

When leaving children home alone, these are suggested questions to ask:

• Does the child know the emergency plan for the family?
• Does the child know the parent's phone numbers (work, home, and cell)?
• Can the child demonstrate the plan and recite the phone numbers?
• What is the availability of the parent during the day time?
• Are there environmental factors that further add risk to the situation?
• Are there factors that reduce risk, for example, supportive/available neighbors?

(The policy stated below is taken from the Child Protective Services Social Services Manual, 2104.3)