Thoughts please !

Thought the legal age was 16 for a babysitter?

I think there are a lot of grey areas with regard to leaving children alone.
I'm sure it used to not be allowed if you had an open fire, or something.
As for leaving them in charge of a younger child, I wouldn't know.

Too much responsibility to put on the shoulders of a 14 yr old. Very unfair and selfish.

I used to babysit when 14 for a baby and a toddler, no problems whatsoever
Think young people are very capable if we give them the opportunity to do so.

Too much responsibility regardless for a 14 year old.
Irresponsible to ask of any child to care for another for such a long period of time. I’m wouldn’t have wanted my child to have that on their shoulders nor would I want my baby to have to rely on a 14 year old. That said……unless we know the circumstances how can we possibly make judgement, could anther adult have helped? Or was the 14 more able than an adult of more years ?

Surely it’s illegal, isn’t it?

I’d say NO to this. It would never be right. What on earth was your DIL thinking?

I was left to look after my 6 month old sister and 11 year old brother for 2 weeks when I was 15 years old. My parents went on holiday, we had an ‘adult’ friend of my parents staying who decided to go home after a few days because she’d argued with her sister! I was a very grown up 15 year old but I wasn’t really happy being left in charge because for one thing I didn’t really like babies very much (still not keen, prefer dogs) and my brother was more than a handful. I was extremely nervous and annoyed to begin with as I knew it was going to be hard work but at that age too I wasn’t aware of all that could of gone wrong because I was far too young. So no I do think it’s wrong even for a few hours to leave children looking after children as babies are not dolly’s even if they are well behaved. It’s too much responsibility for one so young and not fair on the teenager if something happens. I do remember telling my parents when they returned from their holidays in no uncertain terms I would never babysit again and to never ask me. If people want a baby they shouldn’t expect to leave it with another child to look after. Both my brother and myself are in our 60’s now and we’ve discussed this recently how it was totally irresponsible to have left my sister at home with us just for a holiday.

Lucca
I see no point into getting into an argument about the rights and wrongs, Someone who is able to talk to the people concerned should be assessing the true picture, and the first place to go is Social Services, not in an accusatory way, but to ask them to check up on the situation.
There's a horrible case in the news at the moment about a child possibly killed by its parents. How would you feel along the line if harm came to this child and no one had expressed concern?

No I don’t think it was a good idea to leave a baby with a 14 year old looking after it, in a dirty house and a alcoholic mother being there, sounds a bit of a shambles to me, poor baby! But it seems your DIL and your successful son don’t have a problem with it,

No.

If the 'childminder' is under sixteen the parents are still legally responsible for care of the baby. If something went horribly wrong - choking etc. - would a childminder of that tender age be competent to deal with it? In all honesty there are fifteen year olds with more sense than some people twice that age, but even so it does seem a young age to take charge for so many hours.

And potentially a huge burden to place on a fourteen year old if something goes wrong Rosina.