Home alone.

There isn’t a law unfortunately but the NSPCC have guidelines and from what I can recall they advise not to leave under 12’s on their own.

Thank you Matron. Pity there isn’t a law, as I know my D in law leaves my grandchildren for at least an hour when she goes shopping. Don’t know whether DS knows.

You could just ask her if your son is aware she does this? No tattling to your son involved but then (a) you’d know and (b) she’d be aware you have concerns.

Better to flag it up politely. There’s no point being wise afterwards if there’s an unfortunate incident.

Although there isn't a law, I think if something did happen because of children being left alone, the parent could be prosecuted for neglect. It must be a matter of degree too; plenty of children of nine walk to school on their own, and they aren't suddenly in danger once they come back in their own front door. But if they're on their own at night or for hours, most people would think that was unacceptable.

Oh dear.....when I was a child I would be left at home in the morning, to get myself ready for school, and then when I got home it was an hour or two before my Mum arrived home from work. This was from the age of about 7 yrs. Was also left during school holidays.
I know times have changed, and would no leave a child of primary school age alone now, but once they reach secondary school age, then cannot see a problem for short periods during the daytime.

There is no hard and fast age but if a child is deemed too young to be left, and then something happens and they come to harm, parents will then be prosecuted for endangerment. I too walked 20 minutes to school alone from age 8 but my Nana was there before and after school when my mum went back to work. I would not leave a child under teenage age alone in the house for a long time they are not emotionally mature enough to deal with any problem that arises, the most serious being a house fire.

When I was fostering a brother and sister were brought to me by social services, the girl being 2 years of age and the boy 4 years.
It was a very harsh winter, and the little girl was unwell, so Mum had to pop out for some bread - just down the road. She really was only out for 15 minutes, but during that time, the little girl had poled a piece of paper through the fireguard to the electric fire - it caught alight and she dropped it in fright onto the nylon rug in front of the hearth, which started to melt and burn.
Her brother pulled her out of the room and shut the door and so prevented both of them being seriously injured. Mum arrived back just as police arrived, and Dad also got home, having been called from work. When he was told his wife was being questioned by police, and the children taken into care, he punched a Police Officer, so was himself arrested!!!!
Children were taken into care, stayed with me about six weeks, but thank goodness were returned to parents without any action being taken.
Just a comment as to how a five year old, instinctively re-acted absolutely correctly to a fire.

No child should be left alone at all.
Look what happened to the McCanns !!