Home Alone?

Question

Does anyone know the State Laws in Texas regarding leaving your child home alone?
What age do you think is appropriate to leave a child home alone for about an hour? (I.E. - If my child gets off the bus at 4pm and I get home at 5:15pm)

I found my answer....thanks to all of your help!From the Texas Child Protective Services website -

How old must a child be to be left home alone?

Answer: Supervision of children is basic to the prevention of harm. Adequate supervision means an adult caregiver is accountable for the child's care. Although, there is no Texas law that defines a specific age at which a child may be left home alone, there are several factors that should be taken into consideration when deciding how closely to supervise a child, including:

the age, emotional maturity and capability of the child;
layout and safety of the home, play area, or other setting;
neighborhood circumstances, hazards, and risks;
the child's ability to respond to illness, fire, weather, or other types of emergencies; and
whether the child has a mental, physical, or medical disability.
The number of children left unsupervised, the accessibility to other responsible adults, the length of time or frequency with which

Answer 1

According to the National Center for Children and Families there are only two states with laws for leaving children home alone. Those are Maryland and Illinois. The others have guidelines, but are not age specific. Basically, if the child isn't in danger, knows how to take care of themself, knows how to handle emergency situations and knows how to contact you in an emergency, they can generally stay at home alone. However, it also states that each county or parish has it's own individual guidelines. I would contact your local social services as to what age they can be left at home alone. My daughter is 11, will be 12 in a few days. She has been left for short periods of time for the last year. But it depends on the maturity of the child, and their ability to take care of themselves, and their ability to know when to call 9-1-1.. basically, is your child responsible enough to handle being home for that period of time? Will they burn themselves or the house down? Will they answer the door to a stranger?

Answer 2

I am in Ohio and here it is a maturity thing and not an age. I would think a kid arouond 10 or so could handle being home alone for an hour and fifteen minutes. But you know you child. You should just call the police and ask. Since they are the ones a neighbor would call if they wanted to be a jerk---or concerned, I won't be completely cynical. Can you call home around 4pm and make sure your child is home and safe? Can you trust your child will stay inside and do homework or chores until you get home? You should maybe give your child chores to do or make sure homework is done by the time you get home. This way the kid is occupied. Or have a neighbor keep an eye out, if you have one you are friendly with. Call to make sure with authorities, so you don't get into trouble.

Answer 3

Call your local police or sheriff's department - they can give you the number for your county's Child Services department. In GA my 10 year old son can stay by himself after school for 1 1/2 hours, but only because he is mature. The normal age for staying home alone according to Child SVS is 12.

Answer 4

I think once they are 10 they are able to get off the bus and go inside the house for an hour or so. If they have an emergency they are old enough to know 911, call you at work, or get a neighbour. You may also just ask a neighbour to check in on your child.

Answer 5

12-13 depending on the maturity of the child

Answer 6

16 or 17

Answer 7

unless you kid is retarded I'm sure he'll / she'll be fine..My wife and I leave our 9 year old at home a few hours a day with our cell phone number on hand and tell him he is not aloud to answer the phone or answer the door. he does pretty good..he knows where the fire extinguisher is ( i know that sounds crazy but better safe then sorry right?..)

Answer 8

I think age 11 is the youngest, but go to www.ask.com and enter the ? "laws reguarding leaving children home alone in the state of......." and enter your state.

Answer 9

costly Sir i admire homestead on my own 2 lost in manhattan the place Kevin is going procuring in the keep and the previous guy provides him 2 turtle doves ran up a brilliant room provider bill together with his fathers mastercard all maximum $ one thousand.00 caught the undesirable adult males that disguise in the keep and used a brick broke the previous mans window so as that the alarm could bypass off and caught the undesirable adult males informed the previous guy that he grew to become into so sorry for breaking the window and needed to pay for it and he additionally made friends with a prior woman in the park who had birds round her they drank warm chocolate and talked he gave her a certainly one of his turtle doves his dad additionally yelled Kevin and likewise while they awakened Christmas morning there grew to become right into a brilliant sort of presents from the previous guy in the action picture ok i admire a million,2,3 the 1st one is super yet i admire the manhattan one extra useful 3 grew to become into very humorous while Alex informed the cop so sorry for attempting to be a powerful man or woman and made his mom and pa mad the main humorous area is while he had poultry pox's and yelled out loud yet that grew to become into the only 2 humorous aspects partly 3 one and 2 are the terrific of all One grew to become into very humorous while he set the adult males hair on hearth positioned tar on the stairs made the door knob incredibly heat positioned toys down on the floor decrease a unfastened paint buckets and hit them the two in the pinnacle nails went by way of there feet Like I reported 2 is the terrific of all yet one takes the cake I provide the two 5 stars and 2 thumbs up they the two rock ok

Answer 10

for just a hour you can start at around age ten. my parents left my brother and i home alone for a week, and are coming home tonight. we are 16 (me) and 18 (my brother).