In general, it's not a good idea to leave kids younger than 10 years old home alone. Every child is different, but at that age, most kids don't have the maturity and skills to respond to an emergency if they're alone. Think about the area where you live.
In NSW, parents are given specific instructions for children of different ages. For example, preschoolers can only be left alone for five to fifteen minutes while children between 10 and 12 can be left alone for 12 hours.
No legal age for leaving children home alone
There's no one law in Australia that says how old your child has to be before you can leave them alone. In Queensland, if you leave a child under 12 years of age for an unreasonable amount of time without supervision and care, you have committed a criminal offence.
However, although a young person can choose to leave home once they turn 16, their parents are still legally responsible for them until they reach 18.
There is no legal age to babysit in Australia. However, there are state laws about who is responsible if a person under 18 babysits.
Some children have the maturity to start babysitting as early as age 12 or 13. Others are better off waiting until they're older teenagers. Before you let your tween babysit, demand the same qualifications that you would from any babysitter you are considering hiring.
There's no legal age a child can babysit – but if you leave your children with someone who's under 16 you're still responsible for their wellbeing. You should also think carefully about leaving your child alone with an older brother or sister.
"Just like deciding when a child's old enough to be left at home on their own, there's no set age when you know it will be safe for them to go out without you.
Children left unsupervised often exhibit higher levels of fear, stress, loneliness and boredom. They are also at a greater risk to be involved in accidents and to be victimized by strangers, siblings, and friends. Children left home alone may also be more vulnerable to sexual abuse due to their easier access.
The law does not say an age when you can leave a child on their own, but it's an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk.
Section 3(1) of the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1997 (Tas.) defines a child as a person under 18 years of age.
Despite what many people believe, there is no specific legal age that children can decide which parent they want to live with. That being said, Australian family law ensures children of all ages are allowed to express their views in any proceedings that concern them.
The legal leaving age is 17
In Victoria, the law is: Your child cannot leave schooling until they are 17 years old. Your child must go to a school campus (or an approved alternative) until they finish year 10. After year 10, your child does not need to go to a school campus.
There is no specific law in Victoria that says what age children can be left alone. Victorian law is clear however, that it is a parent's responsibility to ensure that their children are appropriately and safely cared for.
In general, it's not a good idea to leave kids younger than 10 years old home alone. Every child is different, but at that age, most kids don't have the maturity and skills to respond to an emergency if they're alone.
It is estimated over 40% of children are left home at some time, though rarely overnight. In more extreme situations, some children spend so much time without their parents that these children are labeled "latch key children," referring to the house or apartment key strung visibly around their neck.
A latchkey kid, or latchkey child, is a child who returns to an empty home after school (or other activities) or a child who is often left at home with no supervision because their parents are away at work.
The easy answer is that yes, of course only children can be lonely but it's not necessarily because they're only children — it often occurs because they don't have strong social connections with other people, especially those their own age.
Clinical psychologist Dr Vaani Gunaseelan notes that most parents start to allow their typically developing kids to go out on their own when they are between 11 and 13 years old.
8 to 10 years – Should not be left alone for more than 1 or 2 hours and only be left alone during daytime and early evening hours. 11 to 12 Years – Can be left alone for up to 3 hours, but not late at night or in conditions that require the child to be responsible in a way they are not yet suited for.
Overall, your child should be allowed to go out alone at around 13 years old. Keep in mind this isn't going to work for every child. So, you may need to adjust the age based on your child's maturity. Remember that growing up and taking on new responsibilities won't happen within the same timeframe for every child.
It's technically possible for two siblings to be as close as 9 or 10 months apart.
12 to 18 Month Age Gap Between Kids
In general, siblings that are closer in age demonstrate less sibling rivalry and the kids play together well, which many parents love.