There's no home alone law in Australia that says how old children must be before they can be at home by themselves. But parent and carers are legally responsible for looking after their children and keeping them safe. You're the best judge of when your child is ready to be left at home alone.
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.
There is no one law in Australia that says what is the legal age to babysit. Parents must use their judgement about what is reasonable when choosing a babysitter.
Besides Queensland and Victoria, there are no specific laws which dictate the age that children can walk to school alone. That's not to say parents aren't accountable if their child is harmed. Parents owe a duty of care to their children, meaning they're responsible for keeping them safe.
The law states: “A person who, having the lawful care or charge of a child under 12 years, leaves the child for an unreasonable time without making reasonable provision for the supervision and care of the child during that time commits a misdemeanour.”
Children aged 7 years and over who are too small to use a seatbelt should use an approved booster seat or an anchored safety harness. The suggested minimum height for using a seatbelt is 145cm or taller.
The average Australian child will not outgrow a forward-facing restraint until they are eight years old, and some children may be even older. To be safest in a crash, your child needs to be in a booster seat until they are at least 145 cm tall and can pass the five-step safety test (see below).
Primary school children
While every child is different, we wouldn't recommend leaving a child under 12 years old home alone, particularly for longer periods of time. Children in primary school aged 6-12 are usually too young to walk home from school alone, babysit or cook for themselves without adult supervision.
According to Family and Community Services New South Wales, there is no actual law that states at what age children can be left alone, but the law is clear about the responsibility of parents to look after their children.
According to the NSPCC, there's no legal age limit for a child to go out alone. However, it's against the law to leave a child alone if it puts them at risk. Parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised "in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health."
There are no 'siblings sharing a room law' Australia enforces, so your perspective of the sibling dynamic is what matters most.
There's no home alone law in Australia that says how old children must be before they can be at home by themselves. But parent and carers are legally responsible for looking after their children and keeping them safe. You're the best judge of when your child is ready to be left at home alone.
In Australia, there is no minimum age limit for leaving a child with a babysitter but there's also no minimum age limit for the babysitters themselves.
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.
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.
It depends on how mature the 10-year-old is, and of course the parents of the children will have the final say, but anywhere between 3-8 years old is probably a good range. Can a 10 year old babysit? Yes, as long as he or she is responsible, mature, and knows how to take care of smaller children.
In general most kids begin walking to school between the ages of 9 and 11. However, if your child isn't very savvy with crossing the road and general road safety yet, then you could walk with them, practising looking both ways carefully until they seem ready.
Environment. Is your yard fenced in? If your yard is fenced in, then 5 to 6 years old is an appropriate age to allow your child to play outside alone for a few minutes at a time. If your yard is not fenced in, consider waiting until your child is around 8 years old before you allow them to be totally alone outside.
"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. "Obviously, toddlers and young children won't be able to stay safe without you watching over them - and even older children have different levels of maturity.
There is no magic age at which a child can walk home safely from school or the bus stop. That depends on her maturity and the safety of the neighborhood. Even so, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children ages 9 to 11 — who have good judgment — are ready to start.
By the time children are age 10 and above, they may be ready to practice walking alone. Each child is different. Some may not be ready until they are 11 or 12, or even older, if they have developmental challenges. Parents must err on the side of safety, even if the child protests.
According to federal law, parents have the right to allow their children to bike, walk, or ride the bus to school alone. Section 858 of the Every Student Succeeds Act protects the rights of children to go out alone.
Children aged 7 years and over can travel in the front seat. However, research shows that children under 12 years are much safer travelling in the back seat.
Is a backless booster seat illegal in Australia? Backless booster seats do not meet the Australian Safety Standards and are not legal to use in Australia. All child car seats to be used in Australia must comply with the Australian Standards AS/NZS 1754.
Children aged 7 or older can legally sit in the front seat. They can either sit in a booster seat or use a properly adjusted seatbelt. However, it is recommended that children sit in the back seat until they are 12 for safety reasons.