As the school year begins for some students in Northern Virginia, some parents may be considering leaving their child home alone before or after school for the first time.
In Virginia, there are no specific rules about how old a child should be when they’re left alone. But Twana Johnson, Program Manager for Fairfax County Children, Youth and Families Division said there are child supervision guidelines.
She said children should not be left alone until they are at least nine and, if you are leaving an older child alone with younger siblings, the older child should be at least 13 years old.
Johnson said parents should ask the question, “Is the child ready to be left home alone, and are you the parent ready to leave the child home alone?”
If an older child is left with younger siblings, Johnson said to ask: “Is that child ready to watch that younger sibling, and is that sibling ready to listen to that older child?”
She said parents should consider holding a family meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to the rules of being home alone, and that families should know what the expectations are.
“What [are] the expectations when it comes to having friends over? What’s the expectation for going outside to play when no one is home with you? What’s the expectation when it comes to internet safety?” she said, adding that you should decide, “What are the rules when it comes to food? Are the kids allowed to cook, to use the microwave? If not, is there something accessible for them to eat until the parent gets home?”
Johnson said children should know who their “safe adults” are — who to call in the event of an emergency.
“Do they know how to contact a neighbor, a family friend, the fire department?” Johnson said.
It’s also important to choose your safe adult wisely. For example, she said, if your safe adult is an aunt in North Carolina and the child needs help right away, that might not be the right person. Instead, make sure your safe adult is someone who can get to the child relatively quickly.
She said you should also make sure you address issues that may seem simple to adults: “Does the child know how to use a key? Is the key safely stored while they’re at school? Is there a spare key if the child loses the key?”
Johnson said children should make occasional check-ins, and that parents should make sure the child has access to a phone or some way to make an outside call.
Johnson suggests doing some test runs before leaving the child home alone for the first time. She said you may want to start by leaving the child alone for 20 minutes while you go to the grocery store, then gradually increase the time you’re away and plan ahead to make sure you and your children are truly ready.
Parents can find out more information by visiting the county’s website at FairfaxCounty.gov or calling the county’s parent support line at 703-324-7720.
Editor’s note: A previous version included an incorrect age at which an older child can be left alone with a younger sibling. The older sibling should be at least 13 years old. This article has been corrected.
