Too young to be left alone?

[BlondGirl]

I need to know the various ages at which children can be legally left alone without adult supervision in the great United States.

If you know of a website that addresses this, that would be appreciated too. Thanks.

 

[registered "^^"]

what age?

not sure blond girl, i am a single parent and i always make sure my 10 year old is with an adult. he is a very intelligent child, but i would not think of leaving him alone for a second. the usa seems to be full of child predators, it is in the news everyday. no matter what the legal age would be, i could never leave him alone till he is big enough to protect himself.

 

[*bratcat*]

In Canada

 

[willfulbrat]

In Georgia, the legal age for leaving children alone is 12 years.

 

[Merelan]

12 here in New York too, but I know a couple mid thirty year old guys who I can't trust alone. So, guess it depends really.

 

[BlondGirl]

My son has been begging to be left alone--he is 9. I have debated walking the dog in the mornings while he is getting ready, but don't feel it is wise yet.

On the other hand, our 8 year old neighbor is locked out of the house when mom, dad, and baby leave to go somewhere--those places include--going out to eat, going shopping, going for a day trip to the next town...

I am concerned......

 

[Merelan]

You should be. What the hell is wrong with them?

 

[registered "^^"]

shaking my head

some people shouldn't be allowed to have children. especially if they think they can raise themselves. if it was the usa, someone would have reported them by now.

 

[BlondGirl]

Re: shaking my head

some people shouldn't be allowed to have children. especially if they think they can raise themselves. if it was the usa, someone would have reported them by now.

Unfortunately, CPS (Child Protective Services) commonly do more harm than good. Not always, but that is seen often and is terribly frightening. Of course they are always understaffed and under paid too--no one works there for the money.

I simply want to have the information so that if this situation continues, I can invite mom out for coffee to discuss this situation with her--from the perspective of someone who has worked in the ER and seen too much. Having a printout of a legal statement would be very useful in such a discussion.

 

[registered "^^"]

yes it would

God save the children

 

[ChaoticLil]

I live right outside of Houston and my sister called CPS herself to find out that answer. The case worker that she spoke to said it is dependant on how mature the childern are.

Her children are 10, 8 and 7 and the case worker said they would be fine as long as they weren't left alone after dark.

Hope that helps

 

[BlondGirl]

I live right outside of Houston and my sister called CPS herself to find out that answer. The case worker that she spoke to said it is dependant on how mature the childern are.

Her children are 10, 8 and 7 and the case worker said they would be fine as long as they weren't left alone after dark.

Hope that helps

I wonder who answered the phone when she called...I know there is a legal number for the minimum age--but I can't remember where to see that in print.

It could have been a high schooler who answered that question-- and very likely someone simply providing clerical services--I have to ask, did the person call your sister back after researching the answer or simply spout one off the top of his/her head....? (I know it says "case worker" in your post but I also have dealt with the state and know damned good and well how hard it is to speak to any type of case worker without some serious initials behind your name to give your preferential treatment. Possible--yes, probable--I doubt it. If your sister's answer was not researched and if she was not given a reference, it is unlikely she was given accurate information. )

I am not sure, but I believe that according to state regulations or law, it is the age of 10 in Texas--but could be mistaken.....

 

[Merelan]

It is now that you find me on my knees praying to whatever God or Goddess that is listening that the old tale of each child having a guardian angel is true and real.
Please Heavenly helper.... watch over these children, and the parents who cannot believe it can happen to them. and theirs.

 

[xanadu]

Actually...

I think Lil is correct. Having worked in child care in Texas for over 12 years, I believe the last info I have states that it depends on the maturity level of the child...to my knowledge there has never been a stated age.

Check out the Texas Family Code. You can access it through Texas' Child Care Licensing website at www.tdprs.state.tx.us

 

[Desert Amazon]

 

[BlondGirl]

I got this response in e-mail:

<<<"

Ok, first off understand that short of a child being physically abused (bruises, broken bones, black eyes) I am totally opposed to calling CPS. I believe they should have to follow the same rules and regulations and restrictions as the police. One of the most important being innocent until proven guilty, speedy trial with a jury of your peers and freedom of information.

My ex-husbands wife is an ex-CPS agent (quit this spring to become a teacher because Dallas ISD loves ex-cps agents for teachers). I just called her. She said twelve years old is when you can start leaving a child home alone for short durations. If a parent has locked their under twelve child outside and left then the child will be removed because of child endangerment.
one more thing. She said that it would be the discretion of the CPS agent whether or not to take the child and that some would depend on circumstances. She said from the details I told her without a doubt the child would not be in the house tomorrow if she were called. So I would take the facts to the parent, get their side of it, be prepared to be hated and understand that if you call CPS the child will most probably be moved into the foster system until CPS deems the family ""correct"".


">>>

 

[ChaoticLil]

I wonder who answered the phone when she called...I know there is a legal number for the minimum age--but I can't remember where to see that in print.

It could have been a high schooler who answered that question-- and very likely someone simply providing clerical services--I have to ask, did the person call your sister back after researching the answer or simply spout one off the top of his/her head....? (I know it says "case worker" in your post but I also have dealt with the state and know damned good and well how hard it is to speak to any type of case worker without some serious initials behind your name to give your preferential treatment. Possible--yes, probable--I doubt it. If your sister's answer was not researched and if she was not given a reference, it is unlikely she was given accurate information. )

I am not sure, but I believe that according to state regulations or law, it is the age of 10 in Texas--but could be mistaken.....

I wish it was, but it was a case worker that she was assigned to because her crack-head husband called them when she kicked him out. Last week she came home from work and the woman she paid to watch the children abandonded them. She walked into the house and her girls were making dinner.

The reason she called them was to cover her own ass. She's a good mother and is getting tired of all the bullshit from her husband. She's not planning on leaving them by themselves, but needed the information just in case she needed to for an hour or so.