Neglect or just crap parenting?

[selly24]

Leaving a child age 5 alone in house while running an errand taking 15 mins.
A friend seems to do this a lot. Not witnessed directly but from what parent had said eg ' DC woke up and I was on errand so was upset with me' and from what child refers to or assumes.
Eg when babysitting -' oh, why do I need to come when you go do X? Parent always leaves me here.
Was mortified when first heard bu thought prob a one off, as parent's OH was away, but seems to be a regular thing...am increasingly concerned. Should I be.?

[BeautyGoesToBenidorm]

I'd be concerned. Hell would freeze over before I left my 5yo unattended like that - what if something happened to her while she was out? She could get hit by a bus for all she knew, and her DC would be alone and frightened. It doesn't bear thinking about.

[NoIsAnAnswer]

I'd say it's both crap parenting and neglect.

[oldlaundbooth]

Not on.

[anniroc]

Jesus yes, that's terrible.

[Trifleorbust]

I would call that neglect. A 5 year old is way too young to be left alone in a house

[Enb76]

I used to leave my five year old for about 10 mins to do an errand. I'm not a neglectful parent. I would never have left her asleep to wake up on her own. I'd tell her where I was going and how long I'd be. She's now still alive at 8 and I am happy to leave her for longer periods. She's a sensible child.

[Thirtyrock39]

Legally it's dodgy before 10 I thought or even 12?

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

Neglect. I wouldn't leave my 5 year old alone.

[MyPeriodFeatures]

Um, would I do that? No. I have a friend who will do this, leave her 2 6 & 4 while she pops to shop over the road.

People know their children and we need to remember there are children that young in other countries fending entirely for themselves.

Neglect and abuse? No

Potentially negligent?? Yes, ever so slightly :)

[TeacherBob]

I used to leave my five year old for about 10 mins to do an errand. I'm not a neglectful parent

Sorry but you are

And in a court of law, even though there is no set age, you would be prosecuted under the 'left at risk' part of the law. Clearly a 5 year old, if alone, is at risk.

So you may feel it is ok, but the law would say differently.

[MyPeriodFeatures]

Not ever so slightly, just negligent.

[Waltermittythesequel]

Absolutely shit parenting whatever way you look at it.

[RhodaBorrocks]

I can remember my DM running to the postbox 200 yards down the road and back again whilst I was quite young, but not before she had my DSis (who is 7 years younger), so I'm guessing maybe when I was around 9?

I have left my DS (9) indoors whilst I take the bins out or go to get something from my car in our car park. We live in a flat complex though so those things can take a few minutes as I have to walk a little way to get to them, but I've only started doing it this year. When DS was 5 I wouldn't have left him in the house unattended - going to the loo was bad enough!!!

[DearTeddyRobinson]

No way in hell should a 5 year old be left alone. It's stupid, irresponsible, and against the law.
I suppose it depends how well you know the person OP but either you have a firm word with them, or give SS a call. Maybe a good talking to from the authorities would set them straight?

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

What errand is so important that you leave a child that young alone?

[redexpat]

Actually I think the senario a pp mentioned upthread is fine. The senario in the OP where the child wakes up alone is upset and scared is not ok.

My Mum would also ring the butcher then go 200 yds down the road to collect it while I was at home and younger than 5.

[Oysterbabe]

Yep it's bad parenting and neglect.

[WashingMatilda]

Won't say too much as outing but I've arrested someone for child neglect when she went to the hairdressers and the child had got out and was found walking along a dual carriageway.
It's cool though because it was 'just a trim'

[Headofthehive55]

No I wouldn't leave mine. Not until they are about ten. Things can set on fire, floods happen.

[Trifleorbust]

I can't see why a child of 5 needs to be left alone while you go down the road to the butcher or wherever. Surely they can just walk next to you? An emergency it is not.

[toptoe]

Neglect. It's regular and probably not just for 15 mins. The child wakes up alone and would be up to all sorts. I would wonder what else was going on as her idea of looking after a small child is out of whack. Where is dad? Can you offer to have him round when she pops out? Does she need some additional support?

[redexpat]

Washing

That clearly fits the description of leaving a child unsupervised in a manner likely to cause injury.