How old does a babysitter have to be?

[Pombearbuffet]

Is there a legal requirement for a babysitter to be a certain age?

Dd is 11, just wondering when I could leave her for an hour or so with her siblings (8 and 3)

[SalvatoreMaroni]

16

[elfycat]

There's no minimum age (NSPCC website) but if your babysitter is under 16 you are still responsible.

If I'm in the same town and not out late I leave my sensible 9 and 11 year olds with a sensible 15 year old who will call me or their mother (2 min walk) if they need help. When they were babies/toddlers the babysitter was over 16 but has inconveniently gone to Uni.

[Nicknacky]

SalvatoreMarconi That is incorrect, there is no legal age

[TweetUsOnFacebook]

Ideally over 16 but there's no law against younger babysitters but you are still responsible and would be liable if anything went wrong.
Screenshot from NSPCC website.

[tiredanddangerous]

There's no legal requirement but I think 11 is too young to look after a 3 year old.

[Clymene]

Not fair to ask an 11 year old to look after a 3 year old

[JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam]

My 16 year old DD has been babysitting her siblings during the day since she was about 14 and evenings (until around 9pm) from 15.
However her brothers were 6, 9 and 10 When she was 14
Wouldn’t have been happy leaving her with a toddler age child.

[Sally872]

Your own judgement but I think 11 is a bit young to look after a 3 year old unless particularly sensible/mature and 3 year old exceptionally well behaved.

They would survive so in an emergency fine, but as a plan I wouldn't as likely they would be likely to find it stressful.

[Pombearbuffet]

Thanks all.
I’m not going to do it yet, I was just wondering when I could.

[SalvatoreMaroni]

@Nicknacky I know there's no legal age but any younger than 16 and the parents are still considered responsibile. I should have elaborated.

[imissthesouth]

For siblings 11 is fine, however i'd want over 16 if I was trusting someone to look after my children who wasn't family.

[sunlight81]

No legal age ... however you should choose wisely as should something happen while u are away, u may be liable for neglect.

[Nicknacky]

SalvatoreMarconi Yes, you probably should have considering the OP’s question was to the LEGAL age to which you straight away answered “16” with no other text.

[GypsyRoseGarden]

my DD has been a "mothers help" from age 12 - so mother is still in house and she does things like tidy toys, fold washing, do dishes, supervise bath, change nappies, feed toddler (aged 18 to 24 months)

from age 14 she was babysitting alone age 3 and up

but she's a very mature 14 year old who had been around babies and toddlers a lot and loves it

I've also got a 16 year old that I wouldn't leave alone with the dog

[Clymene]

I think it's about relative ages. I think 12 9 and 4 would be okay for an hour or so depending on your kids.

And I was babysitting from 13-14 but the kids were mostly asleep so it was just being there and ringing parents if they woke. Awake children are harder!

[Pombearbuffet]

@GypsyRoseGarden

my DD has been a "mothers help" from age 12 - so mother is still in house and she does things like tidy toys, fold washing, do dishes, supervise bath, change nappies, feed toddler (aged 18 to 24 months)

from age 14 she was babysitting alone age 3 and up

but she's a very mature 14 year old who had been around babies and toddlers a lot and loves it

I've also got a 16 year old that I wouldn't leave alone with the dog

😂

[SalvatoreMaroni]

Dont get your knickers in a twist @Nicknacky

[Pombearbuffet]

She is amazing with younger children. I’d trust her with the three year old (more likely the eight year old would cause the problem)

[Nicknacky]

SalvatoreMarconi They aren’t in a twist at all, I just get beyond frustrated with posters who post incorrect information and can’t just own it.

[SalvatoreMaroni]

I did own it. Lol.

[ShyTown]

I was babysitting from 14 but I do think it can be tricker I think with siblings because they might not listen to them. I think 11 is definitely too young and I’d worry about whether they’d act sensibly with regard to the toddler in an emergency. Maybe 13 if very sensible and you’re confident siblings will listen to her but I’d personally stick local and go to the nearest pub/restaurant - DD is 3 and her super sensible 14YO cousin has baby sat for her and we’re ok with this if we know we could get home very quickly.

[Maskedcrusader]

My 14 yrs old regularly babysitting for my 4 & 6 year old. Sometimes a few hrs in the day and sometimes in the evening
During the day he will take them to the park, make lunch do crafts or just watch a movie. In the evenings he will put them to bed & read stories. It's worked out well so far, the kids like spending time hanging out with him & he likes the money!