To be fuming..

[sarah8484]

Im at work, dp is at home with our dc 9 months and 13 years. 13 year old is off school sick. Ive just messaged ds on my lunch to see how he is and he has messaged back and said my dp (their dad) had left my 13 year old alone to watch my 9 month old while he went out for 10 minutes. Ive never gave my 13 year old that responsibility before. He said she was playing and he said be back in 10 minutes and just left. Im not going to say anything till im home but can't believe he actually did that!

Shaking and sobbing I imagine.

There wouldn’t be any repercussions leaving a baby with 13 yr old sibling for 10 mins even if baby had accident. It’s well within range of acceptable.

Was the 13 year old in a comatose state ? If he's really sick I get it, and he should be, otherwise he would be at school. otherwise say the baby is sleeping and the 13 year old is watching him, 10mn would be about fine.

As you've already said, there is no age set out in legislation. The defensible decision making process should include competence, frequency and duration and as long as that's all covered satisfactorily, there is no issue. I'm assuming the head has had up to date DSL training?

If an accident happens to a baby in anyone's care there are safe guarding concerns, whether that's a parent, childminder, baby sitter, family member etc.

Personally I wouldn’t let a thirteen year old care for my baby. I’d let a sensible thirteen year old care for my seven or eight year old if I were local but definitely not a baby. I’d want someone first aid trained preferably.

To watch them for 10 minutes while they were playing?

I wouldn’t normally leave a 13yo in charge of a baby especially when unwell. However, it was a brief stint. And the children’s father was in overall charge and presumably proximate during those ten minutes. It was his call.

..and I don't mean there would need to an official safe guarding investigation, just a sensible look at whether the accident could have been prevented.

We make safe guarding decisions all the time - we just call them 'being a bit more careful next time', or 'learning from our mistakes'.

@Dixiechickonhols That is untrue. As a CP Social Worker I've seen cases where there have been repercussions from people leaving babies with older teen siblings. So yes, it does happen and does depend on various other things but to say there would be no repercussions is false

Some 13 year olds do have their first aid certificate. Many adults do not.

Well that’s not quite the same. If a parent or guardian has entrusted the care of a baby to a thirteen year old and left the house and that child ended up in hospital having been dropped for example. I’d expect social services to want to know why I had made that decision and that could kick start action that certainly wouldn’t happen if the baby was in the care of a qualified child minder ir any of your other examples.

Tell your DH to LTB

Lots of 13 yr olds will be first aid trained, probably more so or more up to date than many adults. DD did at school and Guides. Lots of teens do first aid with a view to potentially getting babysitting or lifeguard jobs.

I’m sure you’re right but most children do not have the ability to deal with emergency situations in the sane way as adults. If children were adults we wouldn’t have any legal age for sex, driving, marriage or alcohol.

Are you and all the people who watch your child for 10 minutes first aid trained?

I'm sure social services know that thirteen year old highschool aged teenagers babysit, so I doubt that would be a problem. The mother could have just as easily dropped the baby. The age isn't (or shouldn't be) relevant.

I’m afraid I wouldn’t no. Not if I were leaving the house.

I'd imagine most 7 or 8 year olds would be mortified to be looked after by a child just a few years older than them. For the sake of 10 minutes the dad was out the house many parents would leave a 7 or 8 year old alone.

Fgs what a massive overreaction. It’s 10 minutes!

Fair enough, and IF the OP's partner has made the decision that the 13yo is able to mind the baby for 10 mins, but an accident still happens, then SS would have nothing to report.
If the child isn't able to mind the baby then of course it's a safeguarding issue, but this doesn't mean no 13 yo should be left with a baby for 10 mins.

Yes Extreme cases like leaving for a week when parent abroad or for days with no food in house or electric in meter. But not the 10 min scenario here.

A social worker up thread has literally just answered this and agreed that there could be repercussions. So I’m not talking nonsense even if my opinions doing gel with yours.

*don’t

You know your dc OP, but as long as your 13 yr old can be sensible, then I'm not seeing it as an issue, it was only 10 minutes, not all day