NSPCC: Children under 12 shouldn't be home alone

[roses2]

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23646867.age-child-can-stay-home-alone-uk-nspcc-advises/

Seems a bit old to me. I started leaving DS home for 1-2 hours age 9. He's now 10 and has walked to school by himself, gone to the local Sainsbury and the park. All within a 10 minute walk. He'll be 11 when he starts secondary school and I fully expect him to get the tube to school by himself (I'll train him of course).

12 seems a bit old to me. I know every child is different but surely this advice just makes parents with capable children feel like they are bad parents?

I’m happily child free but from a very big family and I agree this is going to vary enormously. I wouldn’t leave some of our extended family who are in their late teens alone!

Eh??? What happens when both parents work and there’s no wrap around in secondary school.

If an 11 year old can’t manage to look after themselves for an hour or two without burning down the house because they tried to cook or didn’t know to get out the house , stick their fingers in a socket or to go to a neighbour in case of injury, how to call an ambulance etc, I would really wonder how they had been taught.

most kids round here walk themselves home from 10.

I wouldn’t leave a kid all day as they would likely be bored and lonely. But a few hours after school at 10-12 is fine. SEN notwithstanding

OH and I had this discussion last week, eldest had a PD day so was home from school and OH had a GP appointment I needed to take him to. Eldest (10) didn't want to come and asked to stay home, OHs initial reaction was no while I thought about it a bit more then put forth the arguement that he'll be allowed to walk to and from school alone as of September, and we allow him out to play at the park down the road without worry. In my mind staying home was a lot safer than either of those scenarios (he is a gamer, he wasn't going to be getting into any trouble, he likely wouldn't move once he was settled into his game!)

We tested the smoke alarms and gave him a quick run through of what to do if there was something like a fire, and instructions not to open the door to anyone.

He was fine for the 90 mins we were gone

@MysteryBelle "CurfewKate" 🤣🤣

Context is everything, and that's partly why there is no legal ruling on this.
There's clearly a difference between leaving a child for 10 minutes while you pop to the corner shop, and leaving them for an entire working day in the school holidays. I think 12 is a reasonable minimum for the latter (although some children aren't happy until a little older), and I think most of us work up to this gradually. If the NSPCC is asked this question, I think they have to stick to an answer which is reasonable for the "whole day" scenario, or they risk their answer being taken out of context.

As others have pointed out there is little choice as childcare for 12 year olds is non existent in some areas, mine being one of them so unsure what they expect parents who need to work to do during the holidays of there is no childcare available and there is only so much AL you can take

Whatever you do, wherever you go, there is no shortage of government bodies and charities wanting to tell you what to do..............or else.............

I suppose if they can make out that there is loads of parental abuse going on, they can justify their big salaries and leased cars.

I'm lucky to have been able to keep my dc with me all day when they were younger as I work on our farm, but how do they expect employees to manage during the school holidays and random strike days. Once they are at senior school there is no way on earth most would go to day camps.

My son is 10 in Oct. No way would I leave him alone. He's way too immature. He still forgets to look at the road before crossing. I walked home from school alone at 9, started dinner, with my mum getting home at 5. Depends on the child.