What age is considered appropriate before a child can do this...

[Poppymayday]

Get themselves home from a local school, let themselves in and stay home alone for an hour or so until adult gets back home?

I think 10 to walk to and from school.

I think 11 or 12 to come home alone and then be at home alone. However, it depends on the child, how self-sufficient and sensible they are, and how long they will be home alone for.

I was childminding other peopes kids at 13.

I find it really interesting how much things have changed in the last 20-30 years.

Latch-key kids were totally normal not that long ago - children would walk home, let themselves in, do homework and even start prepping dinner. Now they can't be trusted to even walk home by themselves or carry a key.

It's not an attack on anyone, just an observation. I think kids are probably much more capable than many of us give them credit for. I know I would stay home alone for an hour or so at 9/10 and loved it.

Obviously depends on the child, but 8ish for a 'normally' developing child without 'special needs' or medical issues who lives reasonably close to the school

I did it at 7. Yes, really. And walked home just over 2 miles to do it. And I'm not advocating for that extreme, but to see answers of 11 or 12 is really quite extreme in the other direction from my perspective. Unless there are special needs or someone lives in a particularly dangerous area.

We have really infantilised non-infant children in this country. You can really see it in classrooms, too. So many children are not self-reliant and they take no responsibility for anything, including remembering their own items for school. It's depressing.

My 9 year old (girl) could do this - and would there was a problem for me to get home as a one off and no other option.
But I wouldn't want her to do it every day (for a start, she would just eat lots of unhealthy snacks and watch TV for the whole time she was alone).
I think it becomes more usual around Y1 (11 ish). But again, I wouldn't want that child to be sitting there with free access to her phone or ipad for an hour either.

Agree with this but it depends on the child. My DC did this and was a sensible child and I trusted him.

I think it depends on how common sense they have. I have other family members that had none at 13/14 and I’d not have trusted them to get back safely and be sensible in the home.

None of mine have been ready before year 8. I think I was about that age before I got a key.

Agree. 8 is far far too young. Around 11 if sensible.

Year 5/6 depending on the child, distance, roads etc.

11 or 12 often.

My older son did this at 11, but I didn't need to consider it at a younger age.
Youngest made his way home alone around at 9/10, and also stayed home alone at age 10, but the two situations were not connected. He was under orders to answer the phone if I called him at all times or reply to messages, but he was always fine and as far as I can tell did nothing but play Xbox!

Mine will be doing it next September when he starts high school. It's only a 5/10 minute walk and he will only be alone half an hour tops unless he walks with me and starts early and then waits for me to walk past after school.

But isn't the answer to that to just not have unhealthy snacks or an iPad left around for them to play on?

I personally can't see an issue with a 9yo walking home from school and watching TV or playing games for an hour but I accept I may be in the minority on that one.

Mine was 10, she was very sensible though.

Totally agree with this. Year 8 are teenagers - of course they can walk home from school and be alone for an hour or so before then

Depending on the child I think 10 or 11, definitely not any younger x

I was fine doing this at 9 years, and that was before my parents could have been contacted by me on a cellphone as would now be the norm.
Now I am the parent I would suggest age 11.

Age 8, not Year 8 😅

I was doing it from 4 years old, my mum walked me to school the first week and I wasn't 5 until later in the year. It was normal back then now a days it seems to be about 10 or so. I think from 6 or 7 would be find depending on where you live in relation to the school.

First year of seniors, assuming no specific needs.

They should be able to do that confidently once they start secondary school. So probably should be practicing it for the year before. Usually secondary school is further away, so they also need to be familiarised with the route once you know where they're going.

Some people on here are saying Year 8 @thescandalwascontained.

Pp's were meaning 8 years old, not year 8.

We are going to try this from Feb onwards for my year 6 child, december birthday so be 11 years 2 months. He's been walking home.alone since September and managed perfectly fine. And stays home alone a couple of hours at a time already. He will get home about 3.45pm, dh will be in 4.30pm to 5pm. Have done him walking home and letting himself in a few times, but am usually 20 mins behind him.

Am pretty sure he will come home, eat a snack and park his arse on his xbox. Good friends with the ndn, have family a few minutes away in an emergency and loads of school friends locally.

No, a PP I was quoting said Year 8.

I would say for a sensible September born child, perhaps year 7. But for most, the start of year 8 if they’ve had independence in year 7.

Totally depends on the child and the route home. My sensible 9yo with no big roads to cross would be fine with this; my head-in-the-clouds 12yo not a chance!