To think it’s too young?

[Ang108]

For a 9 year old girl to walking round the streets by herself after school? Just wandering by the way.

Yes absolutely. What is going on in this situation?

The family have 3 children. I believe the mum doesn’t speak much English but dad does and her is often at work. They allow the oldest child (9) to go out by herself now. I am wondering as I just got back from work and have seen her wandering back onto our road but she had been a different road and was walking back (main busy road) and our road is a bus route.

Dad does but he is often at work*

Is the child walking home. That's ok
Wandering round for an hour not so much.

Many 9yos do play out with friends. But within a small area, in groups, in the light etc.

she went onto our road and was across the road, walking past her house. So hasn’t gone home

How do you know she isn't just walking locally from school to home or from a friend/family members house to home? Or going to the shop?

If she looked happy and confident it may well be fine.

I don't know about everyone but my neighbours 7.5 year old is allowed to walk to and from the shop alone and it's across one main road, and you can't see it from the house.

Well it was just now so she wasn’t walking home from school and had changed from school uniform. She passed her house on the other side of the road when coming off the main road and continued to walk past it so wasn’t going home I don’t think

Yes it is. Have you spoken to her and asked her if everything is ok? I drove past a young girl walking on her own in the dark last year and I felt so uncomfortable I parked up and asked her this question. It turns out she was visiting her dad who'd recently moved to the area. She'd walked to the local supermarket and then on the way back couldn't remember which street he lived on. 5 minutes later we'd located the correct house and she arrived back safely. I'd just ask her.

Maybe OK if she's walking straight home, ideally with a few classmates. But wandering around for ages, then no.

I wouldn't have thought it was really a problem if she's just walking to a nearby shop or to a friend's or relative's house that's only a short distance away.

Don't see the issue aslong as shes not just wandering the streets and its a safe ish area mine would often nip to the shop and close by houses from about 8.

Depends where you live. Where we are the kids can roam freely.

I would say it’s ok for kids to roam freely where we are, yes. But still, it’s a main road and bus route. So just thought it seemed a bit young. Thank you for replies

I think it's very much one to file under 'Up to the parents'. She's not a tiny child and she appears to be going somewhere, not just aimlessly wandering about. Some people would let their child be independent like this at the age of nine, others wouldn't. It's the parents' choice.

Walking to and from something, totally fine. Just walking around alone aimlessly would raise my eyebrows.

It would be totally normal here. 9yo's walk home from school, and go to the shops and park unaccompanied all the time.

I used to always walk around for about an hour after school myself. I just liked the alone time.

If she's not allowed home, that's very worrying. If she is allowed home but wants to walk around the local area, there's nothing wrong with that in itself in most areas. Almost all 9 year olds would be capable of doing that if they were allowed to (though may need some building up to it). I'd be concerned though that she seems to have no purpose and is doing it a lot, especially this time of year. It sounds pretty lonely and potentially neglect or abuse at home driving her out.

Do you mind someone just going for a walk odd?

Not really, depends what time, where she’s going etc. Is she just walking home from school or walking to a friend’s house?
My DD is 10 (year 6) and will walk to a nearby friend’s by herself now or go to the shop with a friend etc. Now that it’s getting dark early she has to be in by 4.30pm.
She’s been walking home from school alone since year 5 (so age 9).
If the girl is walking the streets all evening because she’s locked out of the house then yes that’s concerning.

Ok thank you for replies. I think she’s year 4, only recently 9

Just to add, it doesn’t seem she’s walking with any purpose. She just wanders round and turns back and walks back round. I’ve seen her do it before

It’s half 4 - in the 80’s we were out until dark. Depends on area and the kid really.