Can My 13 year old take care of my 5 yr old daughter?

[gsarmist]

Hi I will be moving to London very soon from outside UK. being new I need advise on childcare. My 13 year old daughter can take good care of my 5yr old and can manage herself quite independently. My daughter lived in london along with us when our younder one born and then we left UK for a gap of 3 years. Hence it is not that the environment is quite new for my older daughter. My question If I feel confident on my daughter's ability can I leagally keep my 5 year old under her care at home after her school for 2 hours. I may still need go for a child minder for my younger one for an hour or so till my older one comes from school to take her. Both myself and my husband cannot come from work before 7.00 pm.

Need good advise from experienced mums.

thanks.

As others have said, as a one off I'm sure this would be fine but it is not a solution for your every day childcare problem. It is unfair on your 13 year old and I'd be amazed if a school or childminder would regularly allow a 5 year old to be released into the care of a 13 year old. If you really both have to work until 7pm you need to budget for a proper childminder.

Too big an ask every day. The 13 year old won't ever get I see her friends, or do any after school activities or play in sports matches or anything

I worded that wrong, I meant to put that I left my 16 y o in charge of the youngest lad (who is now 10.) He was left from the age of 12 when he started high school.