Overnight childcare

[WickedGirl]

Is there a minimum age that you can leave a babysitter in charge overnight? Do they have to be over 18 or is 17 acceptable?

There is no law about when you can leave your children home alone or what age a babysitter has to be, but you must not 'put them at risk'.

I don't think they would be 'at risk' with a 17 year old babysitter, as long as the 17 year old was of normal maturity.

Unless you are in Scotland, then there might be something in law and I can not remember what, think is was something like being minimum of age 16.

You need to know them and trust them, do you have someone in mind who knows your family already?

The age 16 thing is about legal responsibility. Anywhere in the UK I think the law would class someone under 16 not being legally responsible when caring for children.

Personaly I would focus on finding someone you trust, someone with the maturity to be left in charge of the home and children.