Senior school childcare

[WordsAndWorlds]

It's suddenly just dawned on me. What happens in Year 7-9 when they're still too little to just come home and be alone until we get in from work?

Do most senior schools offer afterschool clubs? I didn't think they did...

Mine walked home and let themselves in at this age. We live semi rurally and work half an hour away too, with only one neighbour who works full time and no family in the county. Once a week for an hour, and once for two hours. They had to, and were absolutely fine.

I have yr 7 kids and can not leave them to come home alone and be without an adult as dd has asd. Even if she did not i would be reluctant to let them spend 2.5 hours alone. I only work part time and am there to collect from school. But if I had to work at that time of day I would find a cm for them. School has after sch clubs usually until 4.15, no other provisions.

from the age of 11 both mine were able to be left for a couple of hours alone. (they are both autistic)

From the age of 13 they were left alone during the school holidays too.

I work about half an hour away from where we live. The main issue is losing keys.

Myself, I walked home alone and was also home alone in tyhe school holidays from the age of 10 onwards (what is now Year 5/6)

Both the school I work in, and my children's school (state schools) allow pupils to stay in the library after school until 5pm. There is also a public library open three afternoons a week close by. Are these options for you? There are lots of after school sports, clubs etc too.

My neighbour has a good arrangement; lift shares where possible and then also twice a week, her 12 year old is dropped back by their cleaning lady, a friend of the family, who sits with her for about half an hour and makes sure she's had a snack/drink etc

It's just enough to make sure 1. She can physically get back from school (it's only about 15 mins but she plays cello and can't easily carry it down the road from the bus stop (0.5 miles) and 2. The house isn't dark and lonely and 3. She's eaten/drunk something and is comfortable to get on with her homework until her parents are back

The cleaner divides her time between these two days and I think only does 1.5 hours each so it's not like it's costing the parents a fortune. It's a sort of cleaner/childcare arrangement that's unusual but could be sort of what you're looking for. Where you'd even start finding someone who'd fit that sort of job I don't know though. I'm with you; at 11 it seems an awfully long time for them to be on their own every single night.

Its not about the maturity of an 11 year old or the ability to walk themselves home most do this at year 6) its about the loneliness of a child who has gone to a big school away from the teachers who knew them form nursery, the coping with bullying and 15 year olds the size of an adult pushing and shoving (and worse) in the corridor's, friends from old schools who don't talk to them any more, homework they forgot or don't understand and unloading about the day. In the first term especially it can be a difficult transition and the world is not the same as it was 20 years ago with online pressures even your own bedroom is not always a safe place.
Most children are fine 70% of the time but some days they need someone to talk to now not in 3 hours time so if you can find someone it is better for your child's mental health than an empty house. Being concerned and wanting to have a plan is not being over protective in a world where teens are facing a lot more stress than ever before.

Can you see if a friend will take turns in coming to yours then theirs?

jannier excellent post. Just because something can happen (11 can be home alone without burning the house down) doesn't make it ideal or right. I do not want DD, when she is 11, to be home alone for 2-3 hours 5 days a week. Or, certainly to begin with, even 1 day a week.

I agree with jannier kids might be capable but if it’s possible for you to be at home when they get in or arrange for someone to collect them AND that’s what the child wants why not?
My DS is in y5 and is perfectly capable of walking down to the carpark I pick him up from but if he asks me to walk up to meet him I will. When he starts Secondary if he wants me to walk down to meet him when he comes out and I’m able to then I will (I appreciate probably won’t )