Ask our experts: minimum age for babysitting

Where can you find guidelines on the appropriate age for babysitters? Parenting expert and child psychologist Dr Pat Spungin, CEO of Raisingkids.co.uk, advises.

Raisingkids member's problem

Please can you advise me of the minimum legal age for babysitters? Also do you have any advice on leaving children home alone for a short time while you pop to the neighbours etc.?

Dr Spungin's advice

There's no minimum age for babysitting. Working on the assumption you live in England or Wales, there's no straightforward answer to your question. There's no legal minimum age that a child can be left alone at home, although endangering a child by leaving them unattended is an offence. NSPCC guidelines recommend most children under 13 should not be left unsupervised for long. For more information, check out the NSPCC site.

You could also look at our Child Safety pages which may help you weigh up the pros and cons of leaving your children unattended and/or in the care of an older sibling. Your child should be more than competent at everything that you would expect from a babysitter before they're mature enough to be home alone. Could your child call 999 and give clear directions to the emergency services? Do they know what to do if there's an accident? Are they aware of where the fusebox is? And where to turn off the water and gas if necessary? Could they cope with being responsible for younger brothers or sisters?

At the end of the day, you'll need to use your own judgement. Some 13 yr-olds are very mature and capable, and some 18 yr-olds inspire no confidence whatsoever!

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• Ask our parenting expert: more answers
• Babysitter guidelines & checklist