How old??

[AnnaBlackwel]

How old can a child be to be left at home to look after a younger sibling?

[B00]

I think its 14, but double check the legality of this before you quote me!    :)

[THECORBYLOON]

In GB (not sure about Ulster) there is no legal minimum age for any babysitter let alone sibling.

[B00]

Really Thecorbyloon? there should be then!

[THECORBYLOON]

I did a search and there's loads of sites (including various Police Force websites) which confirm it. If the child comes to harm whilst being looked after by a person under 16, the parent/s could be charged with negligence though.

[B00]

Well you live and learn dont ya Thecorbyloon? thanks for putting me straight. I've no idea where i got 14 from then (sorry anna!)

[dmsjps]

Hi, I was always under the impression it was 14 too, because can't you legally babysit from that age? Could have all changed in recent years though, too.

 

Anyway, my advice is to trust your own judgement: you know how responsible your eldest child is and you know whether you can trust him/her to do the job properly and be able to manage effectively if the younger one kicks off, etc.

 

I know parents who leave their older children in charge of younger ones, but myself, I could never do it because my 14-year-old daughter is way too boistrous and antsy for my 17-year-old son to cope with; I would come back to find the house burnt down and my daughter dancing on top of it, cheering at my son's demise!

 

You know your own kids and you know their limitations, so don't be worried about making your own decision.

[THECORBYLOON]

B00 looking at the sites, a lot of them say the minimum age is commonly believed to be 14 or 16 so don't feel bad about it, yir not alone.

[netibiza]

Yes I think thecorbyloon is correct.

[ursula62]

Officially there is no minimum age, but the NSPCC recommends someone to be at least 16 before supervising another minor, as do most local authorities. Your local council may have information on its website, local requirements differ in different areas of the UK.

This is based on the idea that at 16 and above, an individual is much more aware of potential dangers and risks and could seek help quickly, if necessary. This age limit is also linked with the possible action which could be taken by the police if anything were to go wrong and an injury resulted. It is most likely that you as a parent would be held responsible if anything goes wrong if your babysitter is under 16 years of age.

However, bear in mind that babysitters do not need qualifications or a certificate to look after children. As a result anyone can advertise his or her services as a babysitter, so only ever leave your children with someone you know and trust.