At What Age Can North Carolina Children Be Left Home Alone?

Ever wondered if it's illegal to leave your children home alone? Well, technically, North Carolina does not have a law that states an age minimum. But, there are a few things that people should take into consideration before you leave your child at home alone.

North Carolina pretty relaxed when it comes to leaving your children at home alone. Officials state that the first thing an adult should think of is, "Is my child prepared to be left at home alone?"

Krista Stallard, attorney with Charlotte-based law firm Stallard & Bellof, told the Charlotte Observer that the state fire code guideline states that children 8 years or younger should not be left without supervision. “It’s also a crime to put a child in any situation where they could be neglected,” Stallard said to Charlotte Observer.

Parents do tend to think that a specific age will help with a child being left alone or with other siblings to care for each other.

“It doesn’t mean that the child is mature enough to care for a younger sibling,” Stallard said. “Leaving a child under the age of 8 with an older sibling is a decision that needs to be scrutinized.”

The article reports that children around 11 or 12 are the recommended age at which children are ready to be left home alone.

If you are going to leave your child home alone, be sure to prepare them. You want to give your child the necessary tools to know how to manage if something is wrong and give clear rules to keep them safe.

Read the full article for further details here.