Anyone know what the legal age is that you can leave your kids home alone.
Mine are not kids as such my eldest will be 18 in Dec and the youngest 15 the same month.They usually stay with my parents but when we go away for a week in Sept they want to stay at home.
I know they are responsible enough and I know they can be trusted to get themselves off to school /college.I just wondered what the legal age was.
Does anyone know if my eldest can be legally responsible for the youngest

Yes your eldest can, I believe they are both able to stay alone I may be wrong but I know lots of girls baby sit etc at 15. But your eldest is an adult and legally can move out! :p

I thought it was 16 too because that's the legal age for a babysitter.
She will be 17 and the youngest 14 and most of the day they will be out at school/college,plus my eldest's boyfreind who is 18 will be staying over some nights and my parents only live 2 miles away.I know that they'll be ok I have no doubts about that  and I'll e-mail.phone daily to check on them but I need to know the proper legal age as I have some nasty neighbours that wouldn't be above dobbing me in to social services

Read this, it states that there is no legal age....HTH

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sexandhealth/kids/tm_objectid=15781029&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=when-it-s-safe-to-leave-your-kids-home-alone--name_page.html

Thanks that's brilliant Zoe,I can go with a clear conscience now

Why not ask grandparents just to call them occasionally - or ask your kids to phone grandparents - the kids can just check that G/ps are alright!

Margot

why not leave the eldest one incharge as at nearly 18 thats a legal age to babysit.

Well there's that girl in Yorkshire whos mother has left her and she's 15.  The mother says that she was left under the care of her 24 year old son, but he doesn't seem to be anywhere!  I believe that she's now staying with her father.

I couldn't believe the mother, in the news it says that she left her with £25 but in an interview she was disgusted because it was actually £35 !!!!  Some people.

> Q. Is there a legal age at which children can be left at home alone? <

> A. No, there is no minimum in either Scotland or England and Wales. The law takes the view that one 13-year-old could be very mature while a 15-year-old equally immature <

> The 1933 Children and Young Persons Act says it is wilful neglect for a parent to leave a child unsupervised "in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health".<

From this site Interesting !

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/html/home/needadvice/childrenathomealone.htm

The above NSPCC link gives the same advice as previously really but presented well.

Maysea there is NO LEGAL AGE for babysitting!  It always amuses me the way people think that there is and don't bother to check! 

Children are a worry, aren't they? :-)  Good parenting isn't easy.

My 29 year old STILL gives me grief *sigh* (that's just in case anyone with toddlers thinks that it stops once they get to be 18 :D :D )

oh bu***r Mel, I was hoping mine would improve now I've got the oldest two past 21!  But then again, I'm 44 and still give my mum grief I am sure!!

My parents will be calling in daily plus we have  a very good neighbour who will be keeping an eye out.
We will be e-mailing/phoning everyday anyway but I just needed to make sure I wasn't breaking the law.We have gone on holiday without them before but they've always stayed at home during the day and gone to my parents to sleep.Just that now they feel they are passed that and want to be independant.My eldest's BF will sleep over on the weekend we go and the one we are due back so it's only 5 days they'll actually be home alone and they'll be in school for most of the time anyway.I know they are sensible kids not the type to have mad wild parties and I know I can trust them to look after the home.

Ha ha, that's what you think!!!!   :-)

PS I'm sure it will be fine!

It used to be 14 before you could leave a minor but that was back in the 80s things may of changed within the law, but i would think at 15 and being supervised by a 18yr old would be ok

Yeah, my mum was always told with me that it was a 'stage', and her reply is that it's been going on for 31 years now!! :-)

i moved out at the age of 17 complete with a new born baby. Over 10 years on and never lived with them since I am still not allowed to be left on my own. My mum has to hear from me everyday otherwise she worries!!!!!!!!!! 
Lea :D