Our Community in Fairfax County, Virginia
The following represent minimally acceptable standards for leaving children unsupervised. These guidelines have been developed by social work professionals in collaboration with the community and are only applicable if the children have no emotional, medical or behavioral problems that might affect judgment.
Children should be comfortable being alone and must have safety plans worked out with the parents or caretakers that include how to access a parent or other responsible adult at all times. This should include knowing the parent's or caretaker's whereabouts and having a telephone number where a parent can be reached. Children should also know what to do in case of an emergency and have knowledge of emergency telephone numbers.
Remember, these are guidelines only. There may be situations even within these guidelines when it is not safe to leave a child unsupervised. Parents are ultimately responsible for making the decisions about their children's safety.
| 7 years and under: | Should never be left alone. |
| 8 to 10 years: | Should not be left alone for more than one and a half hours and never after dark. |
| 11 to 12 years: | May be left alone for up to three hours but not late at night or in circumstances requiring inappropriate responsibility. |
| 13 to 15 years: | May be left unsupervised but not overnight. |
| 16 to 17 years: | May be left unsupervised (in some cases, for up to two consecutive overnight periods). |