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How young can a child babysit the younger children when both parents are away?
In NY, 15 yoa.
Depends on the state or country where you live.
Laws change so best to be aware of current statutes
Can is physical ability.
May indicates permission.
Here in CT an 11 year old can be physically capable of babysitting for a 4 year old sibling, but the legal standard says the babysitter should be at least 12 years of age.
This is a standard, not a law, if a complaint is made the judge has leeway in making his judgement
20 minutes after writing my response, I rec’d an email from our town’s Recreation dept. That an American Red Cross Certified Baby Sitter course was beginning January 3rd. It is open to 11-15 year old adolescents, BUT the certification of completion can not be issued until participants reach their 12th birthday
Joseph,
Society sets standards and government in the US is made up of society.
In this area children are permitted to walk to and from public schools alone as of grade 4. Prior to that they must be released by the teacher at dismissal to a parent, guardian or designated older child who is in at least 6th grade (approx age 11-12).
Again, in CT these are standards, not laws. DCF or a judge can be convinced that you have made a responsible decision eaving a 10 year old with a 5 year old for 2 hours in the afternoon or early evening, not that a 10 year old should be putting 4 younger siblings to bed for the night and parents not return until after 9PM
Joseph, does the government have the right to be a nanny state and disallow parents from marrying off their 6-year-olds?
Joseph
Are citizens obligated to follow standards?
Yes, they are obligated to be within reasonable tolerances of the standards when non-compliance can cause legal ramifications. In the case of too young a child left in charge of younger children, there would be no fine, but could involve government supervision ordered for the children and/or family, removal of the children from the parents control, mandatory parenting classes, or C”V if there was an injury or worse while the child babysitter was in command, the parents criminally charged with child endangerment.
How does one know what the standard is? In this case, I have seem posters at the public libraries, notices in schools, a person could call 211…Government help line and ask.
Are the same standards applicable statewide? There are variances:
For example, the age of a child permitted to walk to and from school alone would rise in a community that does not have sidewalks. It’s called using common sense. Also, here in CT if the child lives more than 1 mile from school the community must provide free bus transportation.
I live 1/2 mile from the local elementary school in my district, on the same street. It is a hilly, curvy, heavily traveled road. There are no sidewalks. NO children living on my street are permitted to walk to school. Even children living 200 feet from the school receive bus service for safety reasons.
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