What is the legal age you can stay home by yourself in Virginia?

Answer 1

Here are the VA guidelines: www.dss.virginia.gov/files/division/dfs/cps/guidelines/alone.pdf

CHILDREN HOME ALONE

Virginia state statutes do not set a specific age after which a child legally can stay

alone. * Age alone is not a very good indicator of a child's maturity level. Some very

mature 10-year-olds may be ready for self care while some 15-year-olds may not be

ready due to emotional problems or behavioral difficulties.

In determining whether a child is capable of being left alone and whether a parent is

providing adequate supervision in latchkey situations, child protective services (CPS)

will assess several areas. These areas include:

• child's level of maturity. CPS will want to assess whether the child is

physically capable of taking care of himself; is mentally capable of

recognizing and avoiding danger and making sound decisions; is

emotionally ready to be alone; knows what to do and whom to call if an

emergency arises; and has special physical, emotional, or behavioral

problems that make it unwise to leave be left alone. It is important to note

that a child who can take care of him/herself may not be ready to care

for younger children.

• accessibility of those responsible for the child. CPS will want to

determine the location and proximity of the parents, whether they can be

reached by phone and can get home quickly if needed, and whether the

child knows the parents' location and how to reach them.

• the situation. CPS will want to assess the time of day and length of time

the children are left alone; the safety of the home or neighborhood; whether

the parents have arranged for nearby adults to be available in case a

problem arises; and whether there is a family history of child abuse or

neglect.

* Some localities have ordinances concerning the age at which a child may be left without

supervision.

Answer 2

In Virginia, there is no specific legal age requirement for leaving a child home alone. Parents are expected to use their judgment to determine if their child is mature enough to stay home alone safely, based on factors like the child's age, maturity level, and ability to handle emergencies. It is recommended that children under 12 years old should not be left alone for an extended period of time.