How old does a child need to be before they can babysit or be left alone by themselves?
There are licensing rules for foster and day care homes but for a family household there is no law that states a “specific age” that a child can be left home alone or be able to babysit. A parent is responsible to supervise and control his/her child and provide for his/her basic needs (food, shelter, clothing, medical care, protection) until he/she turns 18 years of age. Many children are not mature enough to stay home alone until they are at least 12 years old. No specific age recommendation can be given because it depends on the individual child. Some 10 year olds are very responsible and are able to stay at home for a short time while some teenagers cannot be trusted to be home alone for even short periods of time.
