It’s completely natural for parents to feel anxious about leaving their children ‘home alone’ for the first time. However, with some careful planning and a set of safety rules in place, you and your child will feel much more comfortable and ready for this new milestone.

To help you establish if it is the right time to leave your child home alone, here is some great advice from an independent prep school in Twickenham.

Are they ready?

You may be surprised to learn that there is no legal age requirement to leave your child unattended at home. However, child protection experts say that ‘it is an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk.’ Therefore, it is crucially important to evaluate your child’s readiness.

You know your child better than anyone, so take into consideration their maturity level and problem-solving skills, as well as their feelings about being on their own.

You could try a short practice run, while you are nearby, to see how it goes.

Do you have any pets? Children often feel safer with a pet around — even a small one, like a rabbit can make them feel like they have a companion. So you could encourage your child to spend time with your family pet while they are home alone.

Is it safe?

Make sure that your child is capable of safely preparing food and drink on their own. Can your child confidently operate the kettle, cooker or microwave without adult supervision? If you are worried, then you could prepare their meals or snacks in advance.

It’s also a good idea to talk about what they’re going to do while you’re out. For example, if your child has access to the internet or social media channels, it is important to explain cyber safety and ensure that they do not mention to anyone online that they are going to be home alone.

What if there’s an emergency?

Make sure your child knows what to do in case of an emergency. Discuss potential situations, such as a power cut, a fire or a stranger at the door and explain what they should do in each scenario.

Let your child know what time you’ll be back and who to call in an emergency. Leave all your contact numbers and also give them family and neighbours phone numbers in case they can’t reach you. It is a good idea to call your child every so often to see how they are doing, or you could ask a friend or neighbour to pop round and check on them for you.

Deciding to leave your child home alone for the first time is a big decision to make as a parent. However this milestone can also be used to teach your child a lot about independence and responsibility.