At what age is it OK to leave your child at home in SC? What state law says

Parenting is hard, and it often comes with difficult decisions, such as whether you should leave your child alone at home while you take care of grown-up business.

It’s especially challenging during the summer, when school is out and there are fewer options to supervise children constantly.

Obviously, you should never leave a toddler unattended, but at what age is it okay to trust your child to not do anything crazy at the house while unattended in South Carolina?

Here’s what you should know:

Acceptable age to leave a child unattended in SC

Hiring a babysitter to enjoy a night out without children might be nice to have, but it isn’t technically legally necessary in SC. The state doesn’t have a law that explicitly says when a child is too young to be left alone without adult supervision.

However, common sense is all it takes to know if your child is ready to take care for themselves, even if it’s just for a little bit of time. There are also tips from experts who have provided guidelines on the issue at hand.

According to Dr. Deborah Greenhouse, a pediatrician from Prisma Health, a child younger than 9 years old should not be left home alone, even for a short period of time.

Additionally, a 10-year-old child who is responsible may be left for 30 minutes, but no longer than one hour. During this time, the child should be able to keep in contact with a parent.

“The decision to leave your child at home alone, even for a brief period, should be based on common sense,” Greenhouse said. “You need to establish a very well-defined set of ground rules.”

How to know when a kid is ready to stay at home alone

Children mature at different ages, and sometimes, it takes a kid a little while longer than others to be responsible enough to take care of themselves. A child who is 10 to 12 years old is usually old enough to be left alone, but if you’re not sure, consider the following characteristics provided by Safe Sitter:

• They are confident: They are comfortable staying at the house alone for short periods of time. They do not feel the need to join you when you take the dog for a short walk or go to a neighbor’s house for a visit
• They are prepared: The child knows how to answer the phone, who to call for help, and what to do in an emergency. They know what to do in a power outage or during severe weather and are not intimidated by those situations
• They are independent: They can prepare simple snacks and meals for themselves. They can make decisions for themselves without your care and direction

Preparing a child to stay home alone

If you’re sure your kid is responsible enough to spend a couple of hours alone at your house, teach them these tips, provided by Prisma Health:

• Don’t let anyone in the house when a parent is not there
• Keep the doors locked and don’t leave the house
• Don’t tell a caller that you are home alone
• Do not use the stove or microwave when at the home alone
• In a house with a pool, stay away from it unless an adult is present

Consequences for risking your child’s safety

While no SC law says a child has to be a certain age for them to be left alone, that doesn’t mean you can abandon a child for long stretches of time and not face consequences.

According to Bannister, Wyatt & Stalvey, Attorneys at Law, a parent responsible for a child who is inappropriately left unattended may face child neglect charges under S.C. Code §63-5-70. Anyone who has custody of a child can face a 10-year felony offense if they place the child at “unreasonable risk of harm affecting the child’s life, physical or mental health, or safety.”

A child can be removed by law enforcement if the child isn’t safe at home or faces abuse and neglect. If you believe you know a child is being harmed or is left in an unsafe environment, report the suspected abuse to the SC Department of Social Services here.

Reporting your concerns is not making an accusation; rather, it is a request for an investigation and assessment to determine if help is needed, according to Children’s Trust of SC.