Legal Age for BabySitting
Question: "What is or where do I find out "What
is the legal age of a babysitter or the age of a child to be left
unattended in the state of Florida?"
Response: Fourteen (14) is an appropriate age for babysitting.
Be certain to check if your state has specific requirements. Otherwise
here are a few more things to consider when thinking about becoming
a babysitter: babysitters need to be mature, responsible, able
to
react effectively in case of an emergency, and have an awareness
of young children's needs (developmentally). Be sure to discuss
this issue further with your parents.
Contact your local Red Cross
or Child Welfare Agency to find out what specific requirements
apply to your area.
You may want to check out a few more web sites to help in preparing
for babysitting.
In Illinois, the Department of Children and Family
Services indicates that there is no age specified in law for "babysitting"
per se. However, age 14 is when children can be left unattended
for a reasonable amount of time. This means the person left in charge
has to be mature and in good enough physical and mental condition
to be home alone. They need to have good telephone, personal safety,
and good home safety skills. Otherwise, the parents can be held
responsible for leaving their children without adequate supervision
(especially if something goes wrong).
Refer to the following URL for an article published by Extension
on the topic of children staying home alone: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/grandparents/0105a.html
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