A CHILDREN’S charity made 675 referrals in the last year to local authorities in the West Midlands about children being left home alone or unsupervised.
Between April 2023 and March 2024, the NSPCC saw an increase in reports leading to a 116 per cent increase in the number of referrals made to Councils in the region.
This is compared to 312 referrals during the previous 12 months.
Last year, the Helpline received 7,802 contacts about the subject from adults from across the UK, compared to 4,717 contacts between 2022 to 2023.
The charity says the increase in the number of contacts on this issue to the Helpline and the referrals made could be due to a number of factors, including a recent NSPCC Helpline campaign, increased service capacity and greater public awareness about the risks of leaving children home alone.
More than half of these contacts nationally on children being left home alone were deemed serious enough for the NSPCC Helpline to make a referral to a local agency or service with a view to further action being taken.
The charity said: “For many parents, July and August can be particularly difficult as they are forced to balance the competing pressures of work and childcare.
“These challenges are likely to be even more acute this year as the cost-of-living crisis continues, forcing some parents and carers to work increased hours or take part-time jobs.”
There is no legal age limit for leaving children home alone, but the NSPCC would not recommend leaving any child under the age of 12 at home unsupervised, especially for extended periods of time.
It added a child who expresses concern about being left alone should never be without a parent or carer and for those young people who do feel comfortable, it is vital they are left with contact numbers for a parent, carer or trusted adult.
The NSPCC says long periods of being unsupervised can lead to children feeling afraid or neglected.
Kam Thandi, head of the NSPCC’s Helpline said: “It can be hard for parents and carers to know the right age to leave their child home alone as every child is different, and the first time being left unsupervised will differ for every family.
“It is vital that both the child and adult feel comfortable with any decision that is taken, and that if a young person is to be left home alone they know how to contact a trusted adult and what to do in an emergency.
“For anyone who may need advice or is concerned about a child who might be at risk, our Helpline service can support you and the NSPCC website has a range of tips.”
Should leaving a child alone be the only option for an adult, the NSPCC’s website has tips for parents to help ensure the young person feels safe, as well as a quiz to assess if a child is ready to be left unsupervised.
Adults with concerns about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000, emailing [email protected] or completing the report abuse online form.
Childline is available for young people via the phone on 0800 1111 and online where there is a one-to-one chat on the Childline website.
