At what age is it legal to leave a child at home without a babysitter? I know that for practical purposes it depends on the child (some kids are responsible at any age while others require supervision all there lives). But I just want to know what the law has to say about average kids. What's the age limit? I'm in Illinois if that makes a difference.

For so important an issue, I strongly recommend that you contact your local Children's Services Department (CPS, DCF, whatever that agency is in your area).
These offices do not exist just to intervene when there is abuse or neglect, they also serve to provide advice and guidance in matters concerning parenting from both a practical and legal perspective.
That said, the age at which a child may be home alone is generally 12 or 14 during the day and 14 or 16 overnight... but please remember that this may be different in your jurisdiction so seek out the official word.

Even if you comply with the law, you could still be found liable if you left a child in the care of some person whom you didn't know well enough to believe was reliable. Or, worse, that you had reason to suspect he/she was not reliable.

The legal requirements vary by country/state. Try phoning Child Welfare Information Gateway at 800-394-3366. If this number serves your area, staff there will refer you to your local child protective services agency to learn about age guidelines in your area.

I don't know if Illinois has a specific age limit. It really comes down to how responsible and mature your child is. I think 12 years old is a good age. Is your child mature enough to not let his friends over? Will your child not leave the house when you are gone? Would your child know what to do if the back room caught on fire? What if the power went out? Would your child know what to do? You also have to decide how long you will be leaving your child alone. Can your child use the stove to cook? What if someone broke into the house when you were gone? Would your child know to call 911? I think leaving your child home alone is a really BIG decision. It really comes down to how confident you are and how mature your child is. Does your child even want to be left alone? (Many children are scared of being alone) If you do decide that your child is mature enough and willing then you need to really discuss the ground rules. Your child needs to be able to contact you by phone at any time. Be sure to leave your child a list of emergency contact numbers. I think it would be good to start leaving your child alone for short periods of time.


Look what I found!

quote:

Preparing Children to Stay Alone (May 2001), by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS), has the following information about the legal age to be left home alone in Illinois:

What is lack of supervision?
Illinois law defines a neglected minor, in part, as "any minor under the age of 14 years whose parent or other person responsible for the minor's welfare leaves the minor without supervision for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the mental or physical health, safety or welfare of that minor."
Juvenile Court Act, 705 ILCS 405/2-3(1)(d)

How long may a child be left alone?
What is appropriate under certain circumstances may be considered child neglect in other circumstances.

While recognizing that many factors may apply, Illinois law lists 15 specific factors to be considered when deciding whether a child has been left alone for an unreasonable period of time.

This information is available on the Web at http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/docs/alone.doc.

I guess the answer is age 14.