As the school year winds down and the children start to anticipate summer break, parents are thinking about childcare. If your child is not among the 447,723 children in some sort of paid care situation, you may be considering leaving them at home alone.
You may want to brush up on Georgia law before you make a decision about summer childcare. Georgia, has very specific age restrictions about who can be left alone and which kids need adult supervision.
Age requirements
According to the Department of Children and Family Services , (DCFS) children under the age of 9 should never be left alone at any time. However, as children age, the guidelines change and there are factors like ability or maturity that should affect a parent’s decision.
Children between the ages of 9 and 12 can be left alone for brief periods (less than two hours). Children 13 and older can be left alone without any time restrictions and can be left in charge of younger children.
Consequences for violating the age guidelines
Although there are no specific penalties designated for leaving a child alone, if a representative determines conditions are unsafe for the child, no matter their age, it could be considered neglect…