legal age for leaving children at home

Although there is no legally specified age for leaving children on their own under the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 parents can be prosecuted for wilful neglect if they leave a child unsupervised "in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health."

The NSPCC suggest most children under about 13 are not mature enough to cope with an emergency and should not be left alone for more than a very short time.

www.nspcc.org.uk/HelpAndAdvice/Parentsan...ealone_wda35965.html

hiya tink

can your daughter come to your work place and do her home work in a quiet corner? I work in a bank and one of the ladies did this for about 3.5 years. The young girl used to sit in the banking hall and some days she would be invited to her friends.

I sympathise as i'll be in your situation soon

hope it works out

xx

R there any holiday clubs ran by sports centres or similar as you can claim for those will tax credits. dont know if there are any in scotland but there are down here. i empathise with your decision but please dont leave her on her own until she is 13/14. i would say that if they are old enough to legally babysit then they are old enough to be left alone. what do you do as a job - could you not take her with you. really is a tough one - good luck.

Thanks again to all who have replied - unfortunatly my work would not allow me to take her their - I would not be comfortable leaving my daughter on her own until 13/14 however i just needed some reassurance that other people were of the same opinion.
My daughter attends a afterschool club and they have school holiday cover at the moment - but i loose this when she finishes primary school - i have obtained list of registered childminders but have found most look for children under the school age so have contacted most on the list and they are either full or my daughter will be too old - have no family and friends all work.
I desperatly need to move nearer to my daughters school in the hope that i might get to know some of the kids parents and perhaps we could work something out - Husband unwilling to help (i know i cant force him) yet he is expecting me to find a full time job (i work 27 hours a week just now) look after daughter and elderly (76) disabled mother - so no idea how i would fit in full time job - yet he enjoys being able to organise his working week and business trips and social life with great ease - but nothing i can do but get on with things.
at the moment we are battling things out financialy - getting nowhere but suppose thats to be expeced - i know at the end of the day i will get out of this whatever i get - but i suppose does no harm to put a good case forward - so if i cant find childcare - i dont believe its acceptable to leave her on her own for at least 3-4 years - so either he helps so i can return to full time employement or i stay part time worth a try -

i know at the end of the day i will get out of this whatever i get - but i suppose does no harm to put a good case forward - so if i cant find childcare - i dont believe its acceptable to leave her on her own for at least 3-4 years - so either he helps so i can return to full time employement or i stay part time worth a try -[/quote]


thats want i would do - she is his daughter too so either he helps or you stay working part time. have you spoken to your daughters teacher - she might be able to put the feeler out for parent that might be able to help.

good luck