When is the Right Time for Your Child To Stay Home Alone?

Do you remember how old you were when your parents left you home alone?

This question can be quite intimidating to ask an official, but the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Chief Richard Bowers breaks the ice on this taboo topic in his blog post.

Bowers explains how he understands that this subject can be a difficult one, based on the child and their level of maturity.

"Decisions involving child safety go far beyond the law and require careful, realistic evaluation of each individual child's readiness," Bowers writes.

According to the Maryland Child Protective Services Procedures, a few of their definitions for an "unattended child" are as follows:

• A child under eight left alone or in the care of a person who is not reliable or who is under 13.

• A child aged eight through 12 left alone for longer than brief periods without support systems which should include phone numbers of parents, other family members or neighbors, information about personal safety, and what to do in an emergency. Children in this age group may not be left to care for children under the age of eight.

• A child of any age who is handicapped and left alone, if the handicapping condition constitutes a special risk factor which indicates that the child is in jeopardy.

• A child who has been abandoned.

Share your thoughts with Silver Spring Patch below.