Pennsylvania, the state that by law requires people to buy wine and cheese at two separate cases at the same grocery store, doesn`t care if you leave your young children home alone while you go shopping. June 2007: Five children under the age of 8 die in a house fire in Pittsburgh after being left home alone. There are consequences if you leave a child alone illegally. Each state applies the same specific penalties for these parents, but they can also modify some of them to comply with state rules. If there is a suspicion that a child is being illegally left alone at home, the Child Protection Service (CPS) will launch an investigation to determine the child`s safety in the household. If the investigation reveals that only the child was in danger, he or she will be taken into the care of the State. The parent can also be prosecuted for endangerment or abandonment of a child, especially if the child is injured alone at home. A few years ago, I decided to become a single parent. Imagine my shock when one day I learned that my 6- and 8-year-old boys were constantly left alone when they were not in my care. “Only three states currently have minimum age laws to leave a child home alone,” the website says. “Illinois law requires children to be 14 years old before they are left alone.

In Maryland, the minimum age is 8, while in Oregon, children must be 10 years old before being left home alone. “A childcare worker visits me at home: `Okay. Unfortunately, even if we disagree, we do not have the power to do anything until the harm is done to the child or children. Not being able to afford daycare is one thing. But taking unnecessary risks for a child`s safety is another. This is where Pennsylvania drops its youngest citizens. The child`s degree of maturity is also taken into account when he is alone at home. The following aspects can be used to analyze a child`s maturity: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania doesn`t seem to care about children.

During this investigation, and a second six months later, I was confronted with the absurdity: there is no minimum age for children to be left alone in this state. “It`s frustrating when kids get hurt,” said Mary Ann Zimmerman of Centre County CYS. “We are doing everything we can to help parents prevent this. We also understand that parents become anxious when we arrive at their door and are slow to believe that we are trying to help them. However, if parents are faced with this decision when they call for help, we can connect them with services that do not require our intervention once the referral is made. This could prevent children from getting hurt. While the PA leaves these decisions to parents, the consequences of a young child left alone for long periods of time can be severe. Depending on the case, parents may be accused of negligence. These charges may even be criminal offences or result in children being removed from the home. Parents know their children better, but a little common sense should be used. Because when the “wet bandits” arrive, you don`t want to rely on your child`s ability to hit him in the head with paint cans. Teaching your child how to call 911 and a neighbor in an emergency is probably safer.

According to PA Family Lawyers, although there is no minimum age, the parent could be charged with negligence if something were to happen to a child while left alone. In general, children must live with their parents or guardians until they can function independently in society. Therefore, they should always be under the supervision of their parents or guardians, especially at home. However, when is the ideal time to leave a child alone at home? Heads of state across the country have been debating this issue for years, and many still do not have a solid basis on which to base this decision. For now, here are the laws that aim to leave children alone at home across the country. Why do I feel this way? Well, for a number of reasons. But for the purposes of this column, it`s because there`s no minimum age limit in Pennsylvania to leave kids home alone. So if you`re a parent, it`s your responsibility to decide if your child is mature enough to be home alone. If you think he or she would be fine at the age of 8 and wouldn`t put himself or herself in danger, then the choice is yours.

Streetworks, a program run by the County Youth Service Bureau, offers activities in five Central County boroughs to teach kids how to stay safe. The office`s Family Group Decision Making program helps families develop plans to ensure children are in care. August 2017: A 6-year-old boy from Pittsburgh was shot and killed by his 10-year-old brother after being left home alone. According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, a unit of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there is no clear national recommendation for parents that the youth is too young to leave one or more children alone at home. Most responsible parents don`t leave young children home alone for hours. However, some parents are not responsible. That is why there are agencies such as the Central County Office of Children and Youth Services.