Safety Steps to Follow if Kids are Home Alone

Across the country children are back in the classroom. For many of them, a return to school also means being home alone after school until their parents get home from work. The American Red Cross has steps parents and children can take to help make these after-school hours safer and less stressful.

The first thing parents need to decide is if their child is responsible enough to stay home alone. If not, other options include after-school child care, programs at schools and youth clubs or enrolling the child in youth sports programs. Whether a child is going to stay home alone should depend on the child’s maturity and comfort level. A general rule of thumb is that no child less than eight years of age should be left alone for any extended period of time.

If the child is going to go home after school, it’s a good idea to have them call to check in when they get home. For an older child, set ground rules about whether other kids can come over when the parents are absent, whether cooking is an option, and whether they can leave the home. Other steps parents can take include:

• Post an emergency phone list where the children can see it. Include 9-1-1, the parents’ work and cell numbers, numbers for neighbors, and the numbers for anyone else who is nearby and trusted.
• Practice an emergency plan with the child so they know what to do in case of fire, injury or other emergencies. Write the plan down and make sure the child knows where it is.
• Let children know where the flashlights are. Make sure that the batteries are fresh, and that the child knows how to use them.
• Remove or safely store in locked areas dangerous items like guns, knives, hand tools, power tools, razor blades, scissors, ammunition and other objects that can cause injury.
• Make sure potential poisons like detergents, polishes, pesticides, lighter fluid and lamp oils are stored in locked cabinets or out of the reach of children.
• Make sure medicine is kept in a locked storage place or out of the reach of children.
• Install safety covers on all unused electrical outlets.
• Limit any cooking a young child can do. Make sure at least one approved smoke alarm is installed and operating in the kitchen, on each level of the home and in sleeping areas.
• If children have approved access to smart phones or tablets, download the free Red Cross First Aid App so they’ll have instant access to expert advice for everyday emergencies.
• Limit the time the child spends in front of the television or computer. Caution them to not talk about being home alone on public websites. Kids should be cautious about sharing information about their location when using chat rooms or posting on social networks.

SAFETY STEPS FOR CHILDREN

When talking to kids about being at home alone, parents should stress the following[…]

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