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The state should amend its laws and rules to safeguard parental choice while still protecting children by intervening only in extreme cases. This case prompted the nation to revisit the idea of parents leaving children home alone, and to think about what punishments are necessary for parents who abandon their young children. While recognizing that many factors may apply, Illinois law lists15 specific factors to be considered when deciding whether a child has been left alone for an unreasonable period. The law doesn’t define “an unreasonable period of time,” leaving it up to the interpretation of government employees, opening up potential to abuse the rule. Most 13-year-olds can responsibly stay home alone and watch over younger siblings for an extended period of time. Parents best know their child’s maturity and abilities, not an officer or case worker from DCFS.
The law essentially targets parents who have no other choice but to have their children stay home alone after school while they are at work. Furthermore, those 15 factors are only considered by a court or government official after the child has been taken into custody away from his or her parent, which can be done without a warrant. Even if the child is released back to his or her parent and the court finds no neglect under the factors, having the government take your child away from you for a period of time and being accused of neglecting your child is traumatic. Having to justify to the government that you have not neglected your child can be humiliating and intrusive. The weight of this law falls disproportionately on single parents and low-income households. Parents who leave their kids home alone after school out of necessity – often living paycheck to paycheck – while juggling irregular work hours can easily become victims of the vague and arbitrary restrictions.
House unanimously passes bill to let Illinois parents leave teens home alone
It could also mean that the child is out of that person’s sight. The Illinois House unanimously passed a bill amending the child abandonment statute. House Bill 4305 instead lets parents determine maturity based on the individual child, not a minimum age.
Present your children with a number of situations and have them act out their responses. Two things that children should not do when no one else is home are answer the door and have friends over. Coobes advises parents to have a short list of trusted people – a grandparent or an older sibling – that the child can let in the home when they are by themselves.
Illinois might allow parents to leave 12-year-olds home alone
Sometimes laws could punish you for abandoning or neglecting your child. But even those laws leave the police and the Department of Children and Family Services a lot of choice in deciding what to do. A few years after the movie debuted, a St. Charles, Illinois, couple, David and Sharon Schoo, made international headlines when they left their daughters, ages 4 and 9, home alone for nine days, while they went on a vacation in Mexico. The Schoos were dubbed the “Home Alone” couple and the “most hated couple in America.” The parents were charged with criminal child abandonment and child endangerment and after an investigation, were later charged with battery for allegedly kicking and choking their children. They pleaded guilty and received two years probation after a plea deal. Their children were immediately taken out of their care, and the couple eventually agreed to relinquish their parental rights.
The measure also clarifies that neglect does not include allowing children to walk or bike to school or nearby businesses and recreational activities, or to play outside on their own. The bill would protect parents who let their older children be at home alone after school before they get home from work, for example, Sosnowski said. The Illinois House overwhelmingly approved a bill Wednesday that would lower the age at which children could be left home without supervision. Communicates Openly - be able to talk easily with you about interests and concerns. Good parent-child communication is needed to ensure that any fears or problems that arise because of staying alone can be quickly discussed and dealt with.
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However, there are some signs that show your child may be ready. Teaching self-reliance or understanding a child’s capabilities shouldn’t be mistaken for negligence. A system that allows a single call from a passerby to embroil parents in a months-long struggle that threatens their family and their good name is one in dire need of reform. If you always put the child's best interest first, you will be making decisions that will benefit your child. Providing your children with this knowledge gives them confidence in their abilities and will help them deal with any emergencies that may arise. When teaching your children, give information gradually rather than all at once.
Marie Coobes, a mother of two who works as team manager at the Illinois Childcare Resource Service, said 12 is an arbitrary age. Just because a child is 12, or 14, or even 16, that does not mean that they will be OK home alone by themselves, she said. Scherer’s amended bill makes sense, letting parents judge whether they have a responsible 10-year-old or an irresponsible 15-year-old.
It is also important to have all safeguards established prior to leaving your child alone in the home, such as access to you and the other parent at all times. Studies have shown that when you are considering leaving your child home alone, to slowly increase the time the child is alone and evaluate all of the circumstances before increasing the time the child is alone in the home. The Courts in Illinois review the circumstances to determine on a case by cases basis what is in the best interest of the child and what is concerned endangerment. Illinois is the only state to outlaw leaving children home alone until they are 14.
In 2018, she let her 8-year-old daughter, Dorothy, walk their dog, Marshmallow, around the block. A neighbor noticed her walking alone and called the police, who saw no grounds for negligence. Lawmakers in Springfield have recognized the need for change, but no concrete reform has succeeded. In 2019, the Illinois House unanimously passed a bill lowering the age restriction to 12 from 14. Wilmette Police determined the negligence accusation was baseless, but that wasn’t enough for DCFS.
Not only should the state only intervene in extreme cases where protection of the child is necessary, but it should provide Illinois parents with guidance so they can be sure they are not violating the law. Relying on factors to be interpreted by a government official provides no guidance to a parent struggling to understand what the law allows her to do. Illinois lawmakers should act to revise the law to make clear what is and what is not considered neglect and to provide assurance to parents that leaving their responsible children home alone after school will not result in the state taking those kids into custody.
Initially presenting it as a temporary arrangement lets children know they can choose not to continue if they are uncomfortable staying alone and allow parents to end the arrangement more easily if they feel the child is unable to handle the situation. A new bill looks to change the minimum age parents can legally leave their children home alone from 14 to 12. This law disproportionally affects single-parent, lower-income households, where paying for child care after school is cost-prohibitive.
Only a handful of other states have a minimum age for leaving children home alone. For example, three states list 12 as the minimum age for leaving children home alone, while three states set the minimum age at 8. At least 30 states have no minimum age for when a child can be left home alone. If you are thinking of leaving your child at home , you need to take into account your child’s maturity and development. The State of Illinois does not define what a reasonable period of time is, as this varies from child to child and may depend on the circumstances of each family. To best protect yourself and your child, you should only leave your child at home alone for a very minimum amount of time.
Patch reported that two days into the couple's trip, a fire alarm went off, causing the kids to go to a neighbor's house, and child welfare agents took the girls into custody. Common sense tells us most 13-year olds are perfectly capable of staying home alone after school while their parent is at work, but in Illinois, common sense isn’t the law. Chicago mother Natasha Felix also experienced in 2013 the overzealous enforcement of Illinois’ child neglect laws. She let her three sons – ages 5, 9 and 11 – run around the playground right outside their apartment window. A passerby called DCFS and Felix was charged for inadequate supervision – even though she was keeping a watchful eye on her children through the window. The highest age for a child to be left alone in other states is 12, and 30 states don’t have any age restrictions on leaving kids at home.
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