Leaving Children at Home Alone

What the law says

There is no law in Malaysia that states the minimum age that a child can be left alone at home. However, it is an offence to leave a child alone when doing so puts him or her at risk.

How do you decide if you can safely leave a child alone?

There are many important things to consider before you decide to leave a child alone. These include: 

For example, most parents would think it is okay to leave a sixteen-year-old alone for the evening, but to leave them for a week may well be unacceptable to some.

Many young children play outdoors with other children without a parent or carer being present. Most people would agree that outdoor play is an important part of growing up but in reality, as they are unsupervised, they can be considered 'alone'.

You are the best judge of your child's level of maturity and responsibility. 

A few other points to guide you 

If you do leave a child alone, remember:


Choosing a babysitter
 

When deciding to use a babysitter remember to: 

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