The kind of supervision children need depends on their age, maturity, abilities, and surroundings. Adequate supervision is essential to keeping kids safe. An adult caregiver is accountable for the child's care, and inadequate supervision can be a type of neglect (neglectful supervision). Here are some of things you should think about when deciding how closely to supervise a child:

• How old, emotionally mature, and capable is your child?

• What is the layout and safety of the home, play area, or other setting?

• What are the hazards and risks in the neighborhood?

• What is your child's ability to respond to illness, fire, weather, or other types of emergencies?

• Does your child have a mental, physical, or medical disability?

• How many children are being left unsupervised?

• Do they know where you are?

• Can they contact you or other responsible adults?

• How long and how often is the child (or children) left alone?

Many states do not have laws that create a minimum age at which children may be left home without the supervision of a teenager or adult. The states that do have a minimum legal age to be home alone usually place it in the 10-14 years range—and many states provide that children age 0-6 may never be left home alone. Child Protective Services may investigate an incident or situation and determine that there was neglectful supervision of a child or children, and in some cases seek to remove the child or children from the custody of the parent or parents.

In Connecticut, there is no specific law that states a minimum age at which children can be left home alone. However, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) provides guidelines suggesting that children under the age of 12 are generally not mature enough to handle being left alone and that children between the ages of 12 and 15 should not be left alone for an extended period. The adequacy of supervision must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as the child's age, maturity, abilities, the safety of the home environment, neighborhood risks, the child's ability to respond to emergencies, and whether the child has any disabilities. Inadequate supervision can be considered a form of neglect, and if Child Protective Services (CPS) deems that a child has been neglectfully supervised, they may investigate and potentially remove the child from the parent's custody. Parents and caregivers should ensure they provide appropriate supervision based on the individual needs and circumstances of their children.