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 Minnesota, there is no specific law that states a minimum age at which children can be left home alone. However, the Minnesota Department of Human Services provides guidelines suggesting that children under the age of 8 should not be left alone, children aged 8-10 should not be left alone for more than three hours, children 11-13 may be left alone but not overnight, and children 14 and older may be left unsupervised but not for an extended period of time. These are not legal requirements but guidelines to help parents and guardians make informed decisions about supervision. The adequacy of supervision is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as the child's age, maturity, abilities, and the environment. Inadequate supervision can be considered neglect, and Child Protective Services may intervene if they believe a child is not being properly supervised. This could potentially lead to the child being removed from the home if the situation is deemed unsafe.