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 Ohio, there is no specific law that states a minimum age at which children can be left home alone. However, Ohio law does require that children be supervised in a manner that is appropriate to their age, maturity, abilities, and surroundings. The Ohio Revised Code (ORC) considers inadequate supervision as a form of child neglect. When determining the adequacy of supervision, factors such as the child's age, maturity, capabilities, home and neighborhood safety, potential emergencies, and whether the child has any disabilities should be considered. Additionally, the number of children left unsupervised, their knowledge of the caregiver's whereabouts, their ability to contact the caregiver or another responsible adult, and the duration and frequency of being left alone are important considerations. Child Protective Services (CPS) in Ohio may investigate situations where neglectful supervision is suspected, and if necessary, take action to ensure the child's safety, which could include removing the child from the parent's custody.