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 Pennsylvania, there is no specific law that states a minimum age at which children can be left alone at home. However, the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law considers a child to be anyone under the age of 18, and the law requires that children be provided with adequate supervision. The determination of what constitutes adequate supervision varies and is based on several factors including the child's age, maturity, abilities, and the safety of the environment. Neglectful supervision can occur when a caregiver fails to provide appropriate oversight, which can lead to an investigation by Child Protective Services (CPS). CPS may intervene in situations where they believe a child has been neglected, which can include inadequate supervision. The factors listed, such as the child's ability to respond to emergencies, the presence of disabilities, the number of children unsupervised, and the duration of being left alone, are all considered when evaluating the adequacy of supervision. If neglect is found, CPS has the authority to take action, which could include removing the child from the caregiver's custody.