Maine’s Legal Age for Leaving Kids Home Alone This Summer

With summer in full swing here in Maine and school out of session, we’re answering the question: are there any laws about this kind of thing?

Listen, this is a real question that parents and caregivers ask themselves every single summer. With school out, it’s important to ask if this is the year your kids are truly ready to stay home alone while you’re at work—and to make sure the right resources and safety plans are in place.

So, are there actually any laws in Maine regarding the legal age for leaving your kids home alone?

In Maine, there is no legal minimum age at which a child can be left home alone, so caregivers must carefully evaluate a child’s maturity, judgment, and emergency readiness rather than relying on a specific number.

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According to News Center Maine, social workers surveyed in the state generally consider age 12 to be an appropriate threshold.

This assumes the child is physically unharmed and capable of responding to emergencies, according to the report.

Additionally, while Maine laws don’t specify an age, leaving a younger child home alone for extended periods could be viewed as neglect.

That’s why it’s essential to confirm that a child can handle situations like a fire, injury, or other urgent events before making that decision.

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And there you have it! While there are no specific laws in Maine that set a legal age for leaving kids home alone, that decision is left to the parents’ discretion.

What are your thoughts on these laws—or in this case, the lack thereof? Do you think there should be more defined guidelines, or are things fine the way they are? We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to join the conversation by messaging us on the app.

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