What is the Legal Age to Babysit ?

[Stephlyke]

Does anyone know whether or not there is a minimum legal age you have to be before you can be left in charge of another child thats not a sibling - and is there a difference between looking after a sibling  and another child ?

[Jenniec]

It is a little known fact that there is no legal age but that the person in charge should be considered competent of looking after both themselves and the children they are caring for in the case of problems.

The generally accepted age for baby sitters though is 14.

If you look here you will see that West Midlands Police give similar advice:

http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/FAQ/faq_babysitters.s html

[Hgrove]

I thought I read somewhere that if the babysitter is under 16, and anything goes wrong with the child, the child's parents could get into trouble (for having allowed someone too young to babysit).

[xxlizziexx]

ok i dnt no an answer to the second bit but the first bit i didnt think that there was an legal age, isnt it when the parents/careers want to leave there child(s) with other people its there own choice, personal opion. hope this helps xx

[White Wolf]

In also belive that the minimum age that one sibbling can lokk after another is 14. At this age young people are considered old enough to cope with an emergency if one was to arise. As for a babysitter I belive it is the same age but I am not certain.

[xBOBx]

isn't it 14?? i've never seen a babysitter younger than that!

[xBOBx]

isn't it 14?? i've never seen a babysitter younger than that!

[mumma]

In the depths of my brain, I find a memory of a similar conversation and I believe that, strangely, there is no minimum age for an elder sibling being left with a younger one, although I may be wrong and may have just dreamt it due to being dragged up the stairs by my hair by my elder sibling!!

[atkrhome]

http://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/Templates/Topic.asp? NodeID=90323

[CHARMAYNE]

there is not a minimum age for baby sitting in the UK i am 11 and i have been reashearching because i love kids and i am responsible so i wanted to see when i couls start i looked at a police websit and it said that its up to the parent of the younger child but if somthing happend to the baby then it wouls be the parents fault so my mum wont let me babysit now evan though she said im exellent wiith kids so when im older i want to be a child carreer