Before leaving a child or youth home alone, parents and other caregivers must be confident the child or youth has the necessary skills and maturity to handle staying home alone safely. This factsheet offers guidance to help parents and other caregivers make this important decision.

There is no national age minimum for when kids can be left home alone. When is it OK to leave kids home alone? Generally, 12 and older is “a pretty acceptable age,” family therapist Sheryl Ziegler tells TODAY.com, echoing the recommended range from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

When it comes to leaving your kids home alone, here are some tips that can help keep them safe: Make an easily accessible emergency contact information list. Ask a trusted nearby adult, like a neighbor, to be on standby. Prepare your children for different types of emergencies.