Contacts to the NSPCC Helpline from adults concerned about a child being left at home alone or unsupervised have risen by 11%.
The service, which provides help and advice for adults with concerns about the wellbeing of a child, handled 7,452 contacts about this issue between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, compared to 6,719 contacts the previous year (2024/25).
More than two-fifths of these contacts (44%) were deemed serious enough for the Helpline to make a referral to external agencies such as children’s services or the police, for intervention or support. Over a third (35%) of those referrals were made for children aged five and below.
Contacts peaked in the summer holidays
The months with the greatest number of contacts were July and August, with 793 and 871 contacts respectively. These months can be particularly difficult for parents as they are forced to balance the competing pressures of work and childcare.
With schools across the UK breaking up for the summer holidays in the coming weeks, many adults might feel unsure about whether their child is ready to be left unsupervised or have concerns about another child being left alone.
A parent from England*, who contacted the NSPCC Helpline, said: “Every time my children, who are 7 and 10, spend time at their father’s, they come back with very unregulated sleep and meal routines.
“Recently, the youngest told me they were left alone at night while their dad went for a run, which made them feel very scared about being locked in. I’ll need to address this with him, as it was not the first time he has done this, but I’m afraid he might react badly and accuse me of being overprotective. Thank you for taking this seriously.”
There is no legal age limit for leaving children, but we recommend not leaving a child aged under 12 years old at home alone. Also, if a child has expressed worries about being left without a parent or carer, those should be taken seriously and respected.
