Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS)

Georgia's guidelines for leaving a child without adult supervision include:

• Children under 8 years old should never be left alone.
• Children between 9 and 12 can be left for brief periods of time (no more than two hours), such as children who arrive home from school before their parents get home and have a specific plan in place. These children cannot serve the role of babysitters to younger siblings, other young family members or friends. Nor can these students get off the school bus with younger siblings if an adult is not present at the bus stop.
• Children 13 and older can be left as babysitters. However, it is not recommended that 13-year-olds babysit infants, small children, or children requiring special attention due to medical concerns.
• Children 15 and older can be left home alone overnight depending on the maturity level of the child.

If these guidelines are not followed, parents/guardians may be referred to Georgia Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS).