A–Z Glossary

Home-alone safety plan

A family plan that sets rules, check-ins, safe locations, emergency responses, and limits for children staying home without an adult.

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Creating home-alone safety rules for children

Creating home-alone safety rules for children

Assess readiness as a set of skills There is no universally safe age at which every child can stay home alone. A more useful approach is to assess specific abilities. The child should generally be able to follow several-step instructions, recognize unsafe situations, use a telephone or approved communication device, and seek help when a […]

Teaching children how to answer the door safely

Teaching children how to answer the door safely

Begin with a simple, non-frightening safety rule Children learn best when safety instructions are explicit, consistent, and easy to remember. A useful family rule is: “Do not open the door unless a trusted adult has said it is safe and is available to take over.” This rule can apply even when the visitor says they […]