a stay-at-home mom shaken when Child and Family Services arrived on her door step for allowing her children to play in the yard unsupervised, is not as likely to happen in Alberta.
According to the National Post, the questioning left the mother in tears and because an investigation took place, a file has been created for the family. The Post stated the children are ages two, five, and 10. The situation was sparked when a neighbour reported the situation.
Parents in Alberta can breathe a bit easier about this incident.
“We always remain open to exploring measures that ensure the safety and wellbeing of Alberta’s children, however the Government of Alberta does not have legislation or a specific policy in place that outlines an age when one or more children can or cannot be left alone,” said Zoë Cooper, assistant director for communications with Alberta Human Services.
Manitoba, New Brunswick and Ontario are the only provinces that have age restrictions for leaving a child unattended, according to the Legal Age for Leaving Children Unsupervised Across Canada report. Ontario has the oldest restriction at 16 years old while Manitoba and New Brunswick both allow children to be left unattended by the age of 12.
The report states while Alberta doesn’t currently have legislation regarding what age children can be left alone at home, courts have weighed in on the discussion.
“Most noteworthy is an Alberta case where a father specifically asked if his 11-year-old son could be left home alone for three hours after school; the court said that children under 12 should not be left unattended by parents during parenting hours,” the report states, referencing that the case took place in 2014.
Cooper went on to state that if a member of the public reported a concern regarding a child being left alone to Child and Family Services, “the situation (would) be assessed and a determination (would) be made whether the child or children are deemed to be in need of intervention services”.
In most circumstances, the RCMP will direct members of the public to contact the services should they be concerned about a child’s lack of supervision.
“Most of the time when we’re involved, it’s a serious situation … we’re more involved with cases with domestic violence,” said Sgt. Randy Pack with the Cochrane RCMP.
Pack explained they refer all child-related complaints to Child and Family Services and will assist if needed to help in difficult situations.
“If it’s an unsafe situation then we go along just to keep the peace,” Pack said.
According to Cooper, if parents and caregivers are unsure if they should be leaving their children unsupervised they should consider an assessment of the situation, the age of the child, the maturity of the child, how long the child will be alone, and whether the child would have access to a responsible adult in case of an emergency.
