Children Should be Supervised at All Times
Children who are in middle school or younger should have direct adult supervision. If this cannot be arranged, parents need to use good judgment in deciding if children should be left alone and for how long.

Child Supervision Guidelines

Supervision
Age 0-9	Should not be left unsupervised
Age 10-12	Should not be left unsupervised for more than 3 hours
Age 13-18	May be left alone for longer than 3 hours
Under 16	Should not be left alone overnight

Babysitting
Age 9-12	May act as "Parent Helper" with adult supervision
Age 13	May baby sit for children over age 4 for no more than 3 hours
Age 14 & over	May baby-sit infants and children

Additional Information
Children and babysitters should have emergency telephone numbers and a telephone number to locate a parent or designated responsible adult. For more information, call 703-771-KIDS (5437).