Babysitting advice
There is no law which states the minimum age a child can be left unaccompanied, but it is an offence to leave a child alone when doing so puts the child at risk.
Babysitters are not registered with Ofsted and there are no regulations to govern this type of childcare: the council does not hold lists of people who offer babysitting. However, we do hold lists of registered childminders and some childminders may be willing to do some evening or weekend babysitting.
Parents may also wish to find a sitter by asking a friend or a relative with children for a recommendation or by searching the web for babysitting agencies.
If you use a babysitting agency, ask whether they interview and take up references and whether sitters are required to complete a Criminal Records Burea (CRB) check.