Age of a child

How old must a child be before they can be trusted to walk home from school on their own?  To be at home on their own?  To ride public transport on their own?  What do you think?

In NSW, Australia, "there is no actual law in Australia that states what age a child can be left alone".  The law only states that parents need to be responsible for the child's well-being; that the child's basic necessities are cared for, and that the child is in a safe environment.  Pools need to be fenced.  There is a law against leaving children in the car, especially outdoors on a hot day.  Babies and toddlers should never be left on their own.

Community services may intervene if they see that the child is not adequately cared for.  If there is no element of care or supervision, or if the child is left in a dangerous situation.

The Community Services' guideline states that a home must be safe, and ground rules must be set, and the child trustworthy enough and responsible enough to be left on their own.  The child needs to know who to call in the case of an emergency, and how long to expect their parents or guardians to be away from.  They need to know who not to answer the door to, and what to say if the phone rings.

Rules need to be clear, and children need to know to respect and obey those rules.  A lot is left to the judgement and common sense of the parents, though.

What is it like in your community?  Are there laws that dictate the age of the children more precisely?

Apparently, parents who understand these guidelines have differing ideas about what age is appropriate for trusting their children this way.

Emily Dunn noted that:

• Some older children act immaturely, while other younger children act maturely;
• Some primary school children are fine to walk home on their own, but it depends on where they live and what kind of children they are;
• Children under 5 should not be left unsupervised altogether;
• Children younger than their mid-teens should not be left alone at night.

From the comments given to Ken Arlington and Andrew Stevenson's article, it seems that:

•  Some parents reckon that 12 or 14 is the earliest age for leaving their children on their own, while others think that 8 or 10 is fine;
• Much of it depends on the parents' circumstances (single mums, two working parents, etc.) and the environment (country town vs. city culture). 

I think it also depends on where the parents come from, and how long they have lived in that environment.  Eg. new migrants would probably feel less safe about leaving their children on their own while they themselves have not gotten their bearings; especially if they come from countries that seem less "safe".

Do you have any thoughts on this issue?  What do you think the minimum age of a child should be before they are given the responsibility of handling themselves independently?  What age is too old - ie. at what age would a person feel embarrassed if they have not been given such trust yet?  What do you think?