Allowing your child to go to and from school alone is a decision that must be thought through. He or she must also not be too young to walk down the street without an escort.
As the start of the school year approaches, or during the year, some parents see their child growing up and wonder if it is time to leave him go to and come back from school alone. Usually, it is at the time of college entrance that the question arises. Sometimes, the request comes from the child himself, who demands a little more autonomy. But faced with the risks of accidents on the road, or bad encounters on the way to school, parents often hesitate to give this freedom to their child.
At what age can a child be allowed to go to school alone?
In most cases, A child is able to go to school alone around the age of 11. At this age, he is “capable of predicting the evolution of situations, of anticipating and ensuring one’s own safety”, specifies the Road Safety association on its website. Make sure, however, that the journey between school and home is well understood, that it is short and safe, and that the child knows the road safety rules (use pedestrian crossings, look at traffic before crossing, do not run on the road, etc.).
Before the age of 7, it is not recommended to leave your child alone in the street to go to school.because he does not yet have the reflexes to ensure his own safety. Of course, he can walk alone without holding his parents’ hand, but this does not mean that he can move around alone all the time.
Moreover, Avoid letting your child cycle to school alone before the age of 12. Indeed, your child must know how to control his bike well, know the traffic rules, and adapt his driving according to the situations. Without forgetting, the safety equipment for cycling (helmet, vest, bell, lighting and signaling, etc.).
What are the risks of letting a child go to school alone when they are too young?
Young children are particularly vulnerable on the roadmostly because of their small size which does not allow them to be as visible as an adult on the road by drivers, but also because Until about 7 years old, a child is not able to see what is happening to the sides. And if he sees a car coming, he is convinced that its driver sees him too!
Little schoolchildren also have difficulty judging distances and the origin of the noises. Indeed, “dIn 40% of cases, the child is mistaken between a noise coming from in front or behind and in 80% between a noise coming from the right or the left.“, specifies Road Safety. In addition, children are often dominated by their emotions (stress, anxiety), and sometimes act impulsively and spontaneously.
What is the purpose of the permission to return home alone from school?
At the beginning of the school year, some schools ask parents to complete a authorization indicating that their child can return home from school alone. A message like this usually appears on the document:
“I, the undersigned, Madam/Mr. _________, legal guardian of the child ___________ enrolled at school ___ in class _____, authorize my child to leave the school by his/her own means at the end of classes.”
Sometimes parents can even choose the day(s) their child is allowed to come home from school unaccompanied.
