Latchkey Children

“Latchkey” children:

• Are those who must stay at home alone taking care of themselves for some part of the day
• Often feel lonely, bored and scared
• Should have a clear understanding of why they must be left alone and what they may and may not do so that they have a decreased risk of injury and victimization

Promoting Self-Care Skills

• Parents should focus on setting rules and limits, increasing levels of responsibility and communicating basic safety information. Discuss the routines they are to follow — household chores, pets to tend, homework, family policies on visiting friends or having friends visit them and what to do when the phone or doorbell rings.
• Parents are encouraged to teach their children:
  • To memorize their name and address, including city and state
  • To memorize their phone number, including area code
  • To use the phone to make emergency calls when needed
  • To check in with you, a neighbor, or other trusted adult immediately after arriving home
  • To never go into your home if there’s an open door or a broken window
  • How to work your home’s door and window locks and to lock them when they are at home alone
  • How to answer the doorbell and phone when they’re home alone
  • Not to go into anyone else’s home without your permission
  • To avoid walking or playing alone outside
  • That a stranger is someone neither you nor they know well
  • That if they feel they’re being followed, either on foot or by a car, to run to the nearest public place, neighbor or “safe house”
  • To tell you if anyone asks them to keep a secret, offers them gifts or money or asks to take their picture
  • To always tell you if something happened while they were away from you that made them feel uncomfortable in any way