By Eleska Aubespin
Florida Today

Lukas Delaney didn't know it, but his parents set him up.

Richard and Leigh Hendry told Lukas, 12, that he would be home alone for a couple of hours after school. Then his parents disappeared - around the corner.

"We wanted to see how it would go, so we staked out the house and made sure he wasn't running around all over the place," says Richard Hendry.

"And after a few trial periods, we built up the trust," he says. "But it's a kid-by-kid situation, no question about it."

As kids go back to school, some are facing this rite of passage: staying home alone when school is out.

Nearly 7 million children 5 to 14 regularly were left unsupervised in 1995 while their parents were at work or away for other reasons, according to a 2000 census report. The report also noted children caring for themselves spent an average of six hours a week doing so.

But experts warn that leaving very young children alone can be frightening and dangerous and, in some cases, cause for law enforcement agencies to get involved.

Given that the census numbers are somewhat outdated, the 7 million figure the Census Bureau reports might underestimate the growing number of latchkey kids because more parents are employed and work longer hours than they did a generation ago.

Child-care cost growing

Plus, it's just getting more expensive to put kids in day care and after-school programs, pushing more parents to let more mature children stay home alone for a few hours..

The 2000 census report noted that in 1995, parents paid an average $85 a week for such care, up from $59 in 1985.

Even if there are after-school arrangements, many children still end up at home alone for a few hours, according to a 1999 National Survey of America's Families, conducted by the Urban Institute and Child Trends, a research center dedicated to improving the lives of children and their families.

Among those 6- to 12-year-olds who regularly spent time unsupervised in 1999, two out of five also regularly spent time in other child-care arrangements, Child Trends reported.

Every parent should consider other day-care options before deciding to leave a child unsupervised, says Barbara Moore, head of the Child Care Association of Brevard County, Fla.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be a child-care program, but maybe the child can stay with neighbors, relatives or friends until the parents return home," Moore suggests.

If it's a last resort, children who stay home alone must be mature enough to handle the responsibility, says child psychologist Vicki Panaccione. And parents must be sure to ask whether children feel comfortable with the idea.

"It is important that the child feels safe and comfortable coming home alone," Panaccione says.

Giving a particular age at which a child can be left alone is difficult because maturity levels vary. There are 10-year-olds who are mature enough to handle household emergencies, dial 911 and call parents. Yet, some 15-year-olds aren't mature enough to be left alone.

Age 12 probably minimum

Panaccione says she doesn't like the idea of leaving children younger than 12 at home without supervision because of safety concerns.

"And I certainly wouldn't want a 12-year-old at home alone watching younger siblings," she says.

She also advises against leaving children alone overnight or for long stretches of time.

However, leaving a child at home can be a positive experience for the right family. A child can feel like it's a privilege with a chance to prove maturity.

Experts suggest parents make sure security measures are in place:

Have emergency phone numbers on the refrigerator, program the telephone so children can reach mom and dad by pushing one button, check with neighbors to see whether they can help if needed, and make sure to have regular, constant contact with the children once they arrive home.

Also, set strict rules on what the child can and can't do, such as cooking, inviting friends over or answering the door. And make sure he or she is aware of the restrictions, Panaccione says.