As schools break up for the summer holidays, many parents will be juggling the familiar challenge of work, childcare, and everything in between.

For some, especially those without easy access to flexible working or support networks, the pressure can lead to a difficult question 'is it safe to leave my child home alone?'

It’s a question we hear often at the NSPCC - and one we expect to hear even more in the weeks ahead.

Last year, our helpline received 6,719 contacts from adults who were concerned about children being left home alone or unsupervised.

During the months of July and August, there were also notable increases in these calls.

Some of these calls were from worried neighbours or family members.

Others were from parents and carers themselves, unsure whether their child was ready to be left on their own and for how long.

One parent told us they........

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