REFERRALS about children being left home alone in the East of England have doubled, sparking a warning from the NSPCC ahead of the summer holidays.

Last year, the NSPCC’s Helpline handed out 597 referrals to services or agencies in the region due to concerns about children being unsupervised, compared to 302 referrals made in 2022.

More than half of these referrals (51 per cent) were rated serious enough by the NSPCC Helpline to warrant involvement from local authorities with a view to further action.

The increase in reports to the helpline wasn’t just in the East of England as across the UK there were 7,802 calls made in 2023 compared to 4,717 contacts recorded in 2022.

Read more >>> What age can a child stay home alone? Here's what the NSPCC has to say

One anonymous adult contacted the NSPCC, worried about their neighbour’s children, adding: “It’s two little girls I’m worried about, they must be about four and six; they’re left home alone quite a lot and that means they’re unsupervised with the family’s dogs.

“I’ve knocked a few times to see if they’re okay and they always say, ‘Daddy will be back soon’ but it’s usually hours later when one of the parents comes back.”

According to the charity, the increase may be attributed to various factors, including the NSPCC Helpline’s recent marketing campaign or its increased service capacity.

Kam Thandi, head of the NSPCC’s Helpline, said: “It can be hard for parents and carers to know the right age to leave their child home alone as every child is different, and the first time being left unsupervised will differ for every family.

“It is vital that both the child and adult feel comfortable with any decision that is taken, and that if a young person is to be left home alone they know how to contact a trusted adult and what to do in an emergency.”

As schools break up this week, the charity expects there to be more challenges for parents who have to juggle between work and childcare.

Adults with concerns about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000, emailing help@nspcc.org.uk or by completing their report abuse online form at nspcc.org.uk.