Latchkey Kids By: Sharla Windle

What is a latchkey kid?

• A child who returns from school to an empty

home because their parent or parents are away

at work, or a child who is often left at home with

little parental supervision.

Effects:Young kids:•Boredom

•Fear•Loneliness

Early Teens:• Peer Pressure

• Alcohol Abuse

• Drug Abuse

• Sexual

promiscuity

• Smoking

Positive Effects:•Early development of

self-reliance

•Adaptation to difficult

situations

Risk Factors:Students left home alone for more than 6 hours a

day are more likely to suffer from:• Behavioral Problems

• Depression

• Low Self-Esteem

*The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development found that 8th graders who are alone 11 hours a

week are twice as likely to abuse drugs compared to adolescents who are busy after school.

Teacher’s Responsibility:

•Latchkey kids subconsciously think of

teachers as their “Substitute Parent”

•Teachers need to give extra care to this

type of student.

Support Options:•Automatic calling programs such as “Call

Reassurance” call households during the week after children arrive home and require the child to answer the phone and positively acknowledge that he or she is okay.

•Teachers report to counselors if they feel it’s necessary.

Legal Issues:• Kids under the age of 12 years old can

be left home alone in Colorado(age varies in other states).

• Parents can be held accountable by Child Welfare companies or law enforcement if something “inappropriate” happens to child while they are home alone.

Statistics:•1/3 of all school age children in the United States

are home alone, for some part of the week.

•Close to 16 million latchkey children in the U.S.

•51% of latchkey kids are doing poorly in school.

•15% are home alone before school

• 76% are home alone after school

•9% are home alone over night

Work Cited:

•http://www.education.com/reference/articl

e/Ref_Latch_Key_Children

/

•https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latchkey_kid

•http://

www.latchkey-kids.com/latchkey-kids-age-

limits.htm