The 1940s originating term 'Latchkey child/kid' refers to a child who is often?
Latchkey kid at a young age. Deborah Belle, author of "The After-School Lives of Children: Alone and with Others While Parents Work" suggests that being left home alone may be a better alternative to staying with baby-sitters or older siblings. The legality of the latchkey children's "alone time" varies with country, state and local area. In the United States, state and local laws typically do not specify any particular age under 18 when a child can be legally left without supervision. However, some states do have specific age restrictions. Parents can be held accountable by child welfare, child protective services organizations, or
Latchkey kid Latchkey kid A latchkey kid, or latchkey child, is a child who returns from school to an empty home, or a child who is often left at home with little parental supervision, because their parent or parents are away at work. The term refers to the latchkey of a door to a house. The key is often strung around the child's neck or left hidden under a mat (or some other object) at the rear door to the property. The term seems to first appear in a CBC radio program called "Discussion Club – Topic: How War Affects Canadian Children"