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A mother has been given an official police caution for leaving her 14-year-old son in charge of his three-year-old brother. Read the story from the BBC Should a teenager be left to babysit a toddler?
What do you think about this? What age would you be happy for your child to left without parental supervision?
If you have a toddler, how young a person would you be happy for them to be left with?
I started babysitting when I was 14, and three four families. The youngest child was 18 months old. The parents knew me, trusted me and my parents trusted me to be able to cope. Once I did phone my Mum when the toddler threw up though! We did have to bath him though...
It depends on the teenager doing the babysitting, and the child/ren they're babysitting...
My daughter will help out with the neighbours opposite, but she can text me or even yell out the window if she needed me.
Tired mum published this link as well so we have had some discussion about it...I think the upshot was that this makes it even more difficult for lone parents to return to work
When I first came to live here, the neighbour's daughter who was then 13, babysat for me quite regularly. She was very mature and trustworthy, had a sister the same age as my son and I was very confident everything was Ok and safe. My oldest has also looked after my youngest sometimes, say if he was poorly and I had to nip out and get medicine or food.
It does depend on the maturity of the teenager though 
I agree with the comment, some 14yrs are simply more mature than others and it is the parents which should be the judge of that...Im thinking left 30 mins to look after his 3yr old brother shouldnt be that difficult for him? I dont know, Im just saying.
I think a bit of common sense is needed here. I have only one child a 15yr old and I know that he is responsible, and can be trusted. He has a 9 month old step brother, (his dad's child) and I know that he helps out with him when he is there, not left on his own though admittedly.
Society needs to get some common sense, why were the police involved anyway?