Can I leave my young child alone at home while I go shopping?
In short
It depends. The law sets no fixed age; what matters is the child's age and maturity. Knowingly leaving a child who needs supervision alone, or without care, can be a crime.
Video transcript
You are going to the shop. Your young child is asleep at home. It depends: The law has no fixed age. Leaving a child who needs supervision alone can be a crime. The right way: Take the child with you or ask a neighbour or relative for help. Outcome: Leaving a child without care: 200 € – 20.000 €; If seen as abandonment: 6 months – 3 years prison; Also: Child services may step in.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- The law sets no specific age for leaving a child alone at home; the child's age, maturity and how long they are alone are taken into account.
- Knowingly leaving a young child alone when they need supervision can be the crime of 'abandoning a person' (art. 328, level 2). If the child is seriously injured, it is level 3; if the child dies, it is level 4. Leaving someone you are responsible for caring for in a state of need is also a crime (art. 332, level 1).
- Knowingly depriving a child of food or care is level 2 if it puts the child's health or development in danger (art. 333). Doing this through serious carelessness is also a crime: level 1 (art. 336).
- If you are unsure, ask a neighbour, a relative or a childcare service for help; Kind en Gezin / Opgroeien (Flanders) and ONE (Wallonia, Brussels) can give you information.
- If you are worried that a child is being neglected or abused, call: in Flanders 1712 (free, working days 9.00–18.00), in Wallonia and Brussels 103 (free, every day 10.00–24.00). For a missing child, Child Focus: 116 000. In an emergency, 112 or 101.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- Art. 332 is level 1: no prison. The law provides for a fine of 200 € – 20.000 €; with surcharge multipliers, the amount you pay can be higher. Or 20–120 hours of community service or 6–12 months of probation. Art. 328, which fits leaving a child alone more closely, is level 2.
Legal basis:Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek II, art. 328Kamer DOC 55 3374/010, art. 36
- Court / prison
- For abandonment or deprivation of care (arts. 328 and 333), level 2: 6 months – 3 years in prison or electronic monitoring; 120–300 hours of community service or probation are also possible
Legal basis:Kamer DOC 55 3374/010, art. 36
What does this level mean? Criminal Code, level 2: 6 months – 3 years in prison or an alternative sentence. All penalty levels →
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- It may appear on your criminal record extract (uittreksel uit het strafregister / extrait de casier judiciaire); this can cause problems when you apply for jobs
Legal basis:Sv. art. 590, 595
- Child protection services may get involved with the family
Legal basis:Decreet integrale jeugdhulp 12.7.2013, art. 2 §1, 54° en art. 42 §1
- For serious or repeated offences, your residence permit can be withdrawn or not renewed; a citizenship application can be blocked
Legal basis:Vreemdelingenwet 15.12.1980, art. 21 + WBN 28.6.1984, art. 15 §3
What do these terms mean?
- Criminal record
- The state register of convictions handed down by a court. The extract asked for a job, residence or nationality application comes from it. Municipal GAS fines are not entered in it.
Why does this rule exist?
A young child cannot foresee danger; many accidents and fires happen to children left alone at home. The rule protects the child's safety.
Where can you go?
- Violence helplineFlanders 1712 (weekdays 09–18) · Wallonia and Brussels 0800 30 030 (partner violence), 103 (child abuse) · Emergency 112
- Child and family servicesFlanders: Kind en Gezin / Opgroeien · Wallonia and Brussels: ONE
- School guidance centreThe school's CLB / centre PMS
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 12 / 12 statements in an official source
- Checked: 22.10.2026
- Last checked
- 22.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 12 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Yasada evde yalnız bırakma için sabit yaş yok
Belgisch Staatsblad 08.04.2024 (Wet 29.02.2024, Strafwetboek boek II), art. 328 (Verlating van personen) - Corrected according to the source
Gözetime ihtiyacı olan çocuğu bilerek yalnız bırakmak md. 328 seviye 2 (ağır yaralanmada 3, ölümde 4); muhtaç bırakma md. 332 seviye 1
Strafwetboek Boek II (Justel, geconsolideerd, in werking 01-09-2026), art. 328 en 332 - Found in an official source
Terk etme (md. 328) ve bakımdan yoksun bırakma (md. 333) seviye 2
Strafwetboek Boek II (Justel, geconsolideerd, in werking 01-09-2026), art. 328 en 333 - Found in an official source
Kind en Gezin / Opgroeien (Flandre) ve ONE bilgi verir
Kind en Gezin (Opgroeien) – ana sayfa; ONE – https://www.one.be/public/ - Corrected according to the source
Kartın ana seviyesi 2 (terk etme, md. 328)
Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek II, art. 328 - Corrected according to the source
Md. 332 seviye 1: 200–20.000 € para cezası, 20–120 saat çalışma veya 6–12 ay denetimli serbestlik
Kamer DOC 55 3374/010, art. 36 - Found in an official source
Seviye 2: 6 ay–3 yıl hapis veya elektronik izleme; 120–300 saat çalışma veya denetimli serbestlik
Kamer DOC 55 3374/010, art. 36 - Found in an official source
Mahkûmiyet Strafregister'e işlenir; uittreksel bu kayıtları gösterir
Sv. art. 590, 595 - Found in an official source
Kamu düzeni nedeniyle oturuma son verilebilir; ağır olgular vatandaşlığa engel
Vreemdelingenwet 15.12.1980, art. 21 + WBN 28.6.1984, art. 15 §3 - Found in an official source
Çocuğun gelişimi tehlikedeyse çocuk koruma hizmetleri (Flandre: VK ve OCJ) aileyle ilgilenir; gerekirse savcılığa yönlendirir
Decreet integrale jeugdhulp 12.7.2013, art. 2 §1, 54° en art. 42 §1 - Found in an official source
Abartı taraması (2026-10-22): Kanunun iki şartı kartta yok: yoksun bırakma kasıtlı olmalı ve çocuğun sağlığını tehlikeye atacak ya da gelişimine zarar verecek kadar ağır olmalı. Bu şartlar düşünce her eksik bakım seviye 2 suç gibi görünüyor. Ayrıca ağır ihmal kasıt olma
Kaynak alıntısıyla karşılaştırma (abartı taraması) - Found in an official source
Abartı taraması (2026-10-22): Son cümle mutlak bir dille yazılmış. Kanun bunu yalnızca belli şartlarla cezalandırıyor: kasıt olmalı, çocuğun ihtiyaç duyduğu gözetim kesilmiş olmalı, ya da sağlık veya gelişim tehlikeye girmiş olmalı.
Kaynak alıntısıyla karşılaştırma (abartı taraması)
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?