The Euros and Wimbledon are done and the Olympics are just around the corner, but for many children, summer will truly arrive with the school holidays.

While young people across the South West look forward to a long and hopefully sunny summer break, parents and carers might be finding themselves worried about childcare.

The NSPCC’s Helpline, which offers expert advice to adults worried about children, handled more than 7,800 contacts last year from people concerned about a child being left home alone or unsupervised.

That’s an increase of 65 per cent on the previous year.

More than half of those contacts (51 per cent) were serious enough to warrant referrals by the Helpline to local agencies with a view to further action being taken to ensure children were safe. A total of 475 referrals were made in the South West.

There is no legal minimum age for leaving children home alone, but the NSPCC would not recommend leaving any child under the age of 12 at home unsupervised, especially for extended periods of time.

A child who expresses concern about being left alone should never be without a parent or carer and for those young people who do feel comfortable, it is vital they are left with contact numbers for a parent, carer or trusted adult.

Every child is different, and the first time being left alone will differ for every family.

That’s why it’s important to have open and honest conversations with children about how they might feel being given the responsibility of staying home alone for a period of time.

If they’re not comfortable, then further considerations need to be made.

For any parent who needs advice about a child or who is concerned about a child, the NSPCC Helpline is available by phone on 0808 8005000 or via email on help@nspcc.org.uk.

There are pages of advice on the NSPCC website, which has guidance and a quiz to help determine whether a child is ready to be left alone.

Our Childline counsellors are available for young people around the clock on 0800 1111 and online at www.childline.org.uk.