Your child's safety is our first priority. North Shore, Rodney & West Auckland Police posted this advice recently on their facebook page.

Parents grapple with many concerns when it comes to the safety of their children. One worrying question they face is how old kids should be before they walk school on their own and who makes the call.

From a legal perspective children walking to school is governed by the same legislation as leaving a child alone at home.

Every person is liable to a fine not exceeding $2,000 who, being a parent or guardian or a person for the time being having the care of a child under the age of 14 years, leaves that child, without making reasonable provision for the supervision and care of the child, for a time that is unreasonable or under conditions that are unreasonable having regard to all the circumstances .

However the application of this law would typically be in extreme or unique circumstances, and by and large where the age/capability of the child did not match with the difficulty or duration of the walk. For example, an eight-year-old walking two blocks to school without having to navigate any difficult traffic situations could generally be considered reasonable circumstances; a five-year-old walking an hour to school on a country road with no footpath could potentially be considered unreasonable.

Police recognise that from a parent's perspective, there is no magic age for when kids can walk or bike to school unaccompanied. It all comes down to cognitive skills, reasoning and the ability to follow directions. Police would ask that parents ensure they make the best decision for their individual child's safety and well being, and ensure appropriate measures are in place relevant to the child's maturity level.

Taken From: North Shore, Rodney & West Auckland police 

At Sherwood, we have walking school buses. Please contact the office for more information.