How young can kids safely be left on their own?

A new survey conducted by social workers suggests the age of 12 is a safe age for children to be left home alone.

NBC News reports a survey of 485 members of the National Association of Social Workers conducted from October to December 2015, researchers asked several questions regarding what age would constitute child neglect if kids were left on their own home for a few hours.

“Every child is different, of course, and every situation may be different,” said study author Dr. Charles Jennissen , a clinical professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City. “But overall these social workers say that kids really shouldn’t be home alone under the age of at least 12.”

NBC said most states do not have laws or guidelines about when kids can be left home alone.

Almost all of the social workers said leaving six-year-olds home alone was neglect, 83 percent said leaving eight-year-olds home alone was neglect, and 51 percent said leaving 10-year-olds home alone was neglect.

However, 11 percent of social workers surveyed said leaving 12-year-olds home alone was neglect and just 1 percent of respondents said leaving 14-year-olds home alone was neglect.

Although, in another finding social workers were likely to consider child neglect for most ages if a child was injured if there was a state law dictating when kids could legally be left alone.

NBC reports a 14-year-old home alone was neglect if there was no injury and no law, that number jumped to 51 percent if the child was injured and if there was a law. For 12-year-olds the number jumped from 11 percent to 64 percent.

“I certainly agree that 12 years of age and up for the most part, depending on how they are developmental, is probably OK, but they’re also are 12-year-olds who are not able to handle it,” said Haney, who is the division chief of child abuse pediatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. ” So it’s really hard to give a safe age because of all the factors that play into it. We have lots of kids who have learning disabilities or cognitive disabilities or behavioral issues and they maybe 14 and they’re not safe. ”

Reports said parents are advised to talk to their pediatrician about whether a particular child is ready to be home alone and for how long.