State Laws And Let Grow Updates in Florida

Florida Statute Ann. § 827.03 makes it a crime to fail to provide “necessary supervision.” Fla. Statute Ann. § 316 has a specific provision that makes it a crime to leave a child age 6 or younger in a car for more than 15 minutes or if the child is any age and the car is running or the child is in danger. This latter provision is more lenient than some states, hence seen as a positive aspect of the Florida criminal law. (Compare, for example, with Hawaii’s law concerning children in cars).

Florida. Stat. Ann. § V-39.6625 provides that neglect is defined broadly as lack of care (food, shelter, medical care), while Fla. Stat. Ann. § V-39.6225 specifies that leaving a child without adult supervision or arrangement appropriate for the child’s age or mental or physical condition, so that the child is unable to care for the child’s own needs or another’s basic needs or is unable to exercise good judgment in responding to any kind of physical or emotional crisis. By focusing on the child’s capabilities, Florida’s law is better suited to allowing children independence than the law of many states. Significantly, the Florida child welfare policy manual also contains reasonable language recognizing that lack of supervision depends on an assessment of the child’s age, maturity, developmental level or mental or physical condition.

This webpage is not a legal document, and Let Grow does not take responsibility for the content. Be mindful that some localities have rules and guidelines even when the state does not. When in doubt, consult your local authorities to confirm the laws where you live. What’s more, laws change, as do judicial interpretations of them, and this webpage may not be updated immediately.