Portuguese law says that you can't leave young children unattended.
Copied a post from elsewhere.
[copied]
Some of the scenarios given here about about when or where we leave our children are just daft. Leaving your child in another room whilst the family sleep or in some other part of the house/garden while you do something else is very, very different to leaving them entirely alone whilst you go out to dinner in a different building, out of eye/ear shot and for half an hour at a time. In addition, these weren't young children or teenagers who may have been able to fend for themselves should something go wrong, they were near enough babies. If we're saying it's okay to leave children in circumstances similiar to this story then the world really has gone mad![/copied]
Quote:
CHILD rights lawyer Professor Carolyn Hamilton says the McCanns leaving their kids and checking on them every half-hour was legally acceptable.
She said: "It is not desirable but parents have to balance the demands of life and will probably have to consider such issues regularly. Leaving them for a short while, asleep in a locked room with regular checks is acceptable. Leaving them for two hours, or with unlocked doors, is not."
Other common situations parents find themselves in could include leaving under-fives sleeping in an unlocked car for 20 minutes while you shop.
Prof Hamilton says this is not acceptable as the kids might wake up and get out.
In a third scenario, a parent leaves 18-month twins in their cots for an afternoon sleep while they nip out for less than 10 minutes.
Prof Hamilton said: "If they were asleep and couldn't get out of the cots, a parent might reasonably leave them."
A final scenario involves going out leaving children aged 10, eight and six in bed, with the oldest told to ring your mobile if there are problems.
Prof Hamilton said: "This would be a real matter for concern. If the parent could not get back within 15 minutes there is a possibility he or she might be charged with abandonment."
The Times
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