Indiana Kids Can Now Play Outside or Stay Home Alone Briefly Without Their Parents Getting Investigated for Neglect
Indiana State Rep. Jake Teshka
Indiana State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn
Indiana's new Reasonable Childhood Independence law protects parents who allow age-appropriate unsupervised time from neglect investigations.
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, March 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Indiana just became the nation's twelfth state to enact a “Reasonable Childhood Independence” law. The bill passed both houses unanimously and was signed into law on Feb. 24 by Gov. Mike Braun. Previously, Indiana’s neglect law had been so vague and broad that parents were getting investigated simply for letting their kids walk or play outside.
The new law was initiated and authored by Rep. Teshka (Republican), co-authored and co-led by Rep. Garcia Wilburn (Democrat), along with co-authors Rep. Ryan Lauer (Republican District 59) and Rep. Jennifer Meltzer (Republican, District 7). It affirms that parents can allow their children some unsupervised time without fearing neglect or criminal charges unless they are putting their child in serious and obvious danger.
Parents in Indiana can breathe easier knowing that they can let their kids out of their sight without fearing a police or child protective investigation anytime a disapproving neighbor or state authority dreams up a far-fetched peril.
This is great news for parents like Hannah Bright, an Indiana mom who testified in support of the bill. Bright had been investigated for neglect when she and her husband went out to dinner at a nearby restaurant and briefly left four children aged 7-11 home (and able to reach them if necessary) in Columbus, Indiana, literally the “safest small town in America.” [https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/columbus-tops-list-of-safest-small-cities-in-the-us/].
Other Indiana supporters testifying for the bill included Cindy Long of the Indiana Association of School Principals, who said that, “Decades of developmental research consistently show that age-appropriate independence supports students’ emotional regulation, problem-solving skills, and overall well-being.” But because teachers are legally mandated to report anything that might be considered neglect, they sometimes found themselves triggering an unnecessary investigation. The Reasonable Childhood Independence Bill, Long said, would reassure teachers “that independence alone does not constitute neglect.”
The Indiana Public Defender Association, and DeOnye Dior Valentina, a former foster youth testifying on behalf of Strength over Struggle, also urged legislators to support the bill.
And so did Let Grow, the nonprofit promoting childhood independence. It Let Grow worked closely with the bill sponsors after Rep. Teshka reached out to the group in the fall of 2024.
As in the 11 states that preceded Indiana in passing similar bills, Indiana’s was supported by groups across the political spectrum, from parents’ rights and conservative women’s groups, to anti-poverty and racial justice advocates. Let Grow helped coordinate these advocacy efforts after Rep. Teshka enlisted Rep. Wilburn’s assistance across the aisle, based on their common commitment to making life better for kids and parents in the state. Their outstanding leadership in forging the law was highlighted on a national webinar Let Grow sponsored on Jan 27 [https://youtu.be/3pYKiczS6SM].
At the bill hearing on Jan. 12, Garcia-Wilburn shared her own direct experience of being threatened with a child neglect hotline call when she moved to a new home in Indianapolis and let her three children -- 12, 7 and 4 -- play outside unattended, as she had done freely outside her previous home. A neighbor came to her door and said, “It’s unfortunate we’ll have to welcome you to the neighborhood with a call to DCS” – that is, child protective services.
This experience “shook me to the core,” Garcia-Wilburn said. It also turned her into a champion for the Indiana legislation, noting that “more people than we know are burdened with overzealous investigations.” The bill strikes a “really good balance” between freedom and protection of kids and families.
Experts including Let Grow co-founders Jonathan Haidt, Lenore Skenazy, and Peter Gray submitted testimony to the legislature highlighting a proven connection between the lack of independent play for kids and the current child and adolescent mental health crisis. Let Grow’s overall aim is to make it “easy, normal, and legal to give kids back some independence.”
Utah was the first state to pass a Reasonable Childhood Independence law in 2018. Says Let Grow’s legal consultant Diane Redleaf, “There is strong momentum growing across the country that pushes back against the belief that whenever parents allow their children out of their sight, they are endangering them. Now right in the heartland, the message is ringing out that children and families who have some independence are supported by state laws.”
Similar legislative proposals are currently pending in Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
About Let Grow
Founded by Lenore Skenazy, Jonathan Haidt, Peter Gray, and Daniel Shuchman, Let Grow is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting childhood independence. Through free school programs, community initiatives, and advocacy, Let Grow makes it easy, normal, and legal to give kids back the independence they need to grow into capable and confident adults.
Corey Sowards
Let Grow
press@letgrow.org
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