Laws in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all say children must not be neglected or abandoned “in a manner likely to cause [them] unnecessary suffering or injury to health”.
Figures obtained by BBC Breakfast suggest more than 500 people were arrested in England and Wales in 2014-15 for leaving children unattended.
The majority of arrests related to children aged 10 or younger, but the ages of children involved ranged from six weeks to 15 years.