Perth stepmother who left children home alone while she went to Bali says their passports were lost in the mail.

A woman has blamed a bungle by Australia Post for her decision to leave her two young step-children home alone while she went overseas.

Police arrived at the woman’s Cloverdale home last week to discover the front door unlocked and four- and six-year-old alone inside, reportedly “distressed and crying”.

The children, who had been left to fend for themselves for two days, were removed from the property and are currently in the care of authorities.

Speaking to the media, the unidentified 28-year-old claimed she didn’t have the correct paperwork to take the children with her to Bali, where she was reportedly renewing her visa.

“If you are really concerned about my children, can you please help me sort out this post office and locate passports,” she said via an interpreter, “because without passports my children will not be legal here.”

She said her decision to leave them alone at the property ought to be “between me and my children.”

According to The West Australian, the children's father was also reportedly overseas at the time.

The woman was unable to comment on when he would return.

She was arrested on two child neglect charges and will appear in Perth Magistrate's Court on April 22.