The laws governing child employment exists to ensure that children do so safely and free from exploitation. If you are employing or thinking of employing any 13–16 year olds, or you are the parent or carer of a school age child who wants to work part-time, you must be aware that:
- all young people of compulsory school age who work part-time must be registered with the local education authority and have a work permit;
- all young people who work or assist in a trade or occupation which is carried out for profit purposes are considered to be employed even if they receive no payment for that assistance;
- the young person must carry their work permit with them when working;
- the employer is responsible for the health and safety of the child while at work;
- there are limits to the times and days that children can work;
- and there are limits to the types of employment that children are allowed to do.
If you are an employer who employs young people of compulsory school age, you must ensure they have a work permit.
Also, you must complete a risk assessment for their work. It is your responsibility to ensure you are employing young people legally - failure to do so may result in legal proceedings.
The following pdf documents provide information about child employment.
Child Employment Guidance (pdf 434kb)
Employment of Children Risk Assessment Help (pdf 12kb)