Extra Curricular Activities
Child employment licence
Information for parents, employers and
schools
What is child employment?
A child is anyone who is not over compulsory school
age. Compulsory school age ceases on the last Friday in June of the
school year in which a child reaches 16 (the school year begins on
1 September and ends on August 31).
Employment means helping with a trade or occupation
which is carried on for profit, even if the child receives no
pay.
Child employment and the law
You are not allowed to employ a child:
- if the child is under 13;
or
- if the child does not have a
work permit.
The law restricts the times when you can employ
children and what kind of work a child is allowed to do.
Parents and employers who break these laws can be
fined up to £1,000.
When can children be employed?
It is against the law to employ a child before 7am,
after 7pm of during school hours. On a school day, a child is
allowed to work a maximum of 2 hours (one hour before school and
one hour after school, or two hours after). You can employ a child
to do some work before school and some after, provided that the
child does not work more than 2 hours in total.
There are restrictions on the number of hours a child
can work in a week. This varies between term time and holiday
time.
A child must be allowed a two week break from any
employment during the school holidays at some point during the
academic year.
How many hours can children
work?
These are the maximum hours that children are allowed
by law to work.
Aged 13-14
During school term
Per week: no more than 12 hours
On Saturday: no more than 5 hours (this must include a
1 hour break)
On Sunday: no more than 2 hours
During holidays
Per week: 25 hours
Per day: no more than 5 hours (including a 1 hour
break after working for 4 hours
On Sunday: no more than 2 hours
Aged 15-16
During school term
Per week: no more than 12 hours
On Saturday: no more than 8 hours (including a 1 hour
break after working for 4 hours)
On Sunday: no more than 2 hours
During school holidays
Per week: no more than 35 hours
Per day: no more than 8 hours (including a 1 hour
break after working more than 4 hours)
On Sunday: no more than 2 hours
What work can children do?
Children aged 13
A child aged 13 may be employed only in light work in
one or more of the following areas:
- delivering newspapers,
journals and other printed materials;
- shop work, including shelf
stacking;
- work in a hairdressing
salon;
- work in an
office;
- work in a café or
restaurant;
- work in riding
stables;
- domestic work in hotels and
other establishments which offer accommodation;
- car washing by hand in a
private residential setting; or
- agricultural or horticultural
work.
Children aged 14 and over
Children aged 14 and over may be employed in light
work which is not specifically prohibited for them by law, provided
the work and the environment in which it takes place are not
harmful to their safety, health or development.
Prohibited employment
The law bars children from some areas of employment,
whatever their age. No child can be employed:
- in a factory, industrial
undertaking or in a company registered under the factory
act;
- in a commercial kitchen,
preparing and cooking food;
- delivering milk;
- selling and delivering
alcohol, except in sealed containers;
- in a cinema, disco, night
club or theatre;
- doing any work which is 3
metres above the ground or higher, inside or out;
- in telephone
sales;
- in a slaughter house or
butcher’s shop;
- collecting and sorting
refuse;
- in work involving machinery
that may be considered to be dangerous;
- in a fairground or amusement
arcade;
- in the personal care of
residents of a care home or nursing home, unless under the strict
supervision of an adult;
- in work which involves
exposure to adult material;
- in street trading or selling
from door to door; or
- with dangerous substances,
including petrol and oil.
Children working in
entertainment
There are separate regulations for children employed
in entertainment (e.g. working in TV, theatres, films, paid sport
or modelling).
For more information on this, please contact the
Education Welfare Service.
Children over 16
National Insurance Cards (new window) are
issued to all children prior to their 16 birthday. However, because
they are of compulsory school age, they still need a work permit
and the same regulations apply as to other children.
How to apply for a work permit
To be employed in any kind of work, a child must have
a work permit. Whenever a child starts new employment, the child’s
parent or carer and the prospective employer are both responsible
for making sure that an application form is completed. You can
obtain the form from the employer, the child’s school or from the
Education Welfare Service.
If you are an employer, you must make an application
for a work permit within one week of employing a young person. You
should send the form to the Education Welfare System. They will
check that the type of work and the hours to be worked are suitable
and comply with the employment regulations. They will then issue a
work permit.
The work permit is personal to the particular child
and the particular job that the child is doing. If there is a
change to the job, you will then need to apply for a new
permit.
The child should carry the permit card on their person
whenever they are working. They may be asked at any time to show
the card to either a police officer or a representative of the
Local Authority (The Borough Council).
Children of the compulsory school age can only be
employed in Bedfordshire if Bedford Borough Council issues them
with a work permit. If a child is employed at a work placement
which is not in Bedfordshire, the parent/carer or prospective
employer must obtain an application form from the Local Authority
where the child will be working.
Additional information
Employers are expected to carry out risk assessment
for each child before they employ them. They must inform the parent
of any risks (The Heath and Safety [Young Persons] Regulations
1997).
Employers must keep a register of all school aged
children working for them.
The Education Welfare Service has the authority to revoke a work
permit if the child is found to be working illegally or the child’s
education is being impaired.
The law and child employment
The law relating to the employment of children and
young persons is The Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (amended
1998). Under this Act, if a child is employed illegally then both
the parent and the employer may be fined up to £1,000.
Bedford Borough Council Byelaws 1998 also relates to
child employment.
For more information
If you require more information, please contact:
The Education Welfare Service
Borough Hall
Caudwell Street
Bedford
Bedfordshire
MK42 9AP
Tel: (01234) 228178 or (01234)
276696
Related documents
Work permit application form (PDF - 51 KB)
Related links
Child performance