Sefton Council is reminding businesses that employ children aged between 13 and 16 years old that they need permits to comply with employment laws. These permits are free of charge from the Local Council that the place of employment resides.
No child aged below 13 is allowed to work in England unless they are taking part in a performance and have a performance licence.
There is a National Awareness Campaign which takes place across the country this April, where councils will be reminding employers that children aged between 13 and 16 years old require Work Permits to enable them to undertake part-time work.
The welfare of children is paramount and if they are taking part in part-time work opportunities, we need to ensure that their needs are being met by employers and that children who do work are doing so safely.
During next month’s Child Employment fortnight, County Council officers will be visiting places of businesses across the borough during the fortnight to make sure that young people in part-time jobs are safe and working legally.
Under byelaws regulating the Employment of Children and Street Trading by persons aged under 18 years old, which was introduced over 50 years ago, teenagers aged between 13 and 16 years old can take part in light work in a number of different areas including: shop work, office work and working in cafes, restaurants, car washing and riding stables.
No child may be employed before 7.00 am or after 7.00 pm on any day. No child may work for more than 4 hours without a break of at least 1 hour and no child can work for more than 2 hours on a Sunday between the hours of 7.00 am and 7.00 pm.
During term time, no child can be employed for more than 12 hours per week and there are also other guidelines for the number of weekends and hours during holiday times that children can work.
For more details on Child Employment fortnight, please visit; https://www.sefton.gov.uk/schools-le...mployment.aspx
http://www.nncee.org.uk/legislation-...ployment-month

I wonder how I ever got to 59. back in the 70's I worked on a farm after school probably doing the work of an adult bloke most nights. Still did homework by the way. Sat and Sunday all day down there, learnt a massive amount of things to set me up in later life, responsibility, time keeping, loyalty, money and yes hard work.

Most of this was between the age of 12 to 16 when I then got a "Proper" job LOL. Never once was I taken advantage of nor thought I was being exploited and I still hold this view 40 odd years later, I got £5 a week by the way.

I understand "authorities " have to tow the legal line but preparing kids for the real world??? This is certainly going to help isn't it !!!

me too I had a paper round in the morning 7 days a week followed by delivering groceries fri sat on a bike in the evenings and collecting eggs at langs in Halsall Road...still alive

Me to, from 13 I had a daily morning paper-round, two afternoon paper-rounds (the freebies) and during the season worked weekends on the fairground, during the week as well in the schools holidays.

Between the ages of eleven and fifteen I had two caddying rounds and two paper rounds.
I didn't get killed or abducted - nor did I suffer any lasting damage. I only got injured when I went to work on a farm at almost sixteen.

The positions offered to young people are by and large in fairly benign surroundings. Why a permit system needs to be in operation for these 'pocket money' jobs is beyond reason.
Young people are far more at risk these days from repetitive strain injury to their thumbs or suffering terminal lethargy.

I am aware of persons who leave University at 21 or 22 who have never done a days work in their life and expect to walk into some high flying high paying job with benefits.
Then they wonder why all those dreams they were told would materialise if they got a degree were up in smoke.

Originally Posted by dexie

I am aware of persons who leave University at 21 or 22 who have never done a days work in their life and expect to walk into some high flying high paying job with benefits.
Then they wonder why all those dreams they were told would materialise if they got a degree were up in smoke.

Yep, they are called Politicians