About child employment
There are regulations in force to protect children while in part-time employment.
If you wish to employ a child (including in a family business) you must apply for an employment permit. This includes paid work by the child, as well as unpaid assistance in a trade or occupation carried on for profit.
Business owners looking to employ 13 to 16 year olds should make sure they know and comply with the law.
Employers are obliged to notify the local authority where the employment is to take place and must apply for a work permit. Without a permit, an employer is breaking the law and can be prosecuted.
Employers should read the important information about the types of work and hours children are allowed to do, and how to apply for a child employment permit.
The official school leaving date in England and Wales is the last Friday in June of the school year in which a child turns 16, usually at the end of Year 11. This means the rules for child employment continue to apply until that date, not their 16th birthday, or when they receive their National Insurance number.