Newcastle Borough Council - Employing Young People

Education & Learning

Employing Young People

This page provides information about the employment of children and young people, which is governed by Staffordshire County Council Byelaws in connection with the employment of children.

What work can young people do?

Work that is not harmful to the child’s safety, health and development
Does not interfere with the normal school day

Children under 13 are not allowed to work.

13 year olds are only allowed to do light work in the following areas:

Agricultural or horticultural businesses
Newspaper delivery
Shop work including shelf stacking
Cafes or Restaurants. (front of house only)
Riding Stables, Kennels and Catteries
Car washing by hand.

Young people aged 14 or over can do light work only.

The rules and regulations do not stop on a young person’s 16^th birthday, they continue up until the last Friday in June in the school year in which he/she attains the age of 16. (Year 11 in school normally).

What work are young people not able to do?

No young person - of any age - can work in the following:

Cinema, Theatre or Disco, Dance Hall or Night Club
Preparation of food in a Commercial Kitchen.
Slaughter House, Butchery or preparing meat for sale.
Fairground, Amusement Arcade or premises with game and gambling machines.

Collect or sort refuse
Work more than 3 metres off the ground
With harmful chemicals.
Work where there is access to adult material unsuitable for children.
Be responsible for the personal needs of residents in care or nursing homes.
Sell or deliver alcohol (except in sealed containers)
Deliver milk or fuel oils
Collect money, sell or canvass door to door or by telephone sales
Factories, industrial undertakings

Hours of work for young people

Young people aged 13 to 14 are allowed to work for 5 hours a day on Saturdays, or 25 hours a week during school holidays
Young people aged 15 to 16 are allowed to work a maximum of 8 hours a day on Saturdays, or 35 hours a week during school holidays
After 4 hours continuous work they must have a break of 1 hour

Young people must have two consecutive work-free weeks each year either at Easter or in the summer.

Young people are not allowed to work during school hours. Neither can they work:

Before 7:00 am or after 7:00pm on any day
For more than 2 hours on a school day or Sundays
For more than 12 hours per week during school time term

If the work is not licensed it is illegal.

Obtaining a Child Employment Licence

You must notify the Local Education Authority within a week of a young person starting work with you. You must complete the licence application form with the following details:

Your own name, address and telephone number.
The name, address and date of birth and school of the young person. (You can ask to see the birth certificate to clarify the date of birth).
His/Her proposed working hours on school days and holidays.
The place of employment.
Type of work to be carried out by young person.
That safety assessments and risk assessment has been carried out.
That you have Employers' Liability Insurance.
Signed parental consent has been obtained; confirming the young person is fit to work.

The young person to be employed must have their parents' (or someone with parental responsibility) consent and their agreement that you are fit to work. Also, their assurance that the work will not affect the education and school attendance of the child.