Child employment
Employing school children
The Children and Young Persons Act 1933 sets out legal requirements around the employment of school age children.
They can be employed:
- At age 13 and above
- In certain types of work and for restricted hours
- If they have a licence issued by the local authority
Guidance on employing school age children is also available from:
Jobs children can do
At age 13, young people can do light work in:
- Agriculture or horticultural businesses (occasional and only under direct supervision of a parent/guardian)
- Newspaper delivery
- Shop work (including shelf stacking)
- Hairdressing salons
- Office work
- Cafes or restaurants (front of house only)
- Riding stables, kennels and catteries
- Domestic work in hotels
- Car washing in private residential settings.
Young people aged 14 and over can also do other light work:
- which is not harmful to their safety, health and development
- which does not interfere with the school day
Jobs children can't do
Young people of school age are not allowed to work in the following areas:
- Cinema, theatre or night club
- Commercial kitchen
- Slaughter house, butchery or place preparing meat for sale
- Fairground, amusement arcade or premises with game and gambling machines
- Collection or sorting of refuse
- Sale or deliver of alcohol (except in sealed containers)
- Delivery of milk or fuel oils
When working, they also must not:
- Collect money, sell or canvass door to door or by telephone.
- Be responsible for the personal needs of residents in care or nursing homes
- Work more than 3 metres off the ground or with harmful chemicals
- Work where there is access to adult material unsuitable for children
Hours worked
The amount of hours young people can work for depends on their age.
A child must have a one hour break after four hours of work. Any additional breaks are at the discretion of the employer.
Young people cannot work before 7am or after 7pm on any day of the week. They must have a break of at least two consecutive weeks during school holidays.
Children age 13 or 14
Daily limit
| Day | Limit |
|---|---|
| School days | 2 hours |
| School holidays (Monday to Friday) | 5 hours |
| Saturday | 5 hours |
| Sunday | 2 hours |
Weekly limit
The weekly limit depends on whether it is the school term or holidays.
| Period | Limit |
|---|---|
| School term | 12 hours |
| School holidays | 25 hours |
Children age 15 or 16
Daily limit
| Day | Limit |
|---|---|
| School days | 2 hours |
| School holidays (Monday to Friday) | 8 hours |
| Saturday | 8 hours |
| Sunday | 2 hours |
Weekly limit
The weekly limit depends on whether it is the school term or holidays.
| Period | Limit |
|---|---|
| School term | 12 hours |
| School holidays | 35 hours |
Employer responsibilities
Employers are responsible for:
- checking the young person is of compulsory school age
- making sure the young person is licensed by the local authority in the area where the work is
- completing a risk assessment to ensure the young person's health and safety
- making sure they hold valid employer's liability insurance
Applying for a licence
It is the employer's responsibility to notify the local authority and to apply for a licence.
Young people and parents can also request an employment licence application form.
If you need to apply for a licence, please contact education.welfare@derby.gov.uk.