Children in employment

Employer responsibilities

All school-age children who work part-time for an employer, whether for pay or as volunteers, need to have a work permit and be registered with West Berkshire Council. It is the employers' responsibility to apply for a work permit to employ a child or young person.

Employers must consider the laws regulating the number of hours a child may work, the kinds of jobs they can do and the kinds of settings they can work in.

Employers have a responsibility to conduct a risk assessment specifically for the young person, considering any hazards associated with the child or young person's job/role. They must then notify the parent or guardian of the risk assessment results.

Additionally, the employer is responsible for making sure the child is trained, supervised, and wearing the correct PPE. They also need to make sure they have the necessary insurance.

You can leave school on the last Friday in June if you will be 16 by the end of the summer holidays. Anyone between the ages of 13 and 16 who wants to work part-time before this date must have a work permit.

The parents and the employer must fill out and sign an application form, which is then sent to the education inclusion service for approval.