This child employment month, the Isle of Wight Council is raising awareness of child employment legislation to ensure children engaged in part-time employment do so legally and safely.
Children and young people can be employed in part-time work from the age of 13 to the end of compulsory school leavers age, which is the last Friday in June of Year 11.
In order to work, a young person must have a work permit and it is the legal responsibility of the employer to apply for one. It is illegal for a young person to work without one, and an employer can be prosecuted, fined and have their insurance invalidated if they employ a child without one.
The permits are free, valid for 12 months and easy to apply for.
Rachael Williams, the council’s education and inclusion manager, said:
“The welfare of children is paramount and if they are taking part in part-time work opportunities, we need to ensure their needs are being met by employers and that children who do work are doing so safely.
“Our officers regularly visit businesses across the Island to carry out checks on workplaces that may employ children of school age to make sure young people in part-time jobs are safe and working legally. An employer will be expected to present the child’s work permit upon inspection.”
Councillor Debbie Andre, Cabinet member for children’s services, education and skills, added:
“There are many benefits to young people working part-time, including gaining work experience, acquiring social skills, timekeeping and responsibility.
“Earning money can also be another advantage, as can voluntary work which is a great way for young people to gain valuable experience they can take with them into future employment.”
If anyone suspects a young person is working illegally either by working more hours than is permitted for their age (or later than 19:oo), or undertaking work that is not permitted, you can report it anonymously to the council which will contact the employer to provide advice and support regarding child employment.
For more details on child employment and to make an application for a work permit, visit the council’s website.
As a teenager on the Isle of Wight, it is impossible to find work anywhere anyway! The only opportunity is the odd newspaper round, which isn’t realistically possible for most teenagers with long school days. I have asked around so many places to no avail, and couldn’t even find a place with a relative for a take your child to work day! If you know a place on the Island willing to hire 13-18-year-olds, please let me know!
@Lily Why not try the seasonal places? Blackgang Chine will employ anyone with a pulse, regardless of age.