Children at work

As part of National Child Employment Week staff from the East Sussex County Council's Education Welfare Service will be visiting schools and workplaces to raise public awareness of the law around employing children.

Child Employment Officers have arranged to visit secondary schools across the county to hold lunch time drop-in sessions for pupils. They will be on hand to answer any questions the youngsters may have about starting a part-time job, such as what hours they can work and the type of jobs they are allowed to do. Information leaflets will also be sent to local libraries aimed at parents or carers of teenagers who may be considering working part-time.

A key part of the week will be an Employment Sweep across the county. Along with Education Welfare Officers, the Child Employment Team has organised a series of visits to employers along the coast. The aim of the 'sweep' is to identify where children are working and to give employers information about the laws affecting the employment of school children.

Visits to employers will be followed up by Child Employment Officers to check that Employment Permits or Cards have been issued and to investigate any infringements of the legislation.

Last summer more than 180 businesses in the county were paid a visit by county council welfare officers checking up on child employment in the area. A total of 37 children were found to be working illegally '“ in most cases without the necessary work permit. In these cases the employers were reminded that, by law, children must have the necessary employment card.

Matt Dunkley, Director of Children's Services at East Sussex County Council, said: "We understand why young people want to earn a bit of spending money but at the same time we want to make sure they are not being exploited, their school work and education doesn't suffer and they are being kept safe."

For more information on the law as laid out in the Children and Young Persons Act, including guides from the County Council for employers and young people, visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/childrenatwork