Parenting Advice

Parenting and the Law

This article is not a legal document but is simply available to help guide you on your legal responsibilities as a parent.

Children in Paid Work

A part time job can be a great way to teach children about their responsibilities and for them to be able to earn their own money. It can be a good basis for future employment however there are rules and laws governing children in the work place.

• Children cannot work part time until the age of 13. (There are a few exceptions including modelling work and acting work)
• Children cannot work full time until the last Friday in June in the academic year after their 16th Birthday. The current mandatory school leaving age is changing if a child starts school in 2008 and onwards the mandatory leaving age will be 17 years old with a view to increase the leaving age to 18 years old by 2013 in the UK. After this children can apply for their National Insurance number and work full time.
• During term time children can work up to 12 hours a week. This includes a maximum of 2 hours a day on weekdays and Sundays and a maximum of 5 hours on a Saturday for 13-14 year olds. (This increases to 8 hours for 15-16 year olds).
• During school holidays 13-14 year olds can work a maximum of 25 hours a week including no more than 5 hours on weekdays and Saturdays and 2 hours on Sundays. 15- 16 year olds can work a maximum of 35 hours a week including no more than 8 hours on weekdays and Saturdays and 2 hours on Sunday.
• Children must not work before 7am or after 7pm any day (this includes school holidays and weekends)
• Children must not work during school hours.
• Children can only work for a maximum of 1 hour before school and cannot work for more than 4 hours without taking a break of at least 1 hour.
• Local Authorities have bylaws which guide which jobs children can do so you will need to make sure the job your child wishes to do is on that list. All work that children undertake must be considered 'light duties'.
• Employers must contact the education department of the local council to inform them they are employing a child. If the council is happy they will issue the child with a work permit. The child is not insured without one.
• Children must take a 2 week break from work during the school holidays.
• Parents should speak to the child before they start work to make sure the child can still fit in time for homework and other activities. Also make sure the child has arrangements on how to get to and from work and that you are satisfied the employer is reputable.

Leaving a child Home Alone

There is no legal age for when a child can be left home alone. However parents can be prosecuted for neglect if they leave a child unsupervised ‘in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health’ (Children and Young Person’s Act).

Although there is no legal age for leaving a child alone, it is a question of the maturity of the individual child, so for example one 13 year old might be mature enough to be left alone, while a less mature 13 year old would not be. The NSPCC has issued guidelines on leaving a child home alone. The say:

• Children under the age of 13 are very rarely mature enough to be left alone for any length of time.
• Children under the age of 16 should not be left alone overnight.
• Babies, toddlers and young children should never be left alone.

If you are leaving your child home alone the following advice might be helpful:

• Teach your children about safety at home and make sure they will not open the door to strangers. Keep all dangerous objects locked away or well out of reach (matches, knives, dangerous chemicals, medications, alcohol, etc).
• Teach your child what to do in an emergency (for example a fire) and teach basic first aid.
• Leave a contact phone number for them and make sure you answer straight away if they call. Also leave a list of other phone numbers of people you trust in case they can’t get hold of you and people to call in the event of an emergency.
• Give them clear rules as to what they can and can’t do whilst you are out.
• Tell them when you will be home and make sure you are on time.

If you chose to leave your children alone make sure they are happy with being left. If they are not then arrange for someone to stay with them. If you use a babysitter it is advisable to use a child over the age of 16 or you are still legally responsible to make sure your child comes to no harm.

School attendance

You are legally responsible for making sure your child attends school between the ages of 5 and 16 (increasing to 18 by 2013). It is your responsibility to make sure the child is registered with a school or to arrange suitable home schooling or alternative education. Local authorities will step in if they believe any child is not getting a full education as required by law.

A child must have started school on the term following their 5th Birthday and continues to be of compulsory school age until the last Friday in June in the school year they turn 16 (increasing to 18 by 2013).

If your child is registered to a school and is playing truant then you will receive a visit from the Education Welfare Services. A child can only legally miss school if they are too ill to attend or have had the absence authorised by the school before hand. If a child misses school without good reason then there are a number of legal powers the Education board can use.

• Penalty notices. If a child regularly misses school then the parent could be issued with a £50 penalty notice (rising to £100 if not paid in 28 days).
• Prosecution. You could be prosecuted which may result in a fine of £2,500, a community order or possibly even a 3 months jail sentence.
• Parenting Order. You may be required to partake in parenting or support classes to help you with your role as a parent.

Alcohol

The law surrounding alcohol and children can be confusing.

For more information on any of these subjects please see the DirectGov website.

This is a members article written by Madzwalker

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