Children aged between 13 and 16 need a work permit if they are in paid employment.

Prospective employers are responsible for applying for a permit. You can download the Child Work Permit application form and other information from this page.

The form must be signed by:

• The child's parent/carer giving consent for their child's employment.
• The head teacher at the child's school

Finally, the employer signs the form to confirm they will abide by the law regarding the child's employment and that they have the appropriate insurance cover.

A risk assessment must be carried out by the employer - a sample risk assessment is available on this page, along with general guidance on child employment.

The completed form should be returned to us, and, once processed, the permit will be returned to the employer for their records. The employer must then pass the permit to the child employed for them to retain.

Each permit will have an expiry date, after which the child will either have passed the Minumum School Leaving Age (MSLA), or will have reached age 15 and need a new permit.