Dudley Child Employment Week: 24 – 28 March 2025

Raising awareness of the laws to safeguard children in employment and entertainment

Ahead of National Child Employment Month Dudley Council is raising awareness of the legislation and licensing requirements to employers and organisations working with child performers.

The aim of our Child Employment Week is not to prevent children from working or performing, but to ensure when they do, they are safeguarded.

Local Authorities have a statutory responsibility for children and young persons in employment and entertainment and a duty to safeguard them. The council has a dedicated Child Employment Officer and Business Support Officer who is responsible for this area of work. The work is governed by a combination of primary legislation, statutory regulations and byelaws. It outlines the enforcement of the licensing requirements, the penalties to impose where there is a breach in the regulations and the number of powers the Local Authority has to carry out inspections to ensure a child’s welfare is maintained.

Key Points

Child Employment Permits

• Age: Children and young people over the age of 13 are allowed to work part-time.
• Work Hours: They can work after school, on weekends, or during school holidays.
• Restrictions: There are age-related restrictions on the number of hours children can work and the types of employment they can undertake.
• Work Permit Application: It is the employer’s responsibility to apply for a work permit. Parents must check and sign the work permit application form and will receive a copy of the child’s work permit once it has been issued.
• Legal Requirement: Employing a child without a work permit is illegal.

Child Performance Licences

• Age: Legislation requires that all children, from babies until they cease to be of compulsory school age, must be licensed when participating in a performance in professional or amateur settings or activity, such as paid to participate in sports that falls under licensing laws.
• Performance Hours: The permitted times and hours vary according to the child’s age. For further information regarding regulated times, hours, and breaks, please refer to the relevant guidelines that can be found on our website.
• Performance Licence Application: It is the responsibility of the person in charge of the production to apply for the necessary licence for the child’s participation.
• Legal Requirement: Obtaining a licence is a legal requirement, and failure to do so constitutes an offence.

Making a referral

If you have any concerns about a child working or performing where there may be risk to their health, safety, education or any safeguarding issue or you have concerns about a chaperone licenced by Dudley Council, please submit a referral. Referral forms are available in the relevant section on the Dudley Council website.

For more information and guidance on child employment, children in entertainment, and chaperones, please contact the Child Employment Officer; Child.Employment@dudley.gov.uk or call 01384 814317. Additionally, visit: www.dudley.gov.uk/child-employment