The law states that all children who work part-time, whilst of compulsory school age must
be registered by the employer with the Local Authority.

Employer's responsibility

As an employer you have the following duties:

1. Register each child in your employment with the Child Employment Section within 7 days of
   commencement of employment.
   
   
2. Return employment certificates once the child is no longer employed.
   
   
3. Re-register children still in employment on the 1st March and the 1st September each year.
   
   
4. Keep a record of all children employed.
   
   
5. Carry out a Health & Safety risk assessment and inform parent/s of any risks and control measures.

How do I register a child whom I am employing?

There are two forms, which require completion:

• Registration Form
• Medical Declaration

Registration Form

The employer must fully complete and sign the registration form.
You will require the following information to be able to complete the form:

• The child’s full name and address.
  
  
• The child’s date of birth. N.B. the child must be 13 years or over (if in doubt check their birth certificate).
  
  
• The name of the child’s school.
  
  
• The hours of work.

The declaration at the end of the registration form must be completed and stamped by the child’s school.  If attendance is a concern, the local Authority may refuse to issue a work permit.

Medical Declaration

The employer must issue the child’s parent/guardian with the medical declaration for them to complete.  The medical declaration must be returned with the registration form to the Child Employment Section.

It is the employer's responsibility to ensure both forms are returned immediately to the address given at the foot of this page.

Please remember, failure to register children may lead to the employer being prosecuted.

Employers must also keep an up to date record of the children they employ by completing a Record Sheet.  This states the child’s personal details and the hours they are employed.  This must be available for officers from the Court and Child Employment Section upon request.

Parent/guardian's responsibility

The parent/guardian must complete and sign the medical declaration and return to the employer.

If the Health Authority calls a child for a medical, the child must be taken; if they do not attend employment may be terminated.  (Please note that the Court and Child Employment Section will obtain medical clearance.)

What happens next?

The application will be considered based on the information provided, and is subject to satisfactory school attendance and medical clearance.  It may be necessary to carry out an inspection of the premises before approval is granted.

Once employment is approved, the employer will be issued with an Employment Certificate for each child and a copy is sent to the child’s school.

As soon as the child ceases to be employed, the certificate must be returned to the Court and Child Employment Section.

The employer will receive a list of children currently registered each March and September along with new application forms.  Employers will be required to amend the list to show the children still in their employment and return it to the Court and Child Employment Section.  This is known as Re-registration; please note you only have to fill in registration forms for children whose names are NOT on the list.

For further information please contact: