Who will give a 15 year old Saturday/Summer work these days?

[anorak]

DD1 is looking for some kind of weekend and/or summer work. She is in year 11, so GCSEs soon, but her 16th birthday is the last day of the school year so she is still only 15. A lot of the local employers don't want to know until you're 16.

Can anyone suggest agencies/employers as I have been searching the internet and local paper with no success and she is so despondent that she has virtually given up.

We live in a large village - she suggested advertising her services as a babysitter but I was afraid about the safety angle of going to people we don't know.

[tiffini]

When i worked ( before kids) i could not employ staff before they turned 16, even if they had a NI number.

[tiffini]

i believe this law came in about 4 years ago, before then you could employ them as long as they had a NI number.

[anorak]

I see. In that case she is going to have to use her ingenuity and think of some way of getting local people to use her.

[QueenEagle]

It seems with all the Health and Safety rules in place nawadays it is virtually impossible for U16's to get any kind of part time work. I remember from the age of 14 I worked in various High Street shops to earn a few quid. My dd has also been asking around for Saturday jobs to no avail. I asked in BHS on her behalf to be told they no longer employ U16's.

[tiffini]

she will be eligable to take on a paper round though.

[flashingnose]

We didn't know any teenagers locally when we were looking for babysitters, so put an ad up. One v nice girl came round to meet us with her mum in tow, which I thought was a good idea.

Otherwise, what about gardening? I used to mow lawns and do weeding for elderly people when I was 14 or 15, cash in hand . I also washed up in a pub, again, cash in hand.

[tiffini]

she could a couple of paper rounds with a friend, safety in numbers and all that.

[anorak]

Thanks for these suggestions, please keep them coming.

Just knowing that at 16 she won't get a job like we used to is so helpful - I would have wasted time looking if you hadn't told me that.

[anorak]

I mean 15 of course...

[tiffini]

i use to work for my mum, doing chores around the hse, cooking, washing car, gardening ect. That was enough to teach me the value of money and gain some independence

[JanH]

The big stores won't take them on until after GCSEs even if they are 16 already, anorak.

I know local kids who work some hours in eg newsagents though. DS1 did washing up in a wine bar for a bit when he was 14/15 (forget exactly) - there are 2 locally and they both employ loads of 15+. (In theory they don't but in fact they do, ask around.)

He has also been collecting milk money one night a week (took over from DD2 who took over from DD1, don't know what we will do about DS2 as he is 5 years behind, not 3!) since he was 15. She could do milk rounds (is she good at getting up in the morning?) or paper rounds.

[alibubbles]

The last friday in June is the official school leaving age and that is what employers go by. I've been there anorak, DS is June 13th.
DS had a job at Sopwell Hotel and the school had to sign the form. They take 16 year olds in the laundry room as they are desperate for staff all the time, and they pay £5 per hour, very hard work, especially when you break your arm, DS had to leave!

He has had some problems for summer jobs as he is not 18 until mid summer and they want him to be 18 already - ie PGL.

Privately owned shops and business are more likely to take on a 15 or just 16 year old.

[tallulah]

I will watch this thread with interest because my 15 yo is desperate for a job & having no luck at all.

[chenin]

It is possible for teenagers to get a job below the age of 16. My daughter started babysitting for people we knew from the age of 14 - we live in a little village and she advertised in our local village newsletter, clearly stating her age. She also started washing up in the local pub at the age of 14 (probably illegal but so what!) She is now 16 and still works at the pub for approx. 8 hours plus a week and has been promoted to waitress and food prep! It has been the making of my daughter. I don't pay her pocket money any more and she earns upwards of £50 a week with her babysitting. It has really taught her the value of money because, although I buy her clothes, anything else she has to pay for herself and that includes cinema, pop concerts, mags, CDs and all the entertainment a 16 year old should want. She has saved quite a bit of money and is far more sensible about money than I was at that age!! I think you have to concentrate on anything local to you and just keep asking and she will find something. Good luck!

[chenin]

When I say she earns £50 a week - I mean that includes pub work and babysitting - not just babysitting! (I'd go babysitting meself for 50 quid a week!)

[sacha3taylor]

I worked in a fruit and veg shop from the ahe of 15. I worked for 1.5 hours a day after school and all day saturday.

[tigermoth]

our local supermarket always has lots of ads up from under 16s offering babysitting, dogwalking, pet feeding and gardening services. If you don't want her babysitting in strangers' houses, dogwalking might be a better option.

[anorak]

Thank you all. A short time ago we decided to go to hair braiding classes together and thought maybe she could braid people's hair to earn a bit of spare cash when we'd done that. Trouble is we can't find anywhere to actually learn how to do it. Anyone know anywhere within reach? We live in W Herts.

[iota]

Found these guidelines here


What work can 15 and 16 year olds do?

The employment of 15 year old and 16 year old children who have not reached school leaving age is restricted by the Children and Young Persons Act (1933).

Essentially, the restrictions on hours and types of work are the same as those applying to 14 year olds: not in prohibited industries, only light work, not before of the close school hours on any day he or she is required to attend school, before 7.00am or after 7.00 pm; for more than 2 hours on any school day or 12 hours in any school week or for more than 2 hours on a school day. However, at 15 and 16, a child may work for up to 8 hours on a weekday when he or she is not at school or on a Saturday and for up to 35 hours in a non-school week.

The National Minimum Wage does not apply to workers under 16, though as of 1 October 2004, it applies to 16 and 17 year olds at £3.00 an hour.

Statutory Sick Pay regulations also specify that only persons over the age of 16 years are entitled to sick pay, so a child under school leaving age is not entitled to SSP and, in reality, is most unlikely to receive contractual sick pay, even if prevented from working by illness.

[LilMissy]

Hi,

I'm new to this site although i have read a lot of the posts. I don't know if this will help but if you're close to a town you could try your local Clarks as I've worked there from 16 on sats and holidays (just turned 18) i know the clarks i work at takes 15yr olds as a my m8 has just turned 16 and has worked there since 15.

Hope this helps and I've made sense :D

Carla

[Whizzz]

You can employ 15 year olds but their employer should do specific risk assessments & get them agreed by a parent or guardian

here

[charleepeters]

i did a whole load of paper rounds when i was 15 also waitressing in samll cafes small faimly bussiness are usuall more friendly than large chain stores