...to think there is a flaw in the system for school work experience placements?

Disagree

I did work experience in a hospital and followed that career path...

Work experience as a taster for a career works best for those who are not planning on university. They can get nearer to doing what they would actually do as an employee. For one lad I taught, his work experience led to the discovery that he couldn't cope in hot environments, and he had to rethink his plan to study catering.

One of the saddest placements I visited was a girl in a law firm - she'd organised her own placement because she wanted to be a lawyer, but they were struggling to find things they could actually let her do.

I think for those heading to be medics, their best bet would be an old people's home, or a day centre - it would give them great experience of an age-group they are likely to spend a lot of time with.

DD didn't get to do work experience. I was going to try and steer her towards plumbing, as she might finish up with the ability to tackle minor repairs herself.

I wonder how much of an effect working from home is having on availability of placements - I imagine it might be considerable.

Totally depends on the school, I am around the same age as you and our school didn't provide anything at all for the 300 students each year, everyone had to find their own. In the end I had to persuade a creche to take me on because it was the only thing I could get, absolutely hated it, best thing about it was the morning toast break 😂

Sorry just saw your update. I would emphasise that your dc is happy to help with any tasks. So in a dog kennels for example, cleaning pens, walking dogs, cleaning the feed bowls. This seemed to have more success when we applied for vet med work experience. Look at what you can do for them.

Hospitals will take over 16

I work at a vet practice. We do take 14 year olds on WEX but only one at a time and all the local schools want the same week. They have to play second fiddle to the vet students, vet nurse students, animal care students and A level students who also need placements and who are actually a useful pair of hands and not a liability.
I’d look a lot more kindly on a child that was keen enough to come on a week during their holidays or on Saturdays.
It doesn’t have to be at a vet practice - look at farms, stables, rescue centre, pet shop, dog groomer, dog walking. Once she is 16 then commitment in any public facing role (hospitality, care etc) will look good on applications.
I do sympathise - my older son wants to do medicine and has found it difficult to get experience (his Yr 10 WEX was at a bank) and currently facing the wall of silence trying to secure a STEM placement for younger son. If the schools could collaborate and choose different weeks that would be a start!

Why not try stables or kennels, for animal handling experience?

Yeah it’s a whole week at my daughter’s school, and she’ll be 14 and 5 months. We have organise it ourselves and it’s been difficult to even get a response. It seems way too much

It really is to just give them a bit of experience of being somewhere outside of school, learning what it’s like to have to be punctual, wear work clothes (maybe) do a task that is perhaps repetitive and boring, but necessary. And also writing a formal email or letter in the first place! I’ve taught so many kids who don’t even know how to start a formal email, and as for capital letters…

I always encourage kids to go for small local businesses rather than the big companies. Even if they’re just making the tea and filing. A large number always end up at the local primary schools, but they usually have the best time!

Times have changed cos I was able to get work experience in a vets clinic in year 11

Work experience is not to experience the career you think you might want to do. It's to get up in the morning, dress appropriately, find your way there , follow instructions and understand a working day. That was explained very clearly when my children did it. For them the most exciting part was their lunch hour in the town. How can you have a 14 year old shadowing a doctor? My eldest is now a doctor and did their work experience in a solicitors office, photocopying.

I agree with OP it has got much harder for children to get meaningful work experience. 30ish years ago my school helped me secure work experience with the RAF (spent in a base) and with a GP practice (at time I was considering going into the forces as a doctor / getting a bursary to help pay for Uni). I am sure with all the box ticking / insurance now (and stretched school staff) this would not be possible. There wasn’t anyone in my family who had been to university let alone trained as a Doctor to help!
My (STATE) school also got me a free week’s residential at Cambridge university. My own children got no work experience help or uni visits from school - I did what I could. If schools don’t have time and resources to secure work experience for children then work experience further embeds disadvantage for those who don’t have parental support/ the right contacts.

Lots of animal places have 18+ requirements. It is hard enough to get placements when at college on an animal care course.

This may not really be about insurance. I work in healthcare and we take year 10 and year 12 students but they are limited as to the tasks they can do due to confidentiality.

We make time to teach them skills like basic observations and resuscitation as well as expecting them to complete some simple tasks, but because it takes a lot of our staff time we limit the number of students each year.

Try a local stable yard

Agree with what @JLou08 has said ^

1-2 weeks of work experience at 14 is going to have zero impact on their future careers. It's really not a big deal.
On the other hand, having an irresponsible 14 year old in a workplace where there is high risks and/or a need for confidentially (thinking more the health care) could have a pretty big impact on people.
Not saying your DD is irresponsible but many are and the businesses don't know the students they are taking on.

Not a vets admittedly but our local council went above and beyond with my daughter's work experience placement. Building control, environmental health, homelessness, green homes grants. Also my son is going to a local farm for his. They had to provide relevant insurances etc but that might be an idea along the animal route. A number of farms in our area often have apprentices so are set up for the paperwork involved. Or what about a rare breeds or children's play farm where she could assist in looking after unusual animals. I do agree with the the person that said a week isn't all that valuable but these might be options and also possible future weekend jobs etc

To be fair my friend did pathology too (her dad) - somewhat different to a GP though! Would obviously just have to sit in the office due to confidentiality or something so no point anyway.

I had to do 3 hours in the evenings at a bleak local holiday park because none of the fun places I applied to (Aardman, theatres etc) would take me!

They can take the students.
They're just using this as an excuse to say 'no'.

The point about work experience is to find out what it is like to have to turn up every day on time and do whatever you are asked to do. It is disappointing she can’t do what she wants but she will benefit from any placement.
That said, have you tried dog groomers and local dog walkers?

@McGingery I think any customer related work experience is fine for a 14 year old. Just take what she can get.

However you should now look at all the veterinary schools, Bristol, Nottingham, RVC, Liverpool, Glasgow, Surrey and the others to check what work experience they like candidates ro have. Then assume it’s the minimum as dc of vets and farmers and animal shelter workers will have more. Look at variety of volunteering/paid work and even caring for her own animals or those belonging to others. Lots of work will be 16 plus. Then make absolutely sure she does the required A levels and gets the grades: it’s very competitive and getting great GCSE grades is the goal she needs right now, especially the sciences. I just would not worry about one week of work experience at 14 - much bigger fish to fry over the next 3-4 years!

My DD did hers at the local hospital last year. Most kids just went to work with their parents.

One week? At my dd's school they do 2 hours which has to be done in their own time outside of school hours and be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the whole time 🙄. It's literally just a box ticking exercise for them.

My fil had a printing business and was always happy to take work experience kids. He used to give them useful work, and insisted on paying them because he said part of the experience of work was being paid. He was eventually told he wasn't allowed to-so he stopped offering work experience.