To think that parents shouldn't do this on behalf of their teens?

I think there is a difference between a work experience placement for say 2 weeks organised through the school or as part of the school week.

Totally different than a paid Saturday job for a 14 or 15 year old.

I guess it also depends on the age they are doing work experience. It was 14 ( now yr 9) for me, school allocated me the business, I had to write a letter and got the place, in those days the majority of parents were very hands off at that age. We also had no contacts for a dose of nepotism. Younger teens, I'd expect adult involvement and if it's an older cohort I'd expect it to be student driven.
As for university applications, I was utterly surprised to see parents with their kids at my sons uni open days even 20 yrs ago. I went off to find a cafe, while he looked round. I get parents foot the bill these days but the amount of involvement was/is mind boggling. He told me one parent asked if there were end of term reports.

Exactly.

Even if they did have jobs available they wouldn't be interested as they want the teen to approach them not the parent.

I do not understand how parents cannot understand the importance of their teens actually going out to try and find a job rather than mummy doing it.

Why are you the one doing all the checking though and not her?

I appreciate that your point may be right about none of the local places talking people under 16 on but it still seems to be you doing all the checking.

Oh jeez don't be so defensive.

The general.point is parents trying to get Saturday jobs for their kids isn't going to be successful.

Let your child find their own job.

Kids are just so different today.

My office is directly opposite the DVSA so all day we have teenagers loitering in the hallway before or after their theory tests. The building is a bit of a maze.

One day there was a young girl in the toilets, she looked upset and was frantically tapping away on her phone. I smile, wash my hand, leave. A few hours later, I return to the toilet and she’s still there. This time talking on her phone. I smile again, wash hands, leave.

Last wee before I leave for the day and she’s still there. This time I hear her saying ‘but Mum, I don’t know how to get out!’ I finally clock why she’s been in the toilets all afternoon. She doesn’t know how to get out. ‘Are you trying to find the exit?’ I ask. She nods. ‘Follow me.’ She does, I lead her out, she just nods.

Everyday I see parents leading their kids straight to the door or asking where driving test centre is. The kids just stand behind saying nothing. My co worker told me that that generation would rather do a hundred laps around a shop before asking someone where the milk is.

You think they were lying to me because I asked when I was in there rather than her? Why? Because that’s what you’d do?

You’d be wrong as I did check online when I got home and no, the places I asked in don’t employ under-16s.

We get this all the time with entry level applications at our company.

I've read the thread and we’re a disability confident employer. I take this very seriously, but the people applying must be the candidate. My last 2 successful applicants have had ADHD/autism and both are fab and doing a great job.

But it MUST be clear that it’s them applying, not parents. Or AI for that matter. We get a lot of clearly AI applications.

Maybe if your dc went round cafes asking for work rather than you doing it the answer might be a different one.

I know big brands Tesco etc only employ over 16s but the smaller independent places do

DD would like a job and I would love for her to have one, so you can shove your attitude. Round here (and yes, I’ve asked, bad mummy that I am - you know, when I happened to be in a shop or cafe) - they don’t take on under 16s. They’ve got a shit-ton of students to pick and choose from before having the additional hassle of employing a minor.

I'm not at all surprised. Working with animals has very wide appeal. Also animal management is a very popular post-16 route, and on vocational courses students often need to secure their own relevant experience to get the qualification.

OP you sound very generous with your time. The YP often can't really give much back in return, so they are forced to ask for kindness from strangers. And you are being very kind.

A lot of kids don’t have the confidence to ask for themselves because their parents haven’t done the work to build up to it… possibly through an unwillingness to loosen the reins. I’m Gen X and got my first Saturday job at 15…. No parent has ever been involved in any of my jobs other that suggesting I try certain places. A lady at my work was trying to get her daughter a Saturday job and was trailing up and down shops handing in a CV on behalf of her daughter. Madness.

I mean that they’re children who might be OK with some part-time work but not for the world of work as such. We don’t have 16 year olds leaving school and going into full time work anymore.

But I have got muddled between what’s being talked about - is it work experience or a Saturday job?

It’s really difficult round here at any rate for a 15 year old to get any kind of job, and all the jobs that we used to have available to us, like manning one of 15 tills in the supermarket, aren’t there anymore.

Why couldn't those students get assistance with writing an email and then write it and send it themselves though?

Literally how are these kids going to survive in the workplace if they can't do these basic things.

But how will they ever develop confidence if they don't have a go? Parents really need to step back, and not infantilise their kids.

Your comment Makes no sense.

My 15 year old went into a cafe in January and asked about a Saturday job. Details taken trial shift given. Job was obtained.

Unless you are a mummy who thinks their dc is too special to have to work.

And we wonder why so many young people nowadays haven't got a bloody clue when they enter the workforce.

They are not ‘children’ they are older teenagers experiencing a ’work place’ as a worker for the first time . It’s another life skill to learn

Completely agree with you, my teenager is very proactive and it’s paid off for her as she’s had work experience placement, volunteered and now has a paid job. Her stepdad and I help her with how to word stuff on applications and her CV or tell her if we’ve seen something that might interest her but it’s up to her to do all the leg work in actually enquiring and applying.

@Ddakji I’m confused by your response. Are you suggesting that all 15-17 year olds are incapable of work?

They not. Because they’re CHILDREN.

If most of these requests are being made by parents then I think it’s safe to assume this is a wider issue with how we treat kids today, and has nothing to do with SEN kids or parents, who I understand might need to assist their children more in circumstances they haven’t faced before.

Even so, if a child can’t reach out directly to a company themselves via email or whatever, then how exactly are they ready to be in a place of work without parental guidance?

Where my daughter did her work experience, they reject all applications from DC who get the contact name from school, even if they send their own email. Getting the name from school is not showing sufficient self starting. There are a couple of big employers who will take a few students arrange through school but these places are "saved" for DC who fail to secure their own. Careers support at school is skeletal at best.

I've noticed this too.

What uni course should my dd ds do.

Which uni would suit my dd ds best.

I think ffs surely your ADULT child should be looking into this themselves. How on earth do yiu think your adult child wil survive at uni without mummy to do everything for them. 🤔