AIBU to think this is unfair and illegal?

[EverythingIsSoThrowback]

This is what I think is unfair:
My DD1 is currently on work experience, she said that all she's been doing is cleaning for the past 3 days. Isn't this unfair? She's not really learning anything.
Also, the 'illegal'part. She's working 5 hours without a break, she's 15, so shouldn't she work 4 hours before a break?
Should I complain?

REal work in a vet's can't all be cleaning, Maddy, or they would be called cleaners not vets. Also, I believe vets have to pay lots of money to these places called universities to become qualified. It takes years. Cleaners not so much. Not yet, anyway. Though there is a definite skill set with cleaning.*

If it were my child I would be a little disappointed were the distinction between vet and cleaner to have been eroded on a work experience placement. No, I would not expect my child to be happily pitching in to perform surgery on various fauna, but yes, I would expect some observation, some shadowing, and some introduction to the wider aspects of being a vet.

I'm slightly alarmed that quite a few folk think that this sort of fairly shoddy work experience is OK.

Back in the day, I did work experience on a local paper and it was brilliant. I was shown around the whole outfit - including the printers (bless 'em); played at being a sub; shadowed reporters; did vox pops; interviews; and wrote stories. The journos were great to me. If I'd spent my time cleaning the sodding buillding it would not have been the same.

*I see an opening here for some enterprising university.

Of course no one seriously expects that WE at a vets will involve performing surgery. However at the same time IMO it is good manners to pay people before you use them to do grunt work.

Most non-office, practical based jobs involve cleaning.

I think it's better to show them this now, rather than hit the cold reality after years at uni.

And, in only 3 days, maybe there haven't been any surgeries, bloods, X-rays etc? Depends on how busy the practice is, and what kind of issues the animals have!

There is never a day at a vets that goes by without at least a castrate or two. Even small practices r busy with routine surgeries

Nonsense!

Busy, city vets maybe. My friend (who works in a busy city vet now) is constantly talking about how different it is to her previous job in a quiet village vets.

Legally there should be 15mins break after five hours work. She must get loo breaks at least.

The job involves a lot.of cleaning so if what she is doing is the majority of cleaning then it reflects the role.

I've known 15 year olds walk out of hairdressers, carpenters, offices etc because all they were doing was sweeping up and making tea. They'll tell me a straight face they think they are too good to do such tasks. Sometimes they quit with the complete backing of their parents. Goodness knows what tasks they think they should be doing, what with no qualifications or experience.

I know it's my fault for not stating this in my OP, but:
Her placement is 5 days (not 10 as someone said), and so she has 2 days left.
And she's doing 8 1/2 hour days.

I wouldn't be too surprised if she was exaggerating a little about how much she's done, but assuming it's all the truth, she's done about 24 hours of cleaning, and the other hour and a bit filling up feed/water, and grooming one horse.
Really, I'm not surprised there's a lot of cleaning, I just don't understand why it's this much.

How have they been with her? Do they teach or explain or work along side her? Or is she given the task then forgotten about?

YANBU

She said they check on her about every hour or so.

The OP hasn't even said her dd is thinking about becoming a vet, perhaps she wants to be a vet nurse in which case cleaning is relevant and very important in stopping the spread of infection.
A bit of variety would be ideal but maybe they're busy or short staffed.

Sounds like she's not being involved in anything. Been there it's shit

What are her career intentions? What does she want to gain out of this work experience? Is she working towards veterinary surgery or veterinary nursing?

Ah, in that case then the break thing is irrelevant.

You get a break per every 6 hours worked. It doesn't have to be taken exactly 6 hours after you start! That is wildly impractical, particularly in a vets where patients come at all times, you can't just go off on a break!

What kind of cleaning is it? If it's basic tasks (cleaning the consultation rooms, cleaning the equipment etc) then I would suggest that's fine and realistic. If it's deep cleaning (things that aren't frequently cleaned) then I would say that's a bit crap.

No, no no. At 16 she has to have an hour break if she works more than 4 hours.
www.gov.uk/child-employment/restrictions-on-child-employment
The cleaning wouldn't bother me but I would be hopping mad if my child was not getting legal minimum rest breaks. I would certainly report them to the school and to the senior management.

Definitely let the school know. They can't do anything about it if they're not made aware.

OP - can you clarify that she is actually getting breaks?

She has 45min from 1 to 1:45 for lunch break.

As a travel agent YTS I spent a year stamping brochures, making tea and cleaning. I now have an excellent career (not in travel) and respect. I can't see the harm tbh

Laverette I am very suprised you spayed a cat and ended up with testicles

I am a vet nurse. WE is near impossible to get in a vets now because we are so restricted on what we can offer, aren't able to ensure we supervise sufficiently and just don't have enough time to offer WE properly. I often don't have time to pee
and the time have I need to be doing my job, looking after and treating animals.

We can't allow because of H&S
Contact with animals -stressed drugged animals are unpredictable
Anywhere near X-rays or developing chemicals
Near anesthetic gases or recovering animals
Near sharps or drugs.
Not too close to surgery - infection risk and passing out WE risk
Near Dentals - bacteria flying around
Consults are difficult because of sensitive information and owners disclosing full info - also I have been attacked in a consult (wouldn't give him steroids- 5mg really isn't what your after buddy)
Near cold sterilization or autoclaves
The list is added to every year, its endless. And sometimes ridiculous. WE no longer allowed in pharmacy in case they break a drug bottle.

We stopped when we were trying to control a fitting dog and WE kept touching the dog. As someone was restraining for an IV the WE tried to join them straddling the dog.

We have had parents complaining the WE wants to monitor an anesthetic, give an injection or helping operate. We just can't match peoples expectations and keep everyone safe.

Has she tried taking to a nurse and asking about a case? Asking what this instrument does or why we do that? Asked to watch an ultrasound and ask questions? WE unfortunately get forgotten if they don't keep asking because we forget most people don't know that's the bladder or kidney on ultrasound or realise why dogs and cats may need different strength drugs. We live in a little bubble where everyone knows a labouring pug = ooh Caesar or blown up abdo on a GSD = GDV and go get the tube and funnel.

Sorry for bad grammar, spelling my phones on its way out.

If she's 16 the child laws don't apply.