Do you know the LEGAL minimum age for doing a paper round?

[roisin]

And what age do you think is reasonable?

I think the legal minimum age for doing part-time work (whether paper round or working in a shop, etc.) is 13.

13 afaik

I´m pretty sure it was 13 when I started doing one (16 years ago!) but am not sure if that´s changed.

That seems like a reasonable age to me as a general rule. It also depends on whether it´s a once daily/ twice daily or just a saturday round. A younger kid might be perfectly able to do a saturday round but a daily obligation might be a bit much..also might depend on how much area the round covered, what kind of area etc

Why?

OK our paper boy has just changed, and the new lad was only just 12 last month.

It is a 6-days a week round, and in the winter it will be dark.

Would you 'report' him?

Depends on where you are .Scotland diffrent to England , as far as I know.

UK

My gut reaction is he's a bit young to be doing it tbh. But I'm not sure whether I feel strongly enough to take it further or not.

no I wouldn't I think you can do some work it depends on the hours not before or after a certain time i think

but in this case i wouldn't report him any way

different if it was illegal work in a factory, hairdressers pub burger bar kitchen etc

it is 13 and not before 7.00am or after 7.00pm

but i wouldn't interfere, because I think it may be illegal but I don't think it is damaging

I'd have a word with the newsagent. My parents used to run one and wouldn't have used underage paperboys/girls. Are you sure he is 12? They possibly don't know and i'd imagine they'd want to if they could get in trouble for it

As well as a legal minimum age of 13 the employer has to apply to the Education Welfare Officer for a work permit.

i have just disallowed my 14 year old - jst not keen

It is 13, roisin. Just turned 12 is a bit dodgy.

DS2 started at 12 but shortly before his 13th birthday and we didn't get the permit sorted out for months after that (our fault, not the newsagent).

Otter, what does your DS do for money then? DS2 gets £22 a week for his round, it makes a huge difference to his lifestyle (we were only giving him £25 a month and as he now pays £15 for Sky Sports - because he watches it much more than anyone else - he only nets a tenner!)

i dont really give mine much money just when he needs it
he needs a cafe job or washing up - atm he babysits its a good earner and we pay him for jobs!

Dead tight me!

Thanks all. Julienetmum - I didn't know that about permits from the EWO: does that apply even to paper rounds?

ParentsCentre - Child Employment

Under 13 doesn't get a permit, because they're working illegally.

Are you absolutely sure he's just 12, not just 13, roisin?

Sorry, forgot to say, yes it does apply to paper-rounds - DS2 has a permit. The papershop gets the form and then sends it to the LEA - you have to show the birth certificate (we sent a photocopy, I think)

Yes, I'm absolutely certain of his age. He's at our school, so I've passed the matter over to our Head of Welfare for them to deal with.

They were pleased I had done and is going to follow it up.

I remember when I was at school a classmate had a paper round (she was 12) and the school got it stopped.

It applies to all employment.

If children under 14 want to perform in the theatre even you have to sign a declaration saying that the role they are playing can not reasonably be taken by an older child

Im 12 so if i was to do a paper round would that be illigal?

I think 13 is plenty young enough, any younger is not ok. Different dc would be ready at different ages of course but there has to be a cut off and 13 seems reasonable to me. I understand they can only have a paper round at 13, anything else is 14 except working in a kitchen which is 16 or behind a bar which is 18. Ds has just put his name down for a paper round. He's not 13 until later in the year so he won't be considered until then. If he was offered I would say no. He's a very sensible, capable boy who would most likely be fine but the cut off is 13 so no discussion.

You've done the right thing imo but, obviously, don't expect them to see it like that!

Oh darn, zombie thread, sorry!

Kickass, yes it would.

I run a papershop the child must be 13 there are many forms they have to apply for a work permit that manager,parent and child all have to sign giving designated times they will work and how many days they also have to have proof of age . A consent form from their parents , a proper contract and a starter statement with proof of address if they are to be 100% legal the starter statement must be handed to inland revenue once the child turns 16 if they still continue to do the round . Although the employer is acting illegally which I condone the parents must of consented to the round as the child leaves the house really early each morning

My ds was just 13 when he sarted his paper round and to be honest it was a worry fom the word go. He had to be out on his bike in the dark in the mornings at rush hour time and in the first year we had numerous problems. His new bike was accidently run over by someone whose paper he was delivering. His bike was also loaded into a van by thieves when he took his eyes off it for two minutes to deliver a paper up a steep driveway and the newsagent manger was a horrible nasty bullying man. or the £9.50 a week he earned for 6+ hours early in the morning it just wasn't worth the worry and I was gladwhen the nasty manager sacked him for no real reason. I gues an afternoon or weekend round might have been better, and I do now some kids who seem to earn a lot more. On a positive note he got loads of generous tips at christmas, plus gifts chocolates etc .We had to apply to the local council for a work permit which my ds's headmaster then signed, not sure if this is still the case or the same for all areas.