Gainful employment for a 13-year-old girl

[LaineyW]

My daughter is very keen to do some actual paid work during the school holidays. Does anyone know what they can and can't do at that age? How old do they have to be to work at McDonalds etc? Her idea of a perfect job would be to work in a record shop and listen to Slipknot all day...

My youngest DD worked on a farm last summer, aged 13. They had made their maize into a maze and had mini scooters and trampolines etc there. She served tea and ice creams (I didn't know she had it in her!). She certainly loved the money.
I think you have to be quite careful - McDs certainly would not take her at 13. It needs to be something relatively 'unofficial.' I would look around at summer activity places...

If you do employ under 18s, the employer needs to do a specific risk assessment also that takes into account their age.
second leaflet down has the info

Typical jobs might be collecting glasses in pub, delivering newspapers and leaflets, sweeping up in hairdressers, setting up in fruit and veg shop, clearing tables in cafe etc

I've also known teens work in a rival of McD at a young age

Local stables !

Thanks everyone,

I've downloaded the leaflet. Her careers adviser at school has also given us some info. as they need a work permit too apparently.

We've compiled a CV (with colour photo!) and will be doing a CV drop in our village and nearby town tonight. Fingers crossed! She only has three full weeks in which she can work though, but hopefully something will come up. The whole process has been very useful in terms of getting her to phone people up independently and push herself forward a bit.

I don't think you will get anyone to legally employ her..the jobs i mentioned were all casual black market

my 14 year old neice got work distributing leaflets for a theatre company and also for a music venue.cash in hand and a few free tickets for gigs.

Hurrah! We've found something! There's a kids' play area attached to a campsite actually in our village.

DD has to phone at 10am every morning to see if she's needed then can work up to 25 hours a week apparently during the summer hols.

Apparently they're open at weekends too so this could spill over into term time if she makes the grade.

We've just filled in the form which the school gave her, which also needs to be counter-signed by the headmaster and the prospective employer then Bob's your uncle, a work permit should come through quite quickly!

Didn't think it would be quite so straight forward but she's delighted (she might not be quite so enthusiastic after a 6-hour shift in charge of a load of wild kids though....)