8:10am Thursday 4th September 2008
An investigation by Surrey County Council has found more than half the children employed by businesses in the county could be working illegally.
As part of Surrey’s child employment week, the council’s child employment team visited 320 premises and found 110 children working. Of these, 64 per cent were working illegally without permits.
The county council is to launch an education programme for employers because most of the culprits were ignorant of the law rather than deliberately flouting it.
Peter Martin, Surrey County Council executive member for schools, children and youth services, said: “We believe that children can benefit greatly from part-time work, gaining life skills and extra pocket money.
“But that employment has to be suitable and properly regulated. A permit helps us to make sure children are being treated correctly by employers.
“It is important that children are employed correctly, but we are not about to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut when all most employers need is advice on how to act correctly."
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.surreycomet.co.uk