Getting used to the world of work is great for children. They learn responsibility, how to work as part of a team, gain valuable life experience and see the financial and social benefits of work.

However, because children have very little experience of what can go wrong at work, they are more at risk from hazards that adults would understand and deal with as a matter of course.

Employers have a special duty to ensure that children’s experience in work is safe and healthy, as well as enjoyable and rewarding.

Argyll and Bute Council has byelaws in place which require children to hold permits for employment. Young people under the age of 16 are not permitted to do work which could harm their physical safety, cause ill-health or affect their development or educational attainment.

As the summer holidays approach, parents and employers are reminded that children need permits to work safely and legally.

Now is the time to apply for a permit if a child has been offered work over the holidays. Applying for a permit is easy, and can be done through the Council’s website – look for Employment of Children in the A-Z of links.

There is no charge for applying for a permit, but it is illegal to employ a child without one.