For children employed in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, download and complete our application form and return it to the address at the top of the form.

Child employment permit application (DOCX, 60.42KB)

Employment during compulsory education

Children, from the age of 13 until they leave compulsory education, are allowed to be employed providing:

• the employment complies with national law
• the employment complies with this borough’s bye-laws
• the child has an employment permit (regardless of if the work is paid or unpaid)

Compulsory education ends on the Friday before the last Monday in June during the academic year that the child reaches the age of 16. After this date, a child employment permit is no longer required.

Permit and employment card

If the application is successful, the permit is issued to the employer, along with an employment card. The issuing of employment permits and cards is free.

It comes in two parts:

• one part states the hours that the child is allowed to work,
• the other part has the child’s photograph on it.

The employment card must be available for inspection by a local authority officer. It is very important that the child and the employer take care of the employment card and keep it with them at work, or in the work place.

Laws and regulations

Laws and regulations apply to the employment of children and are referred to in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Employment of Young Children Bye-Laws 1998.

You can obtain a copy from the Education Statutory Services Team.