A Saturday job used to be a rite of passage for many children, but pressure to succeed at school and other factors means that's no longer the case. The number of schoolchildren with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years, new figures show. The findings come from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all local authorities across the UK responsible for issuing child employment permits. Employers need to apply for a licence to hire staff under the age of 16. The number of permits fell by more than 20 percentage points between 2012 and 2016 - from 29,498 to 23,071. Dr Angus Holford said he believed young people in compulsory education are fearful that a part-time job could hinder their performance at school. Geoff Barton said: "Properly regulated part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives. Employment regulations state that work for 13 to 15 year-olds must be light duties only and between the hours of 7am and 7pm (including holidays). Jobs that need a permit include retail work, newspaper rounds, waiting on tables, office or clerical work, and leaflet delivery. The rules are different for baby-sitting or the odd job for families and individuals.
