Simon Petch

The government has faced calls to reform laws regarding the employment of children.

In a report published on Wednesday, the Better Regulation Task Force argued that employers, parents and children have been left confused by a series of by-laws and European regulations in this area.

However, the study found that the law regarding children in employment remains rooted with the 1933 Children and Young Persons Act.

Under the current system, children who wish to work are required to apply for a work permit, while employers must apply for documentation for each child employed.

But fewer than 10 per cent of children who work are thought to hold the required paperwork.

Instead, the Better Regulation Task Force recommended that instead, employers should register with their local authorities as an employer of children, rather than for each individual worker.

The report recommended that the Department for Education and Skills begin work in this area from September.

Authors suggested that a consultation on this new system of regulation begin in February next year, along with producing best practice guidelines alongside local authorities.

The issue should also come under the remit of the Director of Children's Services in each local authority, they argued.

Speaking to ePolitix.com, chairman of the study Simon Petch argued that the proposed timetable for reform was realistic, as it is completed through regulatory reform orders.

"Our understanding is that this will be something that the departmental lawyers will get underway in the middle of the year, and probably finish in the second half of the year," he said.

"We're also recommending consultations on how they're working, and we believe that with all the bits and pieces, were ministers to accept the report, we should be talking about probably the beginning of the next school year - 2005, or the end of 2005.

"We think that's probably realistic to get this sorted, and that would include giving time for the important job, which is to actually publicise and get understood what the law is."