Posted By Penfold Can someone put me on the right track to look into work experience for 14-15 year olds. They are coming in for a week in a large office spending some time with the teams seeing how an office works. What should we have in place? We do have procedures in place for employing young persons, but this is the first time we are looking at work experience. Is there anyone who already provides work experience? Thanks if anyone can advise

Posted By Sally http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/workexperience/ everything you every needed to know! The info on here is good and comprehensive. From experience the biggest potential issue in an office is that they are so eager to make an impression and do well that they can be reluctant to admit they don't understand something or to ask for help.

Posted By stephen d clarke Hi, Just to add to the above R0SPA also have info for employers re. work experience youngsters at: http://www.youngworker.co.uk/ Steve

Posted By Bob Youel the people responsible for placing them with you should have all the law etc info to hand - contact them

Posted By A Campbell We have dealings with this too.. The school or colledge should enquire as to what systems you have in place. I also think that they should inform the local authority too (unless this is only for long term work?)

Posted By Pete48 Further to my link to the Cornish site and just to clarify for all. Work experience placements in year 10 and 11 are part of the curriculum. Although schools have a responsibility to satisfy themselves that it is safe for the child to attend many use a placement service such as the local Education Business Partnership to carry out an overall assessment of the suitability with the experience provider. This covers whether the provider has adequate H&S systems in place generally and then looks specifically for a risk assessment for WEX. You can find more details on the "safelearner" website. Most will help the provider if they do not have an assessment. Children who attend on WEX are doing so under the WEX Regs and not local bye-laws. Therefore, no need to inform anyone else and the working hours are in line with the WTD for young people NOT the limited hours in most local bye laws. Hope this helps to clarify how easy it is to manage this important opportunity for youngsters to experience that real world" that we all hold up as such an important part of life.

Posted By water67. Hi. LA here, our education department has it's own vetting/monitoring in place overseen by one of their H&S officers. I am surprised the LA in question is allowing YP into your workplace without checking the suitability and other areas such as employers liability, H&S policies etc. get back to them and ascertain what they require..as has been said there are specific requirements re risk assessments for YP. Cheers

Posted By Penfold Wow, loads more responses. I have found out this company has done this previously and am sure they have every thing in place. This is the first time I have come across this and wanted to know through you guys what I need to ask. I am in the process of obtaining the relevant documentation from the company and the school. From the info and links you have given, I can make sure all is in hand. Thanks again. This forum is a gold mine!!