In employment, a young person is someone who is over the
compulsory school age but under the age of 18. In England and
Wales, a person is no longer of compulsory school age after the
last Friday of June of the school year in which their 16th
birthday occurs. In Scotland, pupils whose 16th birthday falls
between 1 March and 30 September may not leave before the 31 May
of that year. Pupils aged 16 on or between 1 October and the
last day of February may not leave until the start of the
Christmas holidays in that school year. In Northern Ireland, a
person is no longer of compulsory school age after the 30th June
of the school year in which their 16th birthday occurs. The
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (or
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern
Ireland) 2000) requires you to undertake a risk assessment
before a young person starts work or work experience. Try to
look at your workplace from an adolescent's viewpoint. What
dangers will they recognise? They may not be