>> Supporting parents of young offenders

Help on leaving school, money for study, benefits and telling employers about convictions.

More details will be added to this page over the summer.

The last Friday in June is the official school leaving date, your son or daughter must be 16 by 31 August of this year in order to start work legally.

Note: The last Friday in June in 2009 is Friday 26 June.

This means:

• they cannot start full-time work before the last Friday in June even if they are 16 and in Year 11 or would be in Year 11 if they were attending school.
• they can start full-time work after the last Friday in June even if they are 15, as long as they are 16 by 31 August of this same year.

Warning! Anyone starting work before the last Friday in June is working illegally and is therefore not covered by insurance - if they have an accident at work, they will not be entitled to compensation.

	Find out about money for learning 16+
	Telling employers about a criminal record - advice from the National Youth Agency's website youthinformation.com
	Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance and other benefits - information from Directgov