Parents and carers

The law

Parents and carers have no specific responsibilities under health and safety law, except when they provide work experience for members of their own family. In that case they will have the same health and safety responsibilities as other placement providers.

What information should parents and carers provide?

Parents and carers should:

• provide the organiser with relevant information about their child’s medical or behavioural conditions, which may make the placement unsuitable for them. It may be necessary to provide consent for any approach required to the school medical service. This information will be supplied to the placement provider, so it can be taken into account in the risk assessment for the student’s work placement;
• inform education establishments and organisers of any actual or potential health and safety problems in the placement which their children may tell them about;
• provide their consent to the work experience placement, normally by signing a form which includes the company details, duties to be undertaken, and the risk assessment and control measures.

What information should parents and carers receive?

Parents and carers should receive:

• the results of the placement provider’s risk assessment for the work experience placement and of the control measures to eliminate/control the identified risks;
• a copy of the consent form for the work experience placement. This may include further information on the placement, for example a plan of work during the placement, training and supervision, and procedures in the event of an accident;
• information on insurance cover for the student in case of an accident. (If the student has been placed in the family business, the relevant Employers’ Liability insurance cover must be in place.);
• information showing that it is a condition of work experience that students do not receive payment. They will therefore not be entitled to industrial injuries benefits if they are involved in an accident while taking part in work experience.

Students should be properly prepared before the placement.

Young worker safety – advice for parents, produced by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, provides further advice for parents.