It is oftentimes difficult for youth under 14 who want to earn money to find employment as they are too young for employment certificates, also known as work permits. Teens Learn & Live the Law provides information about several types of employment available for youth.

According to the website and the Code of Virginia § 40.1-79.01, anyone, at any age, is allowed to work at home for their parents doing domestic jobs such as cleaning house or taking out the trash; work on their parents’ farm, garden, or orchard doing such things as planting and feeding animals; work in a business owned by their parents except manufacturing, mining, or other dangerous jobs; work at another person’s house doing housecleaning or babysitting, with their parents’ permission; and participate with a volunteer rescue squad.

The Department of Human Services made one of those jobs safer by providing its first Babysitters Course at South Morrison Family Education Center. Six youth, ages 11 to 14 years, completed a three day training that included information about developmental stages of children and what to expect at each age; fire safety training by the Newport News Fire Department’s Public Education Unit; the Do’s and Don’ts of sitters; and babysitting as your first real job, your own business, and how to design your babysitting business. Upon completion, each student received certificates of completion, a pin stating “Protecting Children is Everyone’s Job”, and a starter babysitting bag with a host of items to bring to their first babysitting job.

For more information about youth employment and employment certificates go to Teens Learn & Live the Law.