Catalogue description Home Office: Employment of Children (EMC Symbol Series) Files

The papers in this series are arranged in approximate numerical order by departmental file number. The inclusion of a date preceding the file number (as in EMC (1964) 3/7/10) indicates that the year in which the file was created was included in the file reference (in this case, 1964). This system of prefixing an "overyear" was introduced in 1958 by Home Office Notice 116/1958.

Although the earliest legislation specifically regarding children taking part in public entertainments is the Children's Dangerous Performances Act 1879, the first major piece of legislation to be enacted was the Prevention of Cruelty to, and Protection of, Children Act 1889. The powers of this act were amplified by the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act 1894, which enabled courts to issue licences for the employment of children in entertainment, and authorised factory inspectors to examine premises where children performed. Further refinements were embodied in the Employment of Children Act 1903.

Under the provisions of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, the Home Office dealt in general with child employment, whilst the Ministry of Education was responsible for making rules governing the licensing of child performers. The Ministry of Education also determined appeals against the decisions of local education authorities (LEAs), which acted as local licensing authorities empowered to make bye-laws governing child employment. Registers of licences issued were maintained by the LEAs. Following the recommendation of the Bateson Committee that one department should be responsible for the regulation of child employment in all types of entertainment, this function was assumed by the Home Office in 1951.

In 1972, the child care responsibilities of the Home Office and this file series were transferred to the Department of Health and Social Security.