Children as young as 13 are skipping school in Bradford to go out to work - including working in telesales.

Education social workers discovered one pupil working as a telesales operator instead of being in class.

And another youngster was so tired after delivering milk in the early hours he dozed off at his desk.

Now education chiefs are clamping down on the trend - and warning companies they could be prosecuted if they let work interfere with Bradford youngsters' schooldays.

Madalene Lock, newly-appointed Attendance Co-ordinator at the council, said: "There is nothing wrong with children having jobs, but the message we're trying to get across to parents and employers is that it must not interfere with school. We know a lot of teenagers are keen to work, because they want extra money to buy the latest trainers or computer games, or help out the family business.

"Parents often don't see the harm if their son or daughter misses the odd day at school or is a bit tired when they set off for school. But the more lessons pupils miss, the more they fall behind."

Youngsters must be 'licensed' by the education authority in order to work, but officials have discovered some unscrupulous employers willing to cash in by offering work to disaffected pupils.

Recent cases include:

THE 14 year old working in telesales during school hours

A 13 YEAR old boy regularly dozing off in class. It emerged he worked a daily milk round from 1.45am to 8am

A CHILD was found working in an office with no access to a toilet, and a blocked off fire exit.

Errant firms have already been reported to the police.

And education social workers - who have launched a new campaign, Every School Day Counts, want to highlight and put an end to the practice.

And Madalene Lock added: "In the case of the boy on the milk round, he was falling asleep regularly in the classroom. One of his teachers got to hear about what was going on, and they passed it on to us.

"We passed the details on to the police. The company would take it more seriously if we turn up with a police officer.

"We tell them what the law is, and follow it up in writing. The rules on milk rounds are clear - you have to be 16.

"I don't think we have ever had to take legal action against anyone, nationally, it's very rare."

By law, children under 14 should not be employed (although 13 year olds can do limited work in a few named occupations). Children should not work before 7am or after 7pm and should not exceed two hours a day. Under 16s are specifically banned from working in cinemas or nightclubs, delivering milk, working in commercial kitchens and collecting or sorting refuse.

Jobs permitted for children of 13 and over include work in stables, kennels or cattery; delivering newspapers; office work, shop work and work in a hair salon.

Eccleshill School's head teacher Neil Donkin said he was familiar with the problem of milkrounds but added he had never heard of a pupil starting work as early as 1.45am.

He said: "Another case we are aware of is children who are coming up to the school leaving age of 16 and taking part-time work stuffing mailshots into envelopes.

"Very often they're working for employers who have very little concern for their health and safety. They are often underpaid and it affects their school work as they haven't officially left school.

"If we become aware of pupils in these situations we would work with our education social welfare colleagues who have the power to visit employers and stop the practise happening.

"Most employers do co-operate with the education welfare service team once they have been contacted."

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