Family : Changes in Childhood - Legal controls over children

• Legal controls over children

  Many laws restricting what children can do primarily arise from a desire to protect their overall health and safety, security and well-being, to protect them from exploitation - for example, by minimum wage regulations - and harm from child abuse and paedophilia. There are also many laws preventing children and young people from engaging in activities which they are thought not yet to be sufficiently mature or responsible to participate in.
• Legal controls over children

  Getting married (age 16 with parent/guardian consent, otherwise age 18).
• Legal controls over children

  Driving a car (age 17).
• Legal controls over children

  Voting and becoming a Member of Parliament or a local councillor (age 18).
• Legal controls over children

  Taking paid work: those under 14 (13 in some areas) aren't allowed to undertake paid work, except for odd jobs for a parent, relative or neighbour, babysitting, light work like a paper round, and some specially licensed sport, advertising, modelling or appearing in plays, films, television shows or other entertainment, Those under school-leaving age are not allowed to work during school hours or for more than two hours on any school day or 12 hours in any week, or before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m.
• Legal control over children

  Having sex: those under the age of 16 (the age of consent) cannot legally engage in sexual acts.
• Legal control over children

  Buying some goods: shopkeepers cannot legally sell lottery tickets, aerosol paints and petrol to under-16s, or cigarettes, tobacco, solvents, lighter fuel, knives and alcohol to under-18s.
• Legal control over children

  Watching or buying some films or computer games: films, DVDs, video and computer games have '12', '15' and '18' age restrictions.