UK Act of Parliament
1963
United Kingdom
Children and Young Persons Act 1963
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
2 compliance obligations, 5 practical guides across 2 topics
Penalty landscape
1 of 2 obligations carry a fine up to £100. 1 carries different penalties — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 2
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Other Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part I — Care and Control of Children and Young Persons
Increase of penalty for cruelty.
Fine up to £100- Cruelty to a child under 16 Any Person
Browse 21 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
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Offences committed by children.
Constitution and place of sitting of juvenile courts.
Jurisdiction of magistrates’ courts in certain cases involving children and young persons.
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Attendance at court of parents of child or young person brought before court.
Medical evidence by certificate.
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Form of oath for use in juvenile courts and by children and young persons in other courts.
Provisions as to persons between the ages of 17 and 18.
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Increase of penalty for sales of tobacco, etc. , to persons under 16.
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Part II — Employment of Children and Young Persons
Offences.
3 months imprisonment- Unlawfully employing children in performances Any Person
Browse 10 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Hours of employment.
Street trading.
Increase of certain penalties.
Restriction on persons under 16 taking part in public performances, etc.
Restriction on licences for performances by children under 14.
Supplementary provisions as to licences under section 37.
Licences for training persons between 12 and 16 for performances of a dangerous nature.
Licences for children and young persons performing abroad.
Extended powers of entry.
Construction of Part II.
Part III — Miscellaneous and General
Browse 18 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
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Arrest in one part of British Islands of children or young persons escaping in other part.
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Emigration with consent of Secretary of State.
Prosecution of offences under Part I or Part II of principal Act.
Newspaper and broadcast reports of proceedings involving children.
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Expenses.
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Interpretation.
†Amendments, transitional provisions, and repeals.
Citation, construction, commencement and extent.
Schedules
Browse 35 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Minor and Consequential Amendments
CONSTITUTION OF JUVENILE COURTS
The following provisions of this Part of this Schedule shall...
A magistrates’ courts committee, before submitting recommendations for an order...
Where the Secretary of State proposes to make an order...
Where notice of recommendations or a copy of a proposed...
The following provisions of this Part of this Schedule shall...
Juvenile courts shall be constituted for the whole of the...
Subject to the following provisions of this Schedule—
If at any time, by reason of illness or other...
Where it appears to the chairman that a juvenile court...
The Secretary of State, in nominating any persons under this...
The enactments relating to the provision of land and buildings...
A justice shall not be qualified to sit as a...
An order of the Secretary of State under this Schedule...
Any such order may contain supplementary, incidental and consequential provisions....
Subject to the following provisions of this Part of this...
A magistrates’ courts committee may make recommendations to the Secretary...
lt shall be the duty of the magistrates’ courts committee...
Subject to the provisions of this Schedule—
Where a combined juvenile court panel is formed for any...
No order under this Schedule shall provide for the formation...
An order under this Schedule providing for the formation of...
In section 53(4), for the words “shall return” there shall...
In section 58, for the words “for the detention of...
(1) . . . . . . . . ....
In section 33, for the words “public performance” there shall...
In section 36(1), for the words “an entertainment or performance”...
In section 38(3), for the words “The said provisions” there...
For subsection (3) of section 18 there shall be substituted...
In section 23, for the words “public performance” there shall...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 29, after the words...
(1) In subsection (2) of section 24 for the words...
In the proviso to section 25(1), for the words “Great...
In section 28(1) for the words “an entertainment or performance”...
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- BBFC: submit a work for classification (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- GOV.UK: entertainment licensing (opens in a new tab) from DCMS Detailed Guidance
- Child employment: rules for young workers (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Copyright guidance (opens in a new tab) from IPO Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Local Authority (Environmental Health / Licensing / Planning)
Local councils enforce food safety (via Environmental Health Officers), issue alcohol licences, grant planning permission, and regulate certain business activities at local …
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Browse legislation
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Regulators
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