One of the most common forms of employment for children in the UK is newspaper delivery work. The occupation is portrayed as ideally suitable for young teenagers as it enables them to combine attending school with part-time employment. However, as this article demonstrates, the reality is far removed from this rosy image. Drawing on empirical work carried out in Belfast in 1998, the article illustrates the heterogeneous nature of newspaper delivery work. The article demonstrates this by examining the hours worked, wage levels and general working conditions of newspaper deliverers in Belfast. The article also challenges the notion that the work that children commonly do tends to provide them with few transferable skills.
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