A 17-year-old boy has been charged after a police officer was kicked in the head at a Melbourne shopping centre on Boxing Day.

Police have charged the Point Cook teen with assaulting an emergency worker on duty, intentionally causing injury and recklessly causing injury and common law assault.

He will appear in an out-of-sessions hearing at the Children's Court on Friday.

A teen has been charged over a Boxing Day assault on a police officer. Credit:Jason South

The police officer was attempting to detain a 16-year-old boy for shoplifting at Maribyrnong's Highpoint Shopping Centre on Boxing Day when he was assaulted.