Chaperone Service

A child taking part in a performance, which can include TV or filming, theatre, sporting activities or modelling, will require chaperoning.
 
"Chaperones act in 'loco parentis' and should exercise the care which a good parent might be reasonably expected to give that child".
 
Application for a Chaperone Licence must be made to the Local Education Authority (LEA) in whose area the prospective chaperone lives. Due to various checks which have to be made, the time between the LEA receiving an application and the issuing of a Chaperone Licence can take a while - please allow for this.

Responsibilities of a Chaperone

• A Chaperone's first priority is always to the child.
• A Chaperone is the key person to whom the child looks to for guidance, protection, clarification and support.
• One of a Chaperone's greatest strengths is their ability to negotiate with the production company 'on site' and be able to say no when what is being requested of the child is contrary or detrimental to either the child's health, well being and/or education. For example, requesting a child to stay at a place of performance over and above the hours/times laid down in either the child's licence or the regulations, lack of education time, and so forth (contact the Local Education Authority if you experience difficulties here).
• At no time should a child perform if unwell.
• Chaperones should keep a note of important contacts, for example, their Licensing Authority, the child's Licensing Authority, the Local Authority in whose area the child is performing, the child's Agent and the child's Parent/Legal Guardian.
• The maximum number of children chaperones are allowed to have in their care at any one time is 12. But, in a lot of instances this will be too many (diverse mixture of ages requiring more concentrated supervision and so forth). We recommend 8 children to be the maximum in many cases.
• The child should not perform if a licence has not been granted, unless they fall within the exemption period.
• Chaperone's should not presume that a child is licensed. Always ask to see a child's Licence upon arrival at a place of performance.
• If the production company cannot prove that a child is licensed, Chaperone's should contact the child's LEA urgently, otherwise a contravention may have occurred.
• Production companies are required to log certain activities during a performance i.e. arrival and departure times at the place of the performance etc.

 

Duties of a Chaperone

Children Performance Regulations 1968

The maximum number of children in the care of a chaperone at any one time may not exceed 12; there may be occasions when they could only perform their duties satisfactorily if the number were smaller, eg if the children were living away from home.

The chaperones first duty is to the children in their care; while acting as chaperone they may not engage in any activity that would interfere with the performance of their duties. Except when a child is in the care of a teacher, the chaperone is in loco parentis and should exercise the care which a good parent might be reasonably expected to give that child. Their precise duties while the child is at the place of performance will vary according to the nature of the performance. If the child is working in the theatre, the times when he/she is to be at the theatre and when he/she will be on stage are known in advance, and must come within what is permitted by the regulations. The chaperone's main duties will be to ensure that, when the child is not actually performing (including the period in between performances if there are two performances on the same day and he/she does not go home or back to his/her lodgings), he/she is properly supervised and has adequate meals, rest and recreation.

A child appearing in a film may be at the studios or place of location for much of the day. During the whole of this time he/she is in the chaperone's charge, except when having lessons. It is for them to accompany him/her from the dressing room or school room to the set and take him/her back to the dressing room or school room, as well as remaining on the set while he/she is there. They are required to keep a record of the time the child is on the set, and the time he/she rehearses and performs, so as to ensure that the periods permitted under the regulations are not exceeded. They must also see that the child gets not less that the required number of breaks for rest and meals. They should make sure that the child has suitable opportunities for recreational activities and is protected from stress, strain, bad weather and any other conditions likely to harm him/her.

If a child is living away from home, the chaperone is responsible for him/her throughout the currency of the licence. This includes seeing that the child's lodgings are satisfactory in every way; and that he/she is properly occupied during his/her spare time; and in general they may need to exercise a greater amount of supervision than if the child was living at home.

No child should be allowed to perform when unwell. If a child falls ill or is injured while in the charge of a chaperone teacher, a doctor should be called and the licence holder must immediately notify the parent named in the application form, and the local authority.
 

Instruction to Chaperones

Children in Entertainments

• A Chaperone (who may be a man or a woman) must be appropriate by the Local Education Authority issuing the licence.
• The chaperone's first duty is to the children in her/his care. While she/he is acting as chaperone she/he may not engage in any other activity that would interfere with the performance of her/his duties.
• Except when a child is in the care of a teacher, the chaperone is in loco parentis and should exercise the care, which a good parent might reasonably expect to give that child.
• A chaperone must not be in charge of more than twelve children.
• Where it is proposed that the private teacher shall undertake the combined duties of teacher and chaperone then such an arrangement shall not be approved if her/his duties as chaperone require her/him to be in charge of more than three children.
• When children are living away from home they must be in the constant charge of the chaperone that shall accompany them from lodgings to the theatre or studios and back again. She/he must arrange to sleep in the same lodgings as the children and near to the rooms occupied by the children.
• It is a special responsibility of the chaperone to see that the lodgings occupied by the children are adequate, clean and comfortable. If she/he considers the lodgings are unsatisfactory she/he should report the fact to the Local Education Office and ask for assistance in finding suitable lodgings.
• If any child is unwell, a doctor must be sent for. No child shall perform when unwell and, in the event of indisposition, a child must be sent home under proper escort. The parents and the Local Education Authority should be informed immediately.

 

Children Working in the Theatre

• The chaperone's precise duties while a child is working in the theatre will vary according to the nature of the performance.
• The times the child must be at the theatre and when she/he will be on stage and the time for leaving the theatre are known in advance and chaperones are responsible for seeing the child's performance is kept to these times, which are in accordance with the regulations.
• The chaperone must ensure that when a child is not actually performing (including the period between performances, if there are two on the same day and she/he does not go back to her/his lodgings during this time) she/he is supervised and has adequate meals, rest and recreation.
• The chaperone shall accompany the child from the dressing room to the wings to await her/his entrance and take her/him back to the dressing room after her/his part in the performance is over.

 

Children in Television, Radio and Films

• The chaperone shall be in charge of the child the whole of the time she/he is at the television, broadcasting or film studios.
• The chaperone shall accompany her/him from the dressing room or school to the studio or set and take her/him back to the dressing room or classroom.
• The chaperone will remain on the set while the child is there and keep records of the times she/he performs or rehearses to ensure that the times laid down in the regulations are not exceeded.
• The chaperone shall ensure that the child has the number of breaks for rest and meals appropriate to a child of her/his age, as laid down in the regulations.
• The chaperone shall ensure that the child has suitable opportunities for recreational activities and is protected from stress, strain, bad weather and any other conditions likely to harm her/him.
• These instructions are merely supplementary to the regulations and to the conditions licence, with which all concerned must be fully acquainted and strictly comply.