What is a Chaperone?
Children in entertainment must be in the care of either their parent, the children's legal guardian or an approved chaperone at all times.
A chaperone is the key person to whom a child looks to for guidance, protection, clarification and support.
The chaperone will be acting in loco parentis and should exercise the care which a good parent might be reasonably expected to give a child.
The word 'Matron' is used within the legislation. Nowadays matrons are generally referred to as chaperones. They are one and the same.
Can the chaperone look after more than one child?
The maximum number of children chaperones are allowed to have in their care at any one time is 12.
In a lot of instances this may be too high a ratio (diverse mixture of ages and sexes requiring more concentrated supervision, type of venue etc.)
Therefore, the issuing local education authority may insist on a smaller ratio of children per chaperone or that two chaperones are required in order to split the care of male and female children or/and wide differences in age groups.
Ratios are at the discretion of the child's licensing local education authority.
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What are the chaperone's duties?
A Chaperone's first priority is always to the child. They are the key person to whom the child looks to for guidance, protection, clarification and support.
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.
One of a Chaperone's greatest strengths is her/his 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 on either the child's licence or within the regulations
- Lack of education time.
A chaperone will need to be familiar with the information contained in the broadcast tables below.
What does the chaperone do 'On Set'?
Production companies are required to log certain activities during a performance, ie arrival & departure times at the place of the performance etc.
In many cases this task is designated to the chaperone who completes the forms and submits them to the company at the end of each day.
The chaperone is required:
- To keep a record of the times the child is on the set and the times the child rehearses and performs, so as to ensure that the periods permitted under the Regulations are not exceeded.
- To ensure the child gets the required number of breaks for rest and meals.
- To 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.
However the legal responsibility for record keeping is still with the Licence Holder.
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What does the chaperone do 'Off Set'?
Except while they are actually performing or are in charge of an approved teacher, children must be under the supervision of the chaperone from the time of their arrival at the theatre until they are handed over at the end of the last performance to the care of a parent or other authorised adult who will accompany them to their homes.
What about when the child is away from home on tour?
If a child is living away from home the chaperone is responsible for him throughout the currency of the licence.
- All communications (written or otherwise) with children must be made through the medium of the chaperone.
- The chaperone shall ensure that except when the child would normally be on holiday, the course of education provided by the employer and approved by the licensing Authority is followed.
- The children must be in the constant charge of the chaperone, who must accompany them at all times when they are out in the streets. He/she must arrange to sleep in the house in which the children sleep, near to the room occupied by the children.
- This includes seeing that the lodgings are satisfactory in every way and that the child is properly occupied during any spare time and in general he/she may need to exercise a greater amount of supervision than if the child were living at home.
- The chaperone should inspect the lodgings and report at once to the employer of the children if he/she considers them unsatisfactory in any respect.
It is to be distinctly understood that the chaperone must undertake no other duties which will at any time separate him/her from the children or in any way interfere with the proper supervision of the children while in his/her care.
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Who arranges accommodation?
Regulation 13 of the Children (Performances) Regulations 1968 lays down that where by reason of taking part in a performance a child has to live elsewhere than at the place where he would otherwise live, that child shall live only in premises which have been approved by the Local Authority for the area in which he is to perform as suitable for occupation by him.
The lodgings should be arranged before the application for a licence is made so that the Local Authority has sufficient time in which to inspect them so as to satisfy themselves that:
- the lodgings are clean, comfortable
- suitable for children with sufficient bedrooms, bedding, lavatories and washing facilities
- suitable facilities for meals, both at the lodgings and elsewhere, if all meals are not to be taken at the lodgings.
This is particularly important when a number of children from the area of different licensing authorities are involved as the Local Authority must know in advance:
- the arrangements for accommodating them
- the number, ages and sex of the children expected
- the duration of their stay
The Local Authority may impose any condition they think fit:
- to bring a particular facility or item of equipment up to the standard they think necessary for the child's welfare, or
- o ensure the adequacy of the arrangements to take the child to and from the place of performance.
There may be difficulty in meeting such conditions before the children arrive if the Local Authority are not given sufficient time to inspect the lodgings and decide what conditions (if any) to impose.
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What if the child is unwell?
At no time should a child perform if unwell. If there are any child protection issues, don't wait, contact the POLICE immediately and remove the child from the situation.
Does the child need a Licence?
The chaperone should make him or herself thoroughly familiar with the terms of the licences granted by the Local Education Authorities and see that as far as lies within his/her powers, the conditions are properly fulfilled.
The chaperone should be familiar with the Children (Performances) Regulations 1968.
- Chaperones should not presume that a child is licensed to perform.
- The child should not perform if a licence has not been granted, unless they fall within the exemption period.
- Chaperones should always ask to see the licence of a child they are chaperoning upon arrival at the place of performance if they have not themselves already received a copy.
If the production company cannot prove that the child being chaperoned is licensed, then on all occasions:
- Inform the child's local education authority, or
- the local authority in whose area the performance is taking place as soon as is practicably possible, otherwise a contravention may have occurred.
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Does the chaperone need a Licence?
Yes, chaperones must be licensed.
It is important to think ahead when applying for a Chaperone Licence, especially if you are booked to chaperone a forthcoming performance, as the disclosure checks through the Criminal Records Bureau can take 6 weeks or more to come through.
Can I act as or become a chaperone?
Parents, unless they are also licensed chaperones, cannot chaperone children other than their own.
Grandparents, uncles, child minders and the like are NOT legal guardians unless they are recognised as such by the courts. They need to be approved as chaperones in order to chaperone a child.
To be approved as a chaperone, applicants must apply to the local education authority in whose area they normally live.
What checks are required to become a chaperone?
Generally applicants will be required to produce the following documentation when applying to become an approved chaperone to children in entertainment, ie name, address, references and passport photographs plus complete a Disclosure Application.
In order to protect children Northamptonshire County Council believes that it is vital that ALL applicants applying for a chaperone licence (approval to become a chaperone) are checked through the Criminal Records Bureau's enhanced disclosure procedure.
NOTE: It will be necessary to think ahead when applying for a Chaperone Licence, especially if booked to chaperone a forthcoming performance, as the disclosure checks through the Criminal Records Bureau can take up to three months or more to come through.
An enhanced disclosure application replaces the previous Police Check system used by most local education authorities and comes under the Department of Health's Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), not the local education authority.
There is a requirement to attend the Local education authority offices in person and produce documentation, ie passport, birth certificate and so forth.
The local education authority will then send all documentation to the Criminal Records Bureau for checking. The results of this check will be sent to the applicant and the applicant's local education authority separately.
Once this information is received by a local education authority a decision will be made whether to issue a chaperone licence. There will be a charge for disclosure checks. At present, 2008, the charge is £76 for the CRB check or £40 if chaperoning is unpaid.
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Who do I contact for an application form?
Applicants must apply to the local education authority in whose area they normally live.
or alternatively contact us using the details on the right.
Is there any legislation available?
- Children & Young Persons Act 1933 & 1963
- Children (Performances) Regulations 1968
- The Children (Performance) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1998(1)
- The Children (Performance) Amendment Regulations
- The Children (Performance) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2000
More information on the above can be found on The Office of Public Sector Information website (see Related Links).
For more information use the contact details or complete the online form on the right.
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