Skip to site navigation

Accessibility Options

Font size

Colour scheme

Responsibilities of a chaperone

 
Chaperones act in 'loco parentis' and should exercise the care which a good parent might be reasonably expected to give that child.

Represent the child's interests and welfare

  • A chaperone's first priority is always to the child.

  • A chaperone is the key person 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 the child's licence or the regulations, (contact us if you experience difficulties here).
  • At no time should a child perform if unwell.

Don't look after too many children

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.

Make sure the children are licensed

  • The child should not perform if a licence has not been granted, unless they fall within the exemption period. Chaperones should not presume that a child is licensed. Always ask to see a child's Stage Licence upon arrival at a place of performance.

  • If the production company cannot prove that a child is licensed, Chaperones should contact the child's LEA urgently, otherwise a contravention may have occurred.

Keep note of contacts

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.

It is the production company's responsibility to take note of what time a child starts and finishes work.

A to Z of Services

About Greenwich

Contact information