The Children (Performance and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014
The Children (Performance and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014 sets out the arrangements that must be made to safeguard children when they take part in certain types of performances, paid sport or paid modelling and what the law requires of people responsible for putting on these performances and activities.
The legislation is in force to secure the health, proper treatment, and education of children from the day they are born through to the day when they cease statutory school age. Statutory school age ends on the day the child can legally leave school, which is the last Friday in June of the school year in which the child reaches 16 years of age. It does not finish on their sixteenth birthday.
Types of entertainment
This includes:
- taking part in a performance where the public pay to have access
- any performance in licensed premises, (hotel, public house etc.)
- any broadcast performance.
- any performance not falling within a broadcast performance but included in a programme service
- any performance that is being recorded for use in a broadcast, programme service or film
- taking part in modelling or sport for which the child or any other person receives payment.
When to apply for a child performance licence
The person responsible for the production or organisation of the activity must make the application for the licence.
Applications for child performance licences should be submitted, in full, at least 21 days in advance of the scheduled performance.
In exceptional circumstances, Licences may be issued if late applications are received; but this will be decided on a case by case basis. Please contact us to check if this is possible, before making a submission.
Requests for a child performance licences less than five days in advance of the performance will be refused.
How to apply
Apply for a child performance licence (PDF, 101KB)
Send your completed applications to:
Email: yvette.jackson@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Licence holders responsibilities
The licence holder is responsible, throughout the period covered by the licence, for ensuring that the child is in the charge of a responsible adult. This person is known in law as a Chaperone.
To find out about the regulations that apply to children in performance, including details of the child performance licences, read our guide for chaperones and performance licence holders.
Download the guide for chaperones and performance licence holders (PDF, 1.24MB)
Application for approval as chaperone
During a performance, children must be supervised at all times by an approved chaperone, unless they are under the direct supervision of their parent or legal guardian.
There are two types of chaperone approvals you can apply for:
- Volunteer – this enables you to chaperone as a volunteer without payment
- Professional – this enables you to chaperone in a paid capacity (there is a fee for this DBS check -please ask at the time of application for the cost)
Chaperones should apply to the council where they live. If you do not live within the Westmorland and Furness Council boundary, please apply to your own council.
To apply to become a chaperone you will need to:
- complete the online application form
- provide a recent photograph (head and shoulders similar to passport style)
- provide the contact details of two referees. The referees are required to provide the references within 28 days of the initial request made by the Local Authority. Failure to obtain these with the specified timescale will result in the termination of the application
- undertake Westmorland and Furness Council’s Level 1 Safeguarding Children course (e-learning)
- attend an interview with the Child Employment and Entertainment Officer
- complete a new DBS application with the Council if you do not have an Enhanced DBS Certificate registered on the Update Service. If you have an Enhanced DBS registered on the Update Service, you will need to bring the issued DBS Certificate into your local Council office to be verified.
The Child Employment and Entertainment Officer will need to undertake a number of checks, which include:
- an Enhanced DBS Check (formally known as a Criminal Records Bureau Check)
- Social Care checks
Applications for chaperone approval can take approximately three to four months due to the number of checks which must be undertaken. Once issued, the chaperone approval is valid for three years.
Once submitted, you will be invited to complete the Level 1 Safeguarding training. The e-learning course guidance will be emailed to you by Westmorland and Furness Council. Please complete the course within 28 days and ensure that you download and return a copy of your e-learning certificate and a photograph of yourself to ChildPerformance@WestmorlandAndFurness.gov.uk
Please note you will not be approved as a chaperone until the course has been completed.
Prior to the interview it is recommended that you read 'A Guide for Chaperones and Performance Licence Holders. You will need to be familiar with the content of the guide, as it gives you information on the law relating to your role as chaperone and the treatment of children in your care. Your knowledge of the role of chaperone will form the basis of your interview.
Renewal for approval as chaperone
To apply to renew your chaperone approval you will need to:
- complete the online form
- undertake Westmorland and Furness Council’s Level 1 Safeguarding Children course (e-learning)
(Once the online form is submitted, you will be invited to complete the Level 1 Safeguarding training. The e-learning course guidance will be emailed to you by Westmorland and Furness Council. Please complete the course within 28 days and ensure that you download and return a copy of your e-learning certificate to ChildPerformance@WestmorlandAndFurness.gov.uk) - complete a new DBS application with the Council if you do not have an Enhanced DBS Certificate registered on the Update Service. If you have an Enhanced DBS registered on the Update Service, you may need to bring the issued DBS Certificate into your local Council office to be verified.
The Child Employment and Entertainment Officer will need to undertake/arrange a number of checks, which include:
- an Enhanced DBS Check (formerly known as a Criminal Records Bureau Check) - this will be set up for you following receipt of your safeguarding certificate
- Social Care checks