General Entertainment Information
General Information About Children Who Take Part In
Entertainment
If you are a parent or other person involved with children who
take part in entertainment, including children who are paid to take
part in sport or modelling, then you should read this information.
The legislation controlling children in entertainment is very
complex and cannot by fully explained in a short document such as
this.
There are strict laws and regulations governing children who
take part in performances of all kinds, including performing in
theatres and other venues, broadcasting and films. Paid modelling
and paid sport also come within this legislation. (Singing in a
choir or playing in an orchestra is not performing and therefore
does not come within the legislation).
The Law requires children under the upper limit of compulsory
school age (a child’s compulsory schooling finishes on the last
Friday in June of the school year during which they have their 16th
birthday and not on their 16th birthday) to be licensed by their
Local Education Authority for such entertainment, apart from those
who are expressly exempted under the legislation.
The exemptions are only for performances organised under
arrangements made by a) a school of education, or b) a ‘Body of
Persons’ approved by the Local Education Authority. There may also
be an exemption if the child has not performed on more than three
occasions in the previous six months.
(‘Body of Persons’ is a legal term referring to a group of people
who are organising an event on an amateur basis).
Licences for all types of performances, including paid modelling
must be applied for by the producer of the event or the model
agency. The application must be made on the Child Entertainment
Licence Application Form (MS Word, 100KB) - obtainable from the
Education Welfare Service, completed by the applicant and the
parent, and returned to the Education Welfare Service at least 21
days before the event. The Education Welfare Service may refuse to
issue a licence under certain circumstances and therefore the child
cannot take part in the event. Time off school may only be
authorised by a licence issued by the Education Welfare Service
after consultation with the child’s head teacher.
Body of Persons
The exemption for a ‘body of persons’ is intended primarily for
entertainment given by such bodies as youth organisations and
amateur dramatic societies.
Approval for exemption by the ‘body of persons’ must be sought
from the Education Welfare Service at the local Area Education
Office. An appropriate adult should contact the designated officer
of the Education Welfare Service as early as possible in the
planning stage to discuss whether or not the exemption will be
considered. Written details on the Body of
Persons Application Form (MS Word, 120KB) will be required
by the Education Welfare Services before final approval is given.
The approval may contain conditions concerning the child’s welfare.
If approval for exemption is refused then the child may take part
in the performance only if the Education Welfare Service has issued
a licence.
The legislation allows the Local Education Authority to make any
enquiries they consider necessary before granting a licence or
approving an exemption. These enquiries may include contacting the
child’s head teacher to ascertain the likely effects of taking part
in the performance or activity on the child’s education. Also,
enquiries into the child’s medical fitness may be sought from the
child’s G.P. or Consultant Community Paediatrician. Restrictions or
conditions may apply to the licence or approval.
There are occasions when a child taking part in entertainment
must be looked after by an adult chaperone (This person is referred
to as a Matron) or taught by a tutor. Both these people must be
approved by the child’s education authority - Matron and Tutor information.