Chaperone Requirements for Children

A child taking part in any performance which can include (but is not limited to) TV appearances, filming, theatre, sporting activities or modelling will require a chaperone. Chaperones act in 'loco parentis' and should exercise the care which a parent would be expected to give that child.

Who needs a Chaperone Licence?

All adults who are chaperoning a child (including dance school instructors) that is taking part in any performance regardless of whether the child requires a performance licence or not. These adults must have a Chaperone Licence issued by the Local Authority in which they live. Parents do not need a chaperone licence to chaperone their own child.

Who can apply to be a Chaperone?

Any adult may apply to the LA to be approved as a chaperone. The criteria for approval is subject to:

the applicant undertaking a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check
completion of a chaperone licence application form
submission of two references and a photograph
an awareness of relevant legislation
an awareness of child protection

What are the responsibilities of a Chaperone?

A chaperone is the key person to whom the child looks to for guidance, protection, clarification and support. The child should always be the chaperones first priority. Chaperones need to have the ability to negotiate with the production company 'on site' and be able to say no when requests are being made that would be detrimental to the child's health and well-being and/or education. For example, requesting a child stay at a place of performance over and above the hours stated in either the child's licence or the regulations or lack of education time. Contact the LA if you experience difficulties here. Chaperones also need to ensure that at no time should a child perform if they are unwell.

Chaperones should keep a note of important contact details such as:

their Licensing Authority
the child's Licensing Authority
the local authority of the area the child is performing
the child's agent
the child's parent/legal guardian.

The maximum number of children that 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 eight children to be the maximum in most cases.

Chaperones should not presume that a child is licensed. A Chaperone should always ask to see a child's licence upon arrival at a place of performance and they should ensure a child does not perform if a licence has not been granted, unless they fall within the exemption period. If the production company cannot prove that a child is licensed, chaperones should contact the child's Local Authority urgently, otherwise a contravention may have occurred.

How do I apply for a Chaperone Licence?

To apply for a chaperone licence the application form linked below will need to be fully completed with all necessary ID attached. Once submitted, you will receive an email confirmation letting you know that a member of the team will be in touch once references are received to arrange an appointment with the Attendance & Pupil Welfare Service. Appointments are held between 10:00 & 15:00 Monday - Friday.

How do I renew my Chaperone Licence?

Please note that chaperone licences are not renewable, as they are only valid for a fixed period of three years. Once this period has expired, a new application must be submitted for a replacement licence.

Please note you should allow 12 weeks between the date of your chaperone appointment and the date the Chaperone Licence is required.

You will apply for your DBS check at the appointment and you will need to submit:

your chaperone application form
a passport sized photograph
details of two referees* one of whom you should know in a professional capacity. A close family member or spouse cannot act as referee, nor someone known solely through the organisation they will be chaperoning for.
at least 4 forms of ID to support your application

Supporting ID must include proof of your current address (e.g, recent utility bill less than three months old) alongside your valid passport and driving licence if held. We also require proof of national insurance number (e.g, P60 or payslip) and documentation to support any name changes (e.g, marriage certificate).

* Please ensure that your nominated referees are informed that you have provided their details as part of your application. It is your responsibility to follow up on any outstanding references, as we do not pursue unreturned submissions. We will only contact you regarding your references if we receive a notification of non-delivery.

Once your online DBS application has been processed and you have received a copy of your DBS Certificate, please submit a nice clear picture of it to the Attendance and Pupil Welfare Service as soon as possible via email to: ciee@doncaster.gov.uk

We cannot guarantee that a Chaperone Licence will be produced unless a clear DBS certificate is received 7 days prior to the date of the first performance. Please allow longer than 7 days if your certificate is not clear as consideration will need to be given as to whether it is appropriate to issue a Chaperone Licence. If this is not submitted during these timescales alternative arrangements may need to be made by the person responsible for the performance.

Once this is received a decision will be made whether to issue a Chaperone Licence. If a Chaperone Licence is produced it will last for 3 years from the date of your DBS certificate.

IMPORTANT - We cannot be held responsible for delays caused by the processing of DBS checks. These are carried out by an external provider and therefore processing times are out of our control.