If you are a young person working part time between the age of 13 and 16 years old you must request that your employer applies to the Learning Trust for a permit, there is no charge for a work permit.

Employers have the ultimate responsibility to ensure that children of compulsory school are registered with the Local Authority and have a work permit.

For more information read the Child Employment leaflet below:

Child Employment Leaflet

Performance/Stage Licences For School Age Children
The rules governing Children in Entertainment covers children who take part in 'performances', including all broadcast performances, child photography or modelling. Any child engaged in these occupations must have a licence issued by the Local Authority, in Hackney’s case by The Learning Trust.

Application for a licence must be signed by the parents and accompanied by the following:

• 2 passport sized photographs
• Letter from GP
• Letter from school authorising the absence
• Copy of birth certificate.

The Learning Trust must be satisfied that arrangements for the supervision and protection of the child are adequate, and that the disruption to the child's education is kept to a minimum. The legislation which demands this licensing is as follows: The Children and Young Persons Acts 1933 and 1963 The Children (performances) Regulations 1968.

Key issues covered by the regulations are:

• is the child/young person below minimum school leaving age?
• do they reside in Hackney
• is there a charge made for admission?
• is it within licensed premises?
• is it broadcast on TV?
• is it intended for filming?
• is the child/young person fit to take part?
• education; consultation with Headteacher if in school time
• is the activity safe?

No licence is required under the following circumstances:

• no payment made to child and they have not taken part in performances in the previous 6 months on more than 3 days
• no payment made to child and performance arranged by school
• no payment made to child and performance exempted by Secretary of State e.g. Scout Gang Shows

Whether your child will need a licence is explained below:

Paid Performance – Payment to the child in respect of the child's taking part in the performance whether to him/her or to any other person.

Unpaid Performance – no payment in respect of the child's taking part in the performance is made, whether to him/her or to any other person except for defraying expenses means that there is no question of any payment or consideration to procure the services of any child taking part in the performance - A Guide To The Children (Performances) Regulations 1968.

Absence from School – Leave of absence may not be given to enable a pupil to undertake employment except in accordance with the licence. The Act and Regulations contain no provision under which absence from school may be authorised for an unlicensed performance – A Guide to The Children (Performances) Regulations 1968. Also see the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995, Regulation 8(2)(b).

Medical Certificates – are required with applications for children wishing to take part in licenced performances in any television or film work, regardless of any number of days or half days under the conditions of the licence.

For broadcast performances, such as radio productions, a child can perform on up to and including 6 days in a six month period without the need for a medical. For other performances such as theatre work, if the child takes part on the maximum number of days in the week allowed, i.e. 6 days, and the performances are required for more than one week, a medical certificate will be required.

For sporting activities and modelling, where the application is for a licence for an activity, a statement by the child's parent that the child is medically fit for the proposed activity must be provided with the original application. Any costs incurred with obtaining medical certificates are generally accepted as being met by the body responsible for the production.

When a licence is required – a child shall not take part in a performance or activity except under the authority of a licence. Backdated licences should not be issued as they undermine the licensing process which is, after all, a safeguard for the children.
When licenses are requested at short notice, The Learning Trust will invariably try to accommodate requests. However there must be enough time to deal with the application detail beforehand. Productions should not be mindful that the Local Authority can insist upon '21 days' notice – The Children (Performances) Regulations 1968, Regulation 1(3).

When sending details from one Local Authority to another - "the licensing authority must send to those authorities copies of the application form and the licence, together with any information they think should be brought to the notice of the other authorities" - Children (Performances) Regulations 1968, Regulation 4.

Chaperone Services

A child taking part in a performance, which can include TV or filming, theatre, sporting activities or modeling, will require chaperoning. "Chaperones act in 'loco parentis' and should exercise the care which a good parent might be reasonably expected to give that child".

Application for a Chaperone Licence must be made to the Local Education Authority in whose area the prospective chaperone lives. Due to various checks which have to be made, the time between the LEA receiving an application and the issuing of a Chaperone Licence can take a while – please allow for this.

It will take a minimum of 7 working days in order for The Learning Trust to process applications.

Responsibilities of a Chaperone

• a Chaperone's first priority is always to the child.
• a Chaperone is the key person to whom 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 either the child's licence or the regulations, lack of education time, and so forth (contact the Local Education Authority if you experience difficulties here).
• at no time should a child perform if unwell.
• 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.
• 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.
• the child should not perform if a licence has not been granted, unless they fall within the exemption period.
• chaperone's should not presume that a child is licensed. Always ask to see a child's Licence upon arrival at a place of performance.
• if the production company cannot prove that a child is licensed, Chaperone's should contact the child's LEA urgently, otherwise a contravention may have occurred.
• production companies are required to log certain activities during a performance i.e. arrival and departure times at the place of the performance etc.

For further information and advice about chaperone licences in Hackney please contact:

The Learning Trust
The Technology and Learning Centre
1 Reading Lane
London E8 1GQ