The role of a chaperone

All children taking part in a licensed performance must be supervised by a registered chaperone or their parent/guardian.

The role of an approved chaperone is to safeguard, support and promote the well-being of a child as well as to have care and control of that child.  They are the key person who protects safeguards and supports a child under the licensing system.

Chaperones are required for licensed and other approved events unless the child is under the care of their parent or the teacher who would usually provide the child’s education.

As an approved chaperone, the council expects that such adults safeguard children, to prevent and report any neglect or abuse as well as to raise concerns about the safety or welfare of the child and to act where they can.

Chaperones are responsible for:

• ensuring the child has enough breaks and meals
• taking action if the child is ill, upset or tired
• considering health and safety issues
• safeguarding issues
• adhering to legislation relating to child performance
• assisting costume changes, dressing and fitting microphones
• escorting children at all times, including to the toilet

For up-to-date guidance please visit the NNCEE website.

When applying for a Chaperone Licence you must allow at least 12 weeks for the application process to be completed.

If you require a chaperone licence application form please email ce@bexley.gov.uk.

How to apply for a chaperone licence

All the items listed below need to be emailed to ce@bexley.gov.uk in one complete application (application form, photo and scanned copies of ID). A DBS will be required as part of this application.

• you will need to complete the application form and email the form to ce@bexley.gov.uk
• provide a headshot photo (can be taken on phone)

Acceptable ID

As part of this application form, you will also need to upload three scanned ID documents. One of these forms of ID must be one of the following:

• a current valid passport
• a UK biometric residence permit
• a current UK driving licence photocard (full or provisional)
• a birth certificate issued within 12 months of birth
• an adoption certificate

You will also need to email a further two documents with your application from the list either above or below:

• a marriage or civil partnership certificate
• mortgage statement issued in the last 12 months
• bank or building society statement (issued in the last 3 months)
• council tax statement (issued in the last 12 months)
• utility bill (issued in the last 3 months)
• central or local government, government agency or local council document giving entitlement, for example from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Employment Service or HMRC (issued in the last 3 months)

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) part of the application for a chaperone licence

Please note - Bexley's chaperone application process includes voluntary enhanced DBS as part of the statutory process required.

Should the applicant wish to use their chaperone licence in a professional capacity i.e. paid employment, then a professionally enhanced DBS would need to be obtained via the applicant’s employer or organisation they are working for.

The DBS does not consider documents that have been printed out online as acceptable, for example, online bank statements printed at home.

If you already have an enhanced DBS which is on the annually renewable (update service) and is for working with children then you may not need to apply for a new DBS as part of this application. If you believe that is the case please can you also scan a complete copy of this current DBS and email it to ce@bexley.gov.uk as part of your application.

Attending MS Teams meeting for verifying ID

If you do not already have an enhanced DBS which is for working with children and on the update service, you will be required to attend a short MS teams meeting in order to verify your ID online.

Please have all your original submitted forms of ID available when attending this online meeting and confirm when applying suitable dates/times for availability (please note we do not work weekends/evenings).

Once your application has been received and your ID verified we will send you a link to an online DBS application. You should usually receive an email within a week of your MS Teams Meeting.

Once you receive your Certificate from the DBS Office you will need to scan a complete copy to ce@bexley.gov.uk. We will not be able to issue your licence without a scanned copy of your new DBS Certificate.

Charge

There is no charge for this process currently.

Child employment

The youngest age a child can work part-time is 13, except children involved in areas like:

• television
• theatre
• modelling

Apply for a child employment work permit

A guide to legislation about employing children can be found on GOV.UK Child employment.