A hair and make-up call can be exciting for a child performer, but it can also involve unfamiliar products, bright lights and adults working close to their face. Even a child who loves dressing up at home may feel differently in a busy make-up chair.
A little preparation can make the session easier to understand. Parents and carers can share useful information before the day, while chaperones can help the child ask questions and say when something feels uncomfortable.
The suggestions here can be used in production settings across the UK, but this is not a legal checklist. Licensing arrangements differ between the four nations. In England, the Children (Performances and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014 describe an approved chaperone’s role as caring for the child and safeguarding, supporting and promoting their wellbeing. The Department for Education’s guidance explains the framework in England. The child’s licence conditions, local authority guidance and the production’s own procedures should always come first.
Find out what the session involves
Ask the named production contact what is planned rather than relying on the word “make-up”. The appointment might be a quick continuity check, or it could include hairstyling, a wig fitting, stage make-up or the careful application of a character effect.
Check where the session will happen, who is expected to attend and whether the production wants the child to arrive with clean hair, a bare face or a particular hairstyle. Follow the brief you are given. Home products and last-minute styling can make the professional team’s work harder, even when they are well meant.
If the plan includes a significant change to the child’s appearance, such as a haircut, make sure the parent or carer has received the production’s information and knows which contact to speak to. Do not leave the child to sort out an adult decision in the chair.
Share relevant information before the day
Tell the production about known allergies, skin sensitivities, scalp conditions, sensory needs or past reactions that could affect the session. Use the private route the production provides instead of adding health information to a general call-sheet email or group chat.
Be specific about what is known. “A product caused a rash last year” is less useful than the product name and the advice already given by the child’s parent or healthcare professional. The hair and make-up team can then explain which adjustments are possible and what procedure the production needs to follow.
Do not improvise a home test simply because a product may be used on the job. Ask the production what information or preparation it needs and seek appropriate medical advice if there is a health question.
Explain the chair in ordinary language
Give the child a simple idea of what will happen. Someone may brush or style their hair, work near their eyes, ask them to keep still or take reference photographs for continuity. There may also be waiting while a product sets or another department checks the finished look.
Avoid promising that it will be quick, painless or exactly like a previous job. Tell the child what is known and leave space for the team to explain each step. For a first production day, the wider guide to briefing a child performer can help with names, places and what happens next.
Agree an ordinary phrase the child can use if they need a pause. They should not have to wait until discomfort becomes distress before speaking. A younger child may prefer to tell their chaperone, who can pass the concern on without turning it into a public conversation.
Keep body talk kind and practical
Hair and make-up discussions can sound personal because they involve a child’s face, hair and body. Adults should keep comments focused on the production task. A shade, style or costume detail may need changing, but the child does not need to hear their appearance judged.
Speak to the child as well as the adults around them. Before touching a sensitive area or bringing a tool close to the face, the person doing the work can explain what they are about to do. The chaperone can check that the child has understood and notice when a polite “fine” does not match their expression or posture.
If the child says that something hurts, burns, pulls or makes them feel unwell, pause the session and use the production’s agreed welfare route. A chaperone should not diagnose a reaction or improvise treatment. They can make sure the concern reaches the right person and that the child is not pressed to carry on while it is being considered.
Protect privacy around changing and photographs
Hair, make-up and costume often sit close together in the schedule. Check where clothing changes will happen and who needs to be present. The production should have an agreed arrangement that protects the child’s privacy while allowing the relevant team to do its work.
Reference photographs may be useful for continuity, but they should follow the production’s process. Personal phones and informal behind-the-scenes pictures are a separate matter. If the purpose of an image or the device being used is unclear, ask the named production contact before it is taken.
For more on fittings, clothing and speaking up, see preparing a child performer for their first costume fitting.
Help the child leave the chair comfortably
Before the child moves on, check how the finished hair and make-up feels. Pins, clips, wig caps and costume effects may feel different once they stand, turn their head or begin to rehearse. A small adjustment now can prevent a growing distraction later.
Find out what should stay in place, what can be touched up and how everything will be removed after the final call. The child should not be expected to remember technical instructions alone. Keep the relevant adult informed and put any products or accessories in the place chosen by the department.
The child may not enjoy every part of the process. They should still know what is happening and feel able to speak. When adults listen and explain, the team can do its work without shutting the child out.