Free to read
Free guidance and practical resources
Use the licence guides, role explainers, production checklists and official links on this page. Every resource is free to read and designed to support, not replace, official requirements.
UK child performance guidance
UK child performance resources
Practical UK guidance, role explainers, official links and production checklists for chaperones, tutors, parents, productions and agencies.
Start here
Practical information you can use now
Registered members
For registered chaperones and tutors
Registration includes free basic opportunity alerts. Any optional paid role-support, administration or training tool is clearly identified and is not required to receive alerts, express interest or be booked.
Licensing around the UK
Country-specific child-performance licence guides
Child-performance arrangements are not identical across the UK. Use the guide for the country where the work takes place, then confirm the current requirements with the relevant authority.
England: child performance licences
A practical starting point for understanding performance licences, chaperones and local-authority responsibilities in England.
Read the guideScotland: young performers
A clear introduction to the Scottish guidance and the importance of checking the correct local arrangements for each production.
Read the guideWales: performance licences
A practical overview of Welsh child-performance guidance, safeguarding responsibilities and where official decisions sit.
Read the guideNorthern Ireland: children in entertainment
A starting point for the Northern Ireland arrangements covering children in employment and entertainment.
Read the guidePlanning and preparation
Practical guides for safer, clearer production days
Child performance support checklist
A practical checklist covering the people, paperwork, handovers and welfare details that help a booking run safely.
Open the practical guideA parent’s guide to professional chaperoning
What parents and guardians can expect from a professional child-performance chaperone and where responsibilities sit.
Open the practical guideWhat a professional chaperone brings
How experienced chaperoning supports the child, the production and clear safeguarding practice throughout the day.
Open the practical guidePreparing for a first costume fitting
Practical preparation for children, parents and productions before a young performer’s first professional costume fitting.
Open the practical guideRoles and working environments
Explore where chaperones and tutors fit
These guides explain the purpose of the role in different working environments, the practical pressure points to plan for and when official guidance must take over.
Licensed child-performance chaperones
Explore the guidanceChild-performance tutors
Explore the guidanceTV and film productions
Explore the guidanceTheatre productions
Explore the guidanceCommercial shoots
Explore the guidanceChild modelling work
Explore the guidancePaid performances and appearances
Explore the guidanceDance, drama and theatre schools
Explore the guidanceOfficial and specialist sources
Check the source that applies to the child and production
Use these external sources to check current requirements. Local authorities, employers and production safeguarding teams remain responsible for their own decisions and procedures.
England: GOV.UK child performance licence guidance
Official information about child performance licences in England.
Visit the external sourceScotland: Young performers licensing guide
Scottish Government guidance for young performers and those supporting them.
Visit the external sourceWales: Keeping young performers safe
Welsh Government guidance about performance licences and keeping young performers safe.
Visit the external sourceNorthern Ireland: Children in employment and entertainment
Education Authority information for children working or performing in Northern Ireland.
Visit the external sourceNNCEE chaperone information
National Network for Children in Employment and Entertainment information about chaperones.
Visit the external sourceNSPCC protecting children in entertainment training
Safeguarding training information for people protecting children in entertainment.
Visit the external sourceScreenSkills TV production chaperone guidance
Industry guidance about the chaperone role in television production.
Visit the external sourceUsing Chaperone Collective resources
These resources support good practice and informed preparation. They do not replace local authority guidance, child-performance licence conditions, production paperwork, employer policy, safeguarding procedures, education requirements or legal advice.
Next step
Use the information, then follow the correct route
Browse the public guidance, register through the route that matches your role, or contact Chaperone Collective with a privacy-safe general enquiry.