Licences Table

Paid performances or unpaid performances	Type of Work	Absence from school?	Length of Performance	Medical required?	Licence required?
Paid	TV or Filming	Yes	Any period of time	Yes - unless one provided within previous 6 months	Licence Required
Paid	TV or Filming	No	Any period of time	Yes - unless one provided within previous 6 months	Licence Required
Paid	Theatre, Sporting Activity or Modelling	Yes	Any period of time	No	Licence Required
Paid	Theatre, Sporting Activity or Modelling	No	Any period of time	No	Licence Required
Unpaid	TV or Filming	Yes	Any period of time	Yes - unless one provided within previous 6 months	Licence Required
Unpaid	TV or Filming	No	Any period of time up to and including 4 days (and not performed within the previous 6 months)	No	No
Unpaid	Theatre, Sporting Activity or Modelling	Yes	Any period of time up to and including 4 days (and not performed within the previous 6 months)	No	Licence Required
Unpaid	Theatre, Sporting Activity or Modelling	No	Any period of time up to and including 4 days (and not performed within the previous 6 months)	No	No
Unpaid	TV or Filming	Yes	5 days or more	Yes unless one provided within previous 6 months	Licence Required
Unpaid	TV or Filming	No	5 days or more	Yes unless one provided within previous 6 months	Licence Required
Unpaid	Theatre, Sporting Activity or Modelling	Yes	5 days or more	Possibly	Licence Required
Unpaid	Theatre, Sporting Activity or Modelling	No	5 days or more	Possibly	Licence Required

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Paid Performance

Payment to the child in respect of the child taking part in the performance whether to payment direct to him/her or to any other person.

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Unpaid Performance

No payment is made in respect of the child taking part in the performance, whether to him/her or to any other person except for defraying expenses: this 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.

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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).

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Medical Certificates

These 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 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/carer 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.

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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, they undermine the licensing process which is, after all, a safeguard for the children.

When licenses are requested at short notice, Local Authorities 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.

• Child Performance licence online application

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Further Information

Education Welfare Services
Haringey Professional Development Centre
Downhills Park Road
Tottenham
London N17 6AR

Tel 020 8489 3477
Fax 020 8489 5997

Email childperformance.stagelicences@haringey.gov.uk

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