Thank you for agreeing to become a Voluntary Licensed Chaperone for STAMP. The following pages have been designed to guide you through the different steps to ensure your training and application processes is as streamlined as possible.

This process is only for Chaperones who live in South Tyneside. Application process for prospective Chaperones who live outside of the borough should contact their local authority.

There are 5 steps to becoming a Voluntary Licenced Chaperone;

  1. Read an understand the responsibilities of a Voluntary Licenced Chaperone
  2. Apply for an Enhanced DBS check
  3. Select a date to attend Chaperone training provided by South Tyneside Council
  4. Complete your online eLearing safeguarding course
  5. Complete application form

Information for Chaperones

The application process can take approximately three months to progress to completion and if you are successful and on receipt of two satisfactory references verified by South Tyneside Council, a DBS Clearance and a safeguarding certificate, your licence will be dispatched to your registered address shortly thereafter.

A child taking part in a performance, which can include TV or filming, theatre, sporting activities or modelling, 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”.

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 the child’s license 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.
  • 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.
  • STAMP are required to log certain activities during a performance i.e. arrival and departure times at the place of the performance etc.

Duties of a Chaperone

Children Performance Regulations 1968

The chaperones first duty is to the children in their care; while acting as chaperone they may not engage in any activity that would interfere with the performance of their duties. Except when a child is in the care of a teacher, the chaperone is in loco parentis and should exercise the care which a good parent might be reasonably expected to give that child. Their precise duties while the child is at the place of performance will vary according to the nature of the performance. If the child is working in the theatre, the times when he/she is to be at the theatre and when he/she will be on stage are known in advance, and must come within what is permitted by the regulations. The chaperone’s main duties will be to ensure that, when the child is not actually performing (including the period in between performances if there are two performances on the same day and he/she does not go home or back to his/her lodgings), he/she is properly supervised and has adequate meals, rest and recreation.

No child should be allowed to perform when unwell. If a child falls ill or is injured while in the charge of a chaperone / teacher, a doctor should be called and the licence holder must immediately notify the parent named in the application form, and the local authority.

Instruction to Chaperones

  • A Chaperone (who may be a man or a woman) must be appropriately vetted by the Local Education Authority issuing the licence.
  • The chaperone’s first duty is to the children in her/his care. While she/he is acting as chaperone she/he may not engage in any other activity that would interfere with the performance of her/his duties.
  • Except when a child is in the care of a teacher, the chaperone is in loco parentis and should exercise the care, which a good parent might reasonably expect to give that child.
  • If any child is unwell, a doctor must be sent for. No child shall perform when unwell and, in the event of indisposition, a child must be sent home under proper escort. The parents and the Local Authority should be informed immediately.
  • The chaperone’s precise duties while a child is working in the theatre will vary according to the nature of the performance.
  • The times the child must be at the theatre and when she/he will be on stage and the times for leaving the theatre are known in advance and chaperones are responsible for seeing the child’s performance is kept to these times, which are in accordance with the regulations.
  • The chaperone must ensure that when a child is not actually performing (including the period between performances, if there are two on the same day and she/he does not go back to her/his home during this time) she/he is supervised and has adequate meals, rest and recreation.
  • The chaperone shall accompany the child from the dressing room to the wings to await her/his entrance and take her/him back to the dressing room after her/his part in the performance is over.

image description