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Child Protection Services Information

Licence Conditions

Maximum Days Permitted to Perform

• A child may not take part in a performance, or rehearsal, on more than five days in any seven day period for Broadcast or Recorded Performances.

• A child may not take part in a performance, or rehearsal, on more than six days in any seven day period for Other Performances.

• For a combination of broadcast/recorded and other performances, the limit for a child's performances is as per broadcast and recorded performances: no more than five days in any seven day period.

        (Note: there is no prohibition on Sunday performances).

Breaks in Performances

• Where a performance licence is granted for 60 days or more there must be a 14 day break after eight consecutive weeks of performing.

• During the break period a child must not take part in any:

•         performance;

•         rehearsal;

•         employment of any form.

Permitted Hours of Performance

Hours differ slightly between broadcast/recorded performances and stage performances.

Stage Performances

A child shall not be present at a place of performance or rehearsal more than thirty minutes after the end of his/her part or the latest time permitted (see table above).

 In exceptional circumstances, if a child's presence is required in a performance after the latest time in the table above, the child must not be present at the place of performance later than 11 p.m, on not more than three evenings in one week and not on more than eight evenings in four consecutive weeks.

A child must not take part in a performance that lasts more than three and a half hours.

A child's part or total appearances must not exceed two and a half hours.

If a school day - a child must only appear in one performance or rehearsal on any day that they attend school for the whole day.

If not a school day - a child must not appear in more than two performances, or one performance and one rehearsal.

Maximum of six days performances in a seven day week (NB. medical required if for 6 six days and performances required for more than one week).

If a licence has been granted for 60 days or more there must be a two week interval if the child takes part in a performance for eight consecutive weeks.

There must be an interval of at least one and a half hours between the two performances, or rehearsals in one day. This period may be reduced to 45 minutes on two days in a week, providing the child is not at the same place of performance from more than six hours.

If a child has taken part in a performance or rehearsal on the previous day there must be a break of at least 14 hours before they are again present at such a place (for example, if a technical rehearsal continued until 10:30 pm a 13 year old must not attend for a dress rehearsal until at least 12:30 pm the following day).  

Children must not take part in any employment on day of performance or day after performance.

Suitable arrangements must be made for transport of children to and from the place of the performance. The age of the child must be taken into account when making these arrangements and children should be accompanied by their parents where appropriate.

  Source material - Guidance for Licence Holders and Chaperones - Children in Entertainment May 2004 - © WCC 2004

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Copyright © 2005 The Abbey Theatre & Arts Centre
Last modified: 13-Aug-2010