Apply for a child performance licence

Every child who is taking part in a performance or activity, which falls under Section 37 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963 must have a licence or an exemption issued.

The Children (Performance and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014

The Children (Performance and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014 sets out the arrangements that must be made to safeguard children when they take part in certain types of performances, paid sport or paid modelling and what the law requires of people responsible for putting on these performances and activities. 

The legislation is in force to secure the health, proper treatment, and education of children from the day they are born through to the day when they cease statutory school age. Statutory school age ends on the day the child can legally leave school, which is the last Friday in June of the school year in which the child reaches 16 years of age. It does not finish on their sixteenth birthday.

Types of entertainment

This includes:

  • taking part in a performance where the public pay to have access
  •  any performance in licensed premises, (hotel, public house etc.)
  • any broadcast performance.
  • any performance not falling within a broadcast performance but included in a programme service
  • any performance that is being recorded for use in a broadcast, programme service or film
  • taking part in modelling or sport for which the child or any other person receives payment.

When to apply for a child performance licence

The person responsible for the production or organisation of the activity must make the application for the licence.

Applications for child performance licences should be submitted, in full, at least 21 days in advance of the scheduled performance.

In exceptional circumstances, Licences may be issued if late applications are received; but this will be decided on a case by case basis. Please contact us to check if this is possible, before making a submission. 

Requests for a child performance licences less than five days in advance of the performance will be refused.

How to apply

Send your completed applications to:

Email: childemployement@cumberland.gov.uk

Licence holders responsibilities

The licence holder is responsible, throughout the period covered by the licence, for ensuring that the child is in the charge of a responsible adult. This person is known in law as a Chaperone.

To find out about the regulations that apply to children in performance, including details of the child performance licences, read our guide for chaperones and performance licence holders.

Application for approval as chaperone (matron)

During a performance the child must be supervised at all times by a Chaperone that has been approved by us, unless they are under the direct supervision of their parent or legal guardian.

Apply to become a chaperone