Performance and stage licence

Any child taking part in performances, including all broadcast performances, child photography or modelling must have a licence issued by the City Council.

An application form for a performance or stage licence can be downloaded from the documents table below. When requesting a licence we should be given at least 21 days notice. Further guidance on applying for a performance or stage licence can be obtained by contacting the Education Welfare Service.

Application for a licence must be signed by the parents and accompanied by two photographs, a birth certificate and a doctor's letter. We must be satisfied that arrangements for the supervision and protection of the child are adequate, and that disruption to the child’s education is kept to a minimum.

Licences are a legal requirement under the Children and Young Persons Acts 1933 and 1963 together with The Children (Performances) Regulations 1968.

There are a number of key issues covered by these regulations, which include:

• is the child or young person below the minimum school leaving age?
• does the child reside in Plymouth?
• is there a charge made for admission?
• is the performance within licensed premises?
• is the performance broadcast on TV?
• is the performance intended for filming?
• is the child or young person fit to take part?
• consulting with the child or young person’s head teacher or principal if it is in term time.
• is the activity safe?

Licences are not required in the following circumstances:

• no payment is made to the child and they have not taken part in performances in the previous six months on more than three days
• no payment is made to the child and the performance is arranged by the school
• no payment is made to the child and the performance is exempted by the Secretary of State eg Scout Gang Shows

The following table explains whether you will need a licence or not.

Work type	Work area	School absence	Performance length	Medical required	Licence required
Paid	TV or filming	Yes	Any period of time	Yes*	Yes
Paid	TV or filming	No	Any period of time	Yes*	Yes
Paid	Theatre, sporting activity or modelling	Yes	Any period of time	No	Yes
Paid	Theatre, sporting activity or modelling	No	Any period of time	No	Yes
Unpaid	TV or filming	Yes	Any period of time	Yes*	Yes
Unpaid	TV or filming	No	Any period of time up to and including four days (and not performed within previous six months)	No	No
Unpaid	Theatre, sporting activity or modelling	Yes	Any period of time up to and including four days (and not performed within previous six months)	No	Yes
Unpaid	Theatre, sporting activity or modelling	No	Any period of time up to and including four days (and not performed within previous six months)	No	No
Unpaid	TV or filming	Yes	Five days or more	Yes*	Yes
Unpaid	TV or filming	No	Five days or more	Yes*	Yes
Unpaid	Theatre, sporting activity or modelling	Yes	Five days or more	Possibly	Yes
Unpaid	Theatre, sporting activity or modelling	No	Five days or more	Possibly	Yes

*unless one has been provided within the previous six months

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Paid performances are defined as where payment is made to the child or young person in respect of the child or young person taking part in the performance whether to him or her or another person.

Unpaid performances are defined in the Guide to the Children (Performances) Regulations 1968 and states ……'no payment in respect of the child’s taking part in the performance is made, whether to him/her or to any other person except for defraying expenses means that there is no question of any payment or consideration to procure the services of any child taking part in the performance'

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).

Medical certificates are required with applications for children or young people wishing to take part in licensed 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 or young person can perform on up to and including six 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 (ie six 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 or young person’s parent 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.

Further advice and guidance on obtaining performance or stage licences can be obtained by contacting the Education Welfare Service.

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