Duties of a chaperone
Your first duty while acting as a chaperone is to the child in your care. You must not undertake any other duty relating to the production, for example technical work, direction or taking part.
You are legally responsible for the child, except when they are in the care of their parent or a teacher responsible for providing their main education. You should exercise that care which a good parent would reasonably expect to give the child.
Legislation sets out the maximum number of hours a child can attend a performance or rehearsal according to their age. If the child is working in a theatre, for example, you must know the times when the child should attend or be on stage. These times must come within what the licence permits.
When the child is not performing, you must ensure they are properly supervised. You must make sure they have adequate meals, rest and recreation.
You must ensure that no child in your care is discriminated against on grounds of:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment and gender identity
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
You should not let any child perform when unwell. If a child falls ill or gets injured when in your care, you should call a doctor. The licence holder should immediately notify the child’s parent and us.
Do not hand any child over or let another person examine them. The only exceptions to this are:
- with prior approval of the child’s parent
- in an emergency
- under the supervision of a doctor, police or other suitable persons
We carry out regular inspections, without prior notice, at venues and locations within Lincolnshire. We will ensure that licence conditions are met and children are protected.
If we believe that you are not performing your duties, we may withdraw your licence.
This position involves considerable contact with children. We will carry out personal checks, including police checks.
Find out more about the law regarding chaperones.
DBS certificates
Please seek legal advice if you are unsure whether you need to disclose your criminal history.
For impartial advice, contact Nacro or Unlock.
We will not issue a chaperone licence unless you have an enhanced criminal record certificate with children’s barred list check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This will include details of unspent cautions and conviction, as well as convictions or cautions that would not be filtered.
A criminal history will not necessarily bar you from chaperoning. To comply with the DBS code of practice, we will take criminal records into account only when offences are relevant.
We will let you discuss the circumstances of any offences with us before we decide on whether to issue a licence. We will cross-reference this with your DBS certificate.
Existing DBS certificates
If you already have DBS certificate, you may not need to apply for a new one if:
- it is registered with the DBS update online service, or
- you are employed by the county council or a council-maintained school and can demonstrate continuous service since it was issued, or
- it is issued within three months of the date we receive your chaperone application
New DBS certificates
If you do not have current or relevant clearance by the DBS, we will ask you to complete an application for a new check.
If you need a new DBS application, you must provide us with evidence of your identity. Your certificate is posted to your home address and you must send it to us.
If we do not hear from you within one month of receiving your certificate, we will destroy your application.
How to apply
A parent, carer or registered chaperone must supervise any child taking part in a performance.
Anyone over 18 years old can apply to become a licensed chaperone. You will need to:
- complete the application form
- submit two personal references, one of which knows you professionally
- submit one passport-style photograph
- complete mandatory chaperone online training
- attend an appointment where proof of identity will be gathered
- undertake a child workforce enhanced DBS check
A chaperone licence is free of charge for volunteers and lasts for three years.
We cannot guarantee a timescale for issuing a chaperone licence.
You should apply at least 12 weeks prior to the date of the first performance.