Child employment - 4
Legislation
The legislation relating to children in entertainment concerns the health, proper treatment and education of children and applies to newborn babies up to when a child is no longer of compulsory school age. The primary legislation come from the Children and Young Persons Act of 1933 and 1963 (with later amendments). The 1963 Act allowed the Secretary of State to make Regulations that prescribe conditions to be met with respect to children taking part in performances. These Regulations are entitled The Children (Performance) Regulations 1968 (with later amendments). Regulation 10 is particularly concerned with Education.
Definition
The term entertainment includes:
- Taking part in a performance where the public pay to have access
- Any performance on licensed premises (hotel, public house, etc)
- Any broadcast performance
- Any performance not included above but included in a programme service
- Any performance which 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.
The first five items are termed performances and also include certain rehearsals for performances. The final item is termed an activity, but they are all 'entertainment'.
Child's Entertainment Licence
Children taking part in entertainment require an Entertainment Licence issued by the child's Local Education Authority and applied for by the person who is responsible for the production or activity. This person is called the Licence Holder and is named on the child's licence. The licence relates to a named child and allows that child to take part in a particular performance or activity.