Child chaperone referee guidelines
The Child chaperone referee guidelines are taken from:
- The Children (Performances) Regulations 1968
- The Children and Young Persons Act 1963
- Children (Protection at Work) Regulations 1998
- Children (Performances) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1998
These lay down the Regulations for Chaperones.
These are to provide Chaperones registered by the City of York Council Local Authority (LA) with some guidelines on how to carry out their duties in their care of children appearing in performances.
Statutory duties and responsibilities
The holder of the licence is responsible for ensuring that, during the period beginning with the first performance and ending with the last performance covered by the licence, the child is in the charge of a person who has been approved by the LA for this purpose, except when he/she is in the charge of his/her parent or a tutor. The regulations describe this person as a Chaperone (but in some areas the person may be described as a Chaperone), who may be a man or woman.
A Chaperone while in charge of a child under this Regulation shall have the care and control of the child with a view to securing his/her health, comfort, kind treatment and moral welfare.
The LA shall not approve a Chaperone unless satisfied that he/she can exercise proper care and control of the child(ren), and that he/she will not be prevented from carrying out his/her duties as a Chaperone by other duties.
A private tutor may act as a Chaperone, once approved as such by the LA, provided by the number of children in his/her care does not exceed three, and that the LA are satisfied that the arrangements will not adversely affect the children’s education or welfare.
The Chaperone's first duty is to the child/ren in his/her care; while he/she is acting as a Chaperone he/she may not engage in any activity that would interfere with the performance of his/her duties. Except when a child is in the care of a teacher, the Chaperone is in loco parentis and should exercise duty of care, which a parent might be reasonably expected to give that child.
The Chaperone shall be in charge of the child at all times, except when the child is in the charge of his/her parent or a tutor.
The maximum number of children a Chaperone should have in his/her care is 12. In many instances, however, this will be too many. It is recommended that a maximum of 8 children to be cared for at any one time.
The Chaperone should have a basic understanding of emergency first aid treatment and also establish that the licence holder has made appropriate provision under the Health and Safety (First aid) Regulations. The Chaperone should acquaint themselves with the names of the appointed first aiders and the whereabouts of the first aid equipment in the establishment/premises in which they are working.