Chaperones

A child taking part in a performance, which can include TV or filming, theatre, paid sporting activities or modelling, will require chaperoning. Chaperones act in ‘loco parentis’ and should exercise the care which a good parent might be reasonably expected to give that child.

Applying for a chaperone licence

In order to be licenced, you will need to:

Fully complete a Chaperone Licence Application Form.

The application form is available online and may have been sent out with this fact sheet. Applicants may either complete this electronically and email it in, or alternatively complete a printed version and post/hand deliver it to the address below. Each application will require a recent colour passport sized photos of yourself (for your ID badge).

Please note that you are required to submit the names and addresses of 2 referees who will be contacted and asked to forward written references. One should preferably be from the group or organisation you are working with, and the other from someone who knows you professionally and can confirm you already work well with children, or someone else who can offer this information. Your Chaperone Licence will not be issued until we have received both references. You therefore need to ensure that you allow sufficient time for this process. References may be sent by letter to The Child Employment and Entertainment Officer or via emailed to the address above.

Send your completed application form to: Child Employment and Entertainment, Room L60, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD along with a headshot of yourself and 3 forms of ID (please do not send originals) or email the application form and documents to childemploymentandentertainment@devon.gov.uk

You will be required to attend a 2 hour training course in order for us to access your suitable to be a licenced chaperone. Normally this take place online between 4-8pm although there are some other times scheduled in. Please email us childemploymentandentertainment@devon.gov.uk in order to find out the dates and times of the training courses and to book onto one of them.

Your DBS Application

If the applicant has a DBS check which is less than 3 months old and relates to a job working with children, then sight of this certificate will be accepted. In all other cases, a new DBS check will be required and this will be carried out by Devon County Council.

If you are currently signed up to the DBS update service, then all you will need to do is give us sight of your certificate and your ID number so that we can check this for you.

The cost of the DBS check is free to all volunteers, although there will be a £15 + VAT administration fee. If a chaperone receives any payment for the role and is not strictly an unpaid volunteer, then there will be a charge for the DBS check of £44 plus the administration fee. Please include 3 forms of ID with your application to commence the DBS process.

Please visit our online shop to pay the volunteer Chaperone administration fee.

To pay for your DBS check, you will need to register for an account on our shop. You can do this by going to:

Devon Education Services online shop | DES
Click on Register in the top right hand corner
Put your e-mail address in the e-mail address box
Select Other Individual/Home Address
Tick the My address is not shown box
Enter your address details
Click proceed
Follow the registration process through in order to set up this account for yourself

Once you have done this and you are logged in, you can pay for the DBS check here.

As part of the DBS process, we require 3 items of ID. Please see list of acceptable forms of ID below.

Acceptable forms of ID:

Valid passport
Photocard driving licence
Birth certificate – issued within 12 months of birth
Mortgage statement – issued within last 12 months
Bank or building society statement – issued within last 3 months
Credit card statement – issued within last 3 months
P45 or P60 statement – issued within last 12 months
Council Tax statement – issued within last 12 months
Utility bill (not mobile phone bill) – issued within last 3 months

For full list of acceptable forms please visit www.gov.uk

Please note your licence will not be processed until you have completed all of the steps above.

Whilst this department is responsible for the licensing of chaperones, we are not responsible for terms and conditions of any employment you may undertake.

If you have any queries, please contact childemploymentandentertainment@devon.gov.uk or 01392 287223 and we will be able to advise you.