Apply for a child employment licence

Use this guide to find relevant child employment and chaperone licences and permits.

Apply for a licence to chaperone a child working in entertainment

If your child takes part in a licensed performance, they must be supervised by a responsible adult, known as a chaperone. Any chaperone must get a licence from the Child Employment Team.

Who can use this service?

Chaperones are adults aged 18 and above, who have been trained and licensed by the authority in which they live.

Only Lambeth residents can apply to become chaperones through us. If you live in another borough and wish to become a chaperone, you'll need to apply through that council.

Costs for this service

It costs £71.50 for a chaperone Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check for the licence.

Download and complete

Read the chaperone job description, then complete the conditions of a chaperone licence document and chaperone application form.

Your application needs to be accompanied by:

  • a signed copy of the conditions of licence document
  • two passport-sized photos.

Next steps

Once you have completed the forms, send them to the Child Employment Team.

We will contact you within four to six weeks. Prospective chaperones will be invited to attend an interview and complete a short test.

If you're successful at this stage we will ask you to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

What you need to know...

Chaperone interview

You will be required to bring two proofs of identification, one of which should be a picture ID.

The interview panel will comprise child employment officers, a safeguarding officer or a senior member of staff. Your written application should give evidence or examples of your proven experience in each of the criteria marked in the job description.

Evidence of other areas will be sought at interview. This stage is not a pass or fail in its entirety, however, it will count towards the final result.

Receipt of clear DBS disclosure

If you are successful at the interview stage, we will contact you with details of how to submit your DBS application form. Once you receive your disclosure, you must submit a copy to Lambeth Child Employment Team within five working days.

References

Lambeth Child Employment Team must receive two satisfactory references (one should preferably be from a current employer).

If you are successful at the interview stage, we will write to the referees specified on your application form. Once we have received the references, we will progress to the next step.

Lambeth Child Employment Team will use all of the above to determine whether you are a suitable candidate as a chaperone.

Chaperone and safeguarding training

We want to ensure that all Lambeth chaperones are fully equipped to carry out their role. Training will ensure that you have a full understanding of child employment regulations, as well as your safeguarding responsibilities. Upon completion of the training, chaperones will receive a certificate and a licence to chaperone.

Once you are licensed

Lambeth Child Employment Team will not issue licences until:

  • we have determined that you are suitable
  • we receive a clear Enhanced DBS check disclosure
  • you have completed our training.

If we issue a licence, the expiry date will not exceed the expiry date of the DBS disclosure.

Once licensed, you will be able to act as chaperone. However, we reserve the right to revoke licences, place conditions under which a licence is valid, or contact you about any additional training we deem necessary.

Renewing a chaperone licence

If you wish to renew an existing licence, you will need to apply six months before its expiry date. The application process will start again and you may be required to attend further training.

If you move to another borough, the licence will become void. You will need to contact your new local authority to obtain a new licence.

If any of your details change, you must contact us immediately.