Duty Of Care Role for 16-18 Year Olds

🎙️Chaperoning Young Adults 16-17 Year Olds

Over the last 18 months I have been very fortunate to work in this role with several different actors in this age range.

It is a great role and hugely beneficial to the young actor and the production when carried out correctly.

This age range will not require a child licence from a council but do require a duty of care from the production company they are working for these policies can vary from company to company

But in general the policies will say that this age range will require a chaperone,but chaperoning this age range is very different from young children and even older child SA’s. In my experience working with 16-17 year the role of chaperone has been supportive,offering guidance and safeguarding the young actor.

Often this age range is main cast working longer hours as they are not on licence.

So how do you decide what care they receive you can take into consideration there age, background, do they have acting experience, are they working local or are they away from home, what are they filming a children’s so or adult content,what age of cast are they around, do they require any extra support.

With each company there policies are slightly different some will give the production team more say on this role while others will be stricter and dialogue with safeguarding teams will be needed if you decide to change them to meet the needs of the child.

It is very important you get a chaperone that fits the needs of the young actor and your production as they will liaise daily with the production team.

The child and chaperone will spend alot of time together as previously mentioned the working hours are longer, it maybe more one-one if it’s older cast and less children involved,they may need someone over night if away from home. Each young actor is unique so it’s important to treat them this way and meet their individual needs.

You want them to be able to comfortable around the chaperone and be able to ask for support if needed. The chaperone has to be able to observe and not over crowd this age range in my experience they like alittle space but you still must be around them keeping them safe at all times. The chaperone skills/qualties required for this role are:

1)Experience of working with older children,

2)Strong communication

3)Observational Skills

4)Teamwork

5)Empathy

6)Adaptable

7)Listening

8)Knowledge of individual Children’s Policies

9) Knowledge of Child Protection Polices

( Picture on location in Scotland sunny but as always very cold another skill you need keeping yourself warm