Live Performance Australia issues advice on children in the entertainment industry

Live Performance Australia (LPA) has issued new guidance for entertainment industry organisations and businesses that that employ children, cater to young audiences, use children for promotional purposes or have any other form of direct interaction with children.

Mindful that organisations that directly interact with children as part of their business activities have a responsibility to minimise the risk of children experiencing harm and care for their well-being, LPA’s Guide to Child Safety in the Live Performance Industry provides best practice guidance for:

• Implementing child safe standards
• Developing child safe policies and procedures
• Creating a child safe organisational culture and environment

The Guide applies to organisations in the live performance industry that engage or interact with children as part of their business activities. This includes:

• Casting children in a production (child performers)
• Attendance of and interacting with child audience members
• Providing instruction to children as part of a class/program/workshop
• Using photos of children for media and promotion
• Using children for professional promotional material (photography, voice-overs, film commercials)
• Internships or work experience
• Any other form of direct interaction with children as part of the organisation’s business activities.

The Guide includes example child safe policies and procedures for live performance organisations:

• Child Safe Policy and Commitment to Child Safety
• Code of Conduct – Employees
• Code of Conduct – Supervision of Children
• Policy on Exposure to Adult Themes
• Policy on Auditions and Casting
• Policy on Using Images of Children
• Complaints and Reporting Procedure

Click here to view LPA’s Guide to Child Safety in the Live Performance Industry.

Image: Matilda The Musical uses many child actors.

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