Changing rooms/child protection advice (boring!)

[realcoalfire]

am part of a drama group which performs i a small hall with only one changing room.Shows are usually all adults and we just get changed in front of one another .This time we have had to involve a couple of kids 11 yo girl and a 13 yo boy.I don't think anyone has thought about the changing aspect-the girl has costume changes so can't just come dresssed.The girl isn't particularly bothered about who she gets changed in front of , but I think (as much for the protection of the men in the cast) we should screen off an area.I am the chair of the drama group and I want to cover my ass take CP seriously.Everyone else seems to think I am OTT
AIBU
(sorry posted it on another board by mistake!)

I agree that screening off an area for the children to get changed in is a good idea. They could use the same space if they didn't both need to get changed at the same time.

Have you asked the parents?

I wouldn't make an issue out of it is there isn't an issue there. Unless the cast are stripping naked?

Is there a reason you don't trust the men in the cast around children? If not I think you are making an issue where there isn't one. Why would you treat the children differently in this case to the adults?

Im an a bit of an expert in this sort of stuff (as much as one ever can be as some areas of the law are grey and different local authories have slightly different interpretations.

Are you charging for tickets to watch the performance. This is an important question as it determines whether it comes under the the Children & Young Persons Act & The Children (Performance) Regulations?

As long as the men are never left alone with the children, I don't think it's an issue (as long as neither the men, women, girl or boy mind getting changed in front of each other). EG, you only need to CRB someone if they are likely to be left alone with children. Not if they are helping as part of a group.

Why would it be an issue for the men to be alone with the children more than the women to be alone with the children?

I agree though that it makes sense to have an area for the kids to get changed separately - as well as separately from each other. At those ages I would have been embarrassed to get undressed in front of adults, and would have been embarrassed to have adults get undressed in front of me.

Assuming you are charging for tickets and assuming it is an amateur performance running for 4 nights or less and that the children do not need to miss any school then you need to apply to the local education authority for either a child entertainment licence for each child or you can apply for the child to be exempt from licensing as long as they have not performed under exemption for more than 4 days within the last 6 months.

If the child has to have an individual licence then you will need to provide 2 licensed chaperones (one for the girl, one for the boy). If they get an exemption then it is up to the LEA whether they stipulate as a condition that they are exempt from chaperoning. The regulations do strictly state however that boys and girls over the age of 5 have to have separate dressing rooms/areas and children should not share a dressing room/area with adults of either sex.

A parent can chaperone their own child but not any other child unless they have a licence, even if they have a CRB they need the special chaperone llicence.

There are other regulations too such as a child under 13 needs to be off stage by 10pm and 14 and over by 10.30pm. I've got a booklet full of the stuff. If you go onto your Local authorities website and search under children in entertainment you should find the info.

Thge authority can carry out spot checks and have the power to close down the show/fine up to £2000 if thsese things are not done. I have been atthe theatre chaperoning during such a spot check.

An oddity of the law is that the scouts and guides are exempt from these stipulations for gang shows under a national agreement they have.

Is the group a member of NODA? They give advice on this.

Yes we are charging, but we are an amateur non-profit making group.
I do trust the men in the cast, and I think having an adolescent girl getting changed in very close proximity to them puts them in an awkward position.

But as far as I can see , 'whether the child minds' isn't relevant in safeguarding issues.

It doesn't matter if you are nonprofit making. 90% of amdram groups are. These regulations kick into force the second an audience member pays for a ticket.

Give your local education welfare officer a call. Mine is really helpful to people who haven't done it before. They can also tell you what their stipulations/interpretation of the regulations are.

Realcoalfire: you are exactly right in your thinking. It is not a question of trust but a question of safeguarding EVERYONE!

Agree a separate area for the young people is necessary and only to be shared if they are changing at different times.

Well done for being diligent :-D

YANBU - makes sense to give the kids somewhere to go. I wouldn't have felt comfortable at that age taking my clothes off in a roomful of adults.

Regardless of the changing room issue please please do apply for the licence/exemption

Thanks.Just regulations for our County. Since they are performing fewer than 4 nights. not missing school and not being paid, They do not need a licence. However I have discovered that under 13s should be off the stage by 10.00pm
can't quite understand teh chaperoning rule. think it is saying that if they don't require a licence they don't need a chaperone.

That's the grey bit. I live on the border of 3 counties - 2 of them say they have to have a chaperone even if performing under exemption(and you have to get exemption certificate) the other says they don't need proper chaperones and don't issue certificates.

10 years ago my then 18yo brother found himself in an innocent situation with a 12 year old child. the past 10 years have been hell for him and have almost ruined his life. She accused him of rape. The police eventually dropped the case when she was proved to be unstable as there was no evidence, it was his word against hers.

I would say, its about protecting every one here, not just the children from abuse but the adults from false alligations. A changing room has so many 'dangers'. At the very least I would say the children need a screaned off area.

Namechange-exactly.And suppose the little girl makes an allegation in 5 or 10 years time by then nobody can remember who was in the changing room together when.Wheras we would remember that we had had separate defined areas for changing.

although we heard of the alligations she made through family friends at teh time, it took 9 years for her to go to the police, at exactly that. Trying to get accurate witness statements from people who were around, walking through the room at the time of the alledged rape etc was a nightmare.
Anything that you can put in place to jog memories or take away some risk is a great idea in my book.

We had similar. Stagehands rig up curtains to make separate girls'/women's/men's/boys' areas. Huge pain but important. Had chaperones lurking in- and outside the children's areas as well.

We have a very concrete safeguarding policy though.

Can't do this. The children need to be registered with the council as performing even though they are not being paid. You then need registered chaperones. One rule is that the children age over 5yo need separate changing rooms for different genders, and the children need to be separate from the adults including ideally separate toilets.

If the council decide to come and inspect they could close your show down.