The UK’s Children’s Production Support Hub (CPSH) has launched a register of chaperones and tutors to help film and TV productions hire these roles without agents charging illegal commission.
The Hub describes Industry Standard Chaperones and Tutors (ISCAT) as “the first UK register of professional chaperones and tutors with robust standards”.
Film and TV productions can access the register for free, and contact members directly to hire them for work. The register has 107 professionals accredited, with a further 36 in process.
ISCAT is recognised by UK industry bodies including Pact, Directors UK and training provider All Spring Media.
It aims to reduce the practice of agents charging commissions for sourcing work for chaperones and tutors. Agents are allowed to represent chaperones and tutors, with productions regularly making use of them when working with children.
However, by UK law, agencies are not allowed to charge fees for this work. ISCAT will allow chaperones and tutors to secure work on productions directly while maintaining the option of legitimate agency-acquired work.
The register has been established by Arlene De Cruz, founder of the CPSH. De Cruz has worked for more than 12 years as a chaperone and runs her own business for the profession, Chaperones and Tutors Limited. She launched the Professional Chaperones and Tutors branch of Bectu in 2017.
“Productions find it very difficult to access chaperones via the local authority or any other platform without going through an agent,” said De Cruz. “They are unwittingly facilitating illegal practices of agents taking commission. It’s time for change.”
To work on UK film and television productions, chaperones and tutors must have completed the NSPCC Protecting Children in Entertainment. They must also be vetted and licensed through their relevant local authority. All names listed on the ISCAT register must have passed these steps, ensuring that productions can choose from fully qualified professionals.
“Standardising training is absolutely crucial to safeguarding the children that we invite to work alongside us on our productions,” said De Cruz.
The CPSH is a free resource for productions, providing guides and services on child licensing, performance hours, council spot checks, safer recruitment advice, education and teachers, aggregating tutor hours and scheduling, safeguarding and child protection, intimacy and close contact, and advice on working with young people between the ages of 16-18.
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