Chaperone licences

Obtaining a licence to chaperone a child that is participating in a performance or activity.

You are legally required to obtain a licence from your Local Authority (LA) if you wish to look after a child that is participating in a performance and you are not the parent or guardian of that child. As a chaperone you will look after the child and make sure their health and educational needs are met.

To obtain a licence you must be 18-years-old or over. You will need to obtain an application form from the Child Employment office. When you have completed and returned your application, at Suffolk County Council we will carry out:

  • Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) enhanced disclosure
  • Social Care background check
  • two references.

You will also be required to attend an interview with our staff and undertake our child protection training.

The licence, including background checks and training, is free of charge and it will take up to 12 weeks to process your application.

Chaperones are licenced to look after a maximum of 12 children at any one time. A licence is valid for up to 12 months. You must apply for your licence to be renewed before your current licence expires.