Written by At last a voice of reason has spoken up about the ever more suffocating laws regarding those who work with children.
At the Blackmore Players we now have to have a separate changing area for the kids, and I believe that if there are boys and girls, then essentially you need 2 kids changing areas.
This is starting to get silly.
As an amateur group who use a village hall, resources are limited, and we have even talked about hiring a caravan for a show so that can be the kids changing area. We also have to provide a chaperone for the kids during the performances.
However, from April this year, the rules are set to change again, and I believe that anyone who helps out with the kids will have to be CRB checked – that means I couldn’t just pop along to a kids rehearsal and help out unless I have been CRB checked. That puts a strain on an amateur group.
Now, I know a lot of people will say that it’s only right that anyone working with kids should be CRB checked, but we are a small village where a lot of the members are known, the kids all stick together anyway, and none of the parents seem to have a problem leaving their kids with us.
It’s nice that someone in the industry recognises that having kids in amateur groups is important, and hopefully the restrictions can be relaxed in a manner that still provides protection for kids, while at the same time acknowledging the effect these rulings are having on amateur theatre companies.