Will the Minister make a statement on the licencing requirements for children aged 16 and younger to participate as part of musical groups in concerts and competitions, and advise what steps the Welsh Government is taking to help ensure that licencing is not a barrier to children joining brass bands?
The safeguarding and well-being of children participating in performances and activities in schools or communities must always be a priority consideration.
The benefits to children taking part in extra-curricular activities and performances are well evidenced and widely acknowledged. It is our collective responsibility to promote and encourage such participation but it is also our responsibility to ensure effective safeguarding arrangements are in place.
The purpose of the licencing requirements is to ensure that the well-being of performing children is effectively safeguarded. The requirements relate to any child who is under compulsory school age and is taking part in a performance or an activity; ensuring that it is not detrimental to their well-being or to their education. Safeguarding policies should be in place for all types of groups, including brass bands, to protect all members, including children. These requirements are not intended to be a barrier to children taking part in performances and activities, but they are a required element.
The Welsh Government’s child performance regulations and Keeping Young Performers Safe guidance set out and explain the requirements.
The process for issuing a child performance licence is not intended to be burdensome; rather it is a fundamental step in providing assurances that our children are appropriately safeguarded when partaking in performances and activities outside of the school environment. It is imperative that we get this right through a single consistent process.
It is important that close working relationships are maintained between the local authority and the organisers of community organisations and groups, such as brass bands. All local authorities have officers with responsibility for safeguarding and child performance and the Welsh Government supports a national group of these officers who meet three times a year to share information and discuss best practice.