BOPA terms and conditions | Brass Bands England

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BOPA terms and conditions

For more information about the BBE BOPA in general please visit our information page or for members to find out how to apply please visit the members resource.

BOPA Terms and Conditions

The BOPA will only cover the activities of BBE and its member organisations if they have met all of the following criteria:

  • Brass Bands England members can apply for permission to use the BBE-held BOPA on and event by event basis where they act as the event organiser.

  • There must be a ratio of 1:12 for supervising adults who have had a DBS check or DBS Status check carried out in the last three years.* In the case of a parent supervising their own child, a DBS check is not needed but they can only supervise their own child in this case.

    • The supervising adult must supervise the child at all times including rehearsing for the performance during the performance period and taking part in the activity. Children must know who their supervising adult is.

    • The supervising adult must have knowledge and understanding of The Children (Performances and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014, or The Children (Performances and Activities) (Wales) Regulations 2015, for performances in Wales and be suitable to exercise care and control of the child(ren) in their care.

    • Please see Keeping young performers safe - Guidance to accompany the 2015 child performance regulations, for additional support for performances in Wales, available here.

  • One Adult who has attended BandSafe training must be present at the event

  • No payment is made to children, or to anyone else, apart from defrayment expenses.

  • The permission certificate to use the BBE-held BOPA must be emailed to the Local Authority Licensing Officer where the activity is taking place at least 2 weeks in advance of the event.

  • A representative of BBE will be allowed entry to the event to perform spot inspections if required.

  • The event must report the number of school aged children taking part to BBE for compliance reporting (this is collected via the online application process and is included on the permission certificate to use the BBE-held BOPA).

  • Generally a child may not be absent from school. If this is the case, please email safeguarding@bbe.org.uk for advice. 

  • The event has a risk assessment in place.

  • The event has a first aider present.

  • The performance must take place in England or Wales.

  • The band must have permission, photographic consent, emergency medical information and contact details available for all child performers at the place of performance. An example of this form can be seen at this link. The document is a PDF you can type in so members can fill it out themselves. Feel free to use this form within your band.

  • Children must not be on site longer than the restrictions on hours as laid out in the regulations.[see table]**

  • Children must not be at the place of performance for longer than the restrictions on hours as laid out in the regulations. [see table]

  • Children must not be at the place of performance earlier or later than the permitted time at the place of performance as laid out in the regulations. [see table]

  • Children must have the minimal intervals for meals and rest as laid out in the regulations [see table]

  • Children must have a break in performances as laid out in the regulations [see table]

Topic Age 0 – 4 Age 5 to 8 Age 9 and over
Maximum number of hours at place of performance or rehearsal (regulation 22) 5 hours 8 hours 9.5 hours
Earliest and latest permitted time at place of performance or rehearsal (regulation 21) 7am to 10 pm 7am to 11 pm 7am to 11pm
Maximum total hours of performance or rehearsal (regulation 22) 2 hours 3 hours 5 hours
Minimum intervals for meals and rest (regulation 23) Any breaks must be for a minimum of 15 minutes. If at the place of performance for more than 4 hours, breaks must include at least one 45 minutes meal break.  

If present at the place of performance or rehearsal for more than 4 hours but less than 8 hours, they must have one meal break of 45 minutes and at least one break of 15 minutes.

 

If present at the place of performance for 8 hours or more, they must have the breaks stated above plus another break of 15 minutes.

 

If present at the place of performance or rehearsal for more than 4 hours but less than 8 hours, they must have one meal break of 45 minutes and at least one break of 15 minutes.

 

If present at the place of performance for 8 hours or more, they must have the breaks stated above plus another break of 15 minutes.

Minimum break between performances (regulation 23) 1 hour 30 minutes 1 hour 30 minutes 1 hour 30 minutes
  •  Suitable arrangements must be in place for meals, changing/washing facilities, breakout room, etc
  • A child must not take part in performances or rehearsals on more than six consecutive days
  • Children should be signed in on arrival and signed out on departure to mark the handover in responsibility.  
  • Suitable travel arrangements must be in place for the child to get home. It is considered best practice that no child should be left to go home alone. They should be signed over by the supervising adult to either a parent, or someone with parental responsibility or to a known person whose details have been given

  • An accident book must be used to record any accidents with a carbon paper copy to send home with the child for parental knowledge.

*N.B. The supervising adult may also play in the band, but must maintain sight of the child in their care at all times during the performance. If the child needed to leave the stage then so must the supervising adult and all children in their care. For this reason we strongly recommend a lower ratio than this as best practice. During non-performing times the supervising adult must apply the usual rules about maintaining sight or sound to facilitate activities such as toilet breaks but preferably both sight and sound should be maintained.  

** In the event a child has performed and left the venue but re-enters as a member of the public to watch later performances, this will not count as time spent in the venue as long as there has been some element of finishing their performance and coming back in as a guest e.g. after playing in a contest the band leaves the building and places instruments in vehicles and the child returns with their family to watch other performances, the performance time in the venue would only include up until the point the band have left the venue as performers.