Apply for a Body of Persons Approval licence

A Body of Persons Approval licence covers child performances without the need for individual licences.

A Body of Persons Approval (BOPA) allows an organisation to have a single licence for their performances involving children. This means you do not need to apply for a performance licence for each individual child.

A BOPA licence is free of charge.

When you can apply

You can apply for a BOPA if:

  • children are taking part in an unpaid performance
  • the organisation is not being paid for the performance
  • children will not miss school to take part

What you need to send us

You must send us the following documents so that we can complete safeguarding and due diligence checks:

1. BOPA application

2. BOPA group participants

Make sure that:

  • all chaperones are included in the chaperone section
  • any other supervising adults are included in the additional supervising adults section

3. BOPA contract

4. Risk assessment that is signed, dated and includes the rehearsal and performance addresses

5. Child protection policy that includes the name and contact details of the designated safeguarding officer

Apply for a BOPA

Email your completed documents to child.employment@croydon.gov.uk.

After you apply

If your application is approved, we will send the BOPA approval to both signatories.

If a child will miss school

If any child needs to miss school to take part in the performance, you must email us:

  • the child's name
  • postcode
  • date of birth
  • school name
  • a letter from the school confirming the absence has been approved

If the school does not approve the absence, you must apply for an individual performance licence for that child.

Supporting documents

Keep the following documents with your licence in case of an inspection: