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Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
I can read through Marc's wobbly keyboard (or fingers!) and I have to agree. So do we all sit and wait for some pen pusher to influence our lives and businesses? We would gladly justify ourselves to some organisation of professional entertainers - like the rest of you, absolutely nothing to hide! But it's the sheer principle of being dictated to by people who know nothing and are nothing that annoys me.
Tony |
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MarcDominic New user U.K. 12 Posts |
Cheshire Cat
With reference to the web and children's entertainers being convicted as pedophile I can cite you over 20 cases in the last 5 years in England alone where children's entertainers or people passing themselves off as childrens entertainers and clowns have been convicted of Major sexual offensises against minors. There are planty more just not publised.
Childrens Entertainer of the Year 2005 - Finalist
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Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
I'd love to know more about these 20 cases Marc, as the one in our location seemed to have slipped the net about 12 years ago, and just wondering . . .
I realise you dare not give public details here however. I personally fear, probably like the rest of you, - some high publicity National case being brought against one of these individuals which will rub off against all of us. I think we do need to bear in mind though that as entertainers we are NOT childminders, and are certainly not hired to attend to the personal needs of children. I thus can only emphasise once again to NEVER be left in charge of children, as you are being paid to entertain and not to be 'in charge' as such (I know the two are interwoven at times). Tony. |
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Rupert Bair Inner circle ? 2179 Posts |
"The one useful bit of advice I did get from seeing Silly Billy's lecture at Blackpool was to take a small wedge"
Sorry, Clive I think that was Quentin's lecture. I know how much you love Silly Billy but you can't credit it him for everything Matt |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
Was it Matt, my mistake, we are talking about something over a year ago, and anyone who knows me will know I have trouble remembering what I did yesterday.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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wol Loyal user Norfolk, UK 238 Posts |
As I stated in my earlier post I believe it is up to us to protect ourselves from the possibility of being labelled or connected with offenders. it is not law but for our own peace of mind. I make very sure at all my gigs that the client(where possible) is in the room at all times , they are reminded that they have booked entertainment nothing more and beyond making the audience happy the rest is there concern. not said in such a matter of fact fashion but I also put this info on the booking form/contract that they have signed before the event. For our reputations to go untarnished we must porotect our selves , a lot of red tape can save a lot of empty spaces in a diary, don't let the man get you down!
Keep passing the open windows!
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computerDuster New user 4 Posts |
I would never consider booking an entertainer for my child without having a full police check. Also, I would never expect an entertainer to do anything more than that. I have never met a parent who expects the entertainer to have any supervisory role.
It's true, it is a sad indictation of todays society. The simple fact is, pedophilia is rife, in all walks of life. I don't think it is unfair for parents to ask to see a clean record (regarding children). I too am unhappy with authoritarian attitudes and resent this Big Brother presence, but I can put my political leanings aside when confronted with the issue of my childs safety. |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
"I would never consider booking an entertainer for my child without having a full police check. Also, I would never expect an entertainer to do anything more than that. I have never met a parent who expects the entertainer to have any supervisory role."
As the police check, like your car MOT it is only valid on the day it was done, it would not really prove anthing about the entertainer. He could after all be a peada-pervert who has just never been caught. If he got caught after it was done, he'd still be in possesion of the 'I'm a good guy' paperwork which could still be valid up to 12 months. I don't think people will start double checking every form do you? Personally it would make all our lives easier if once they caught one he was castrated and locked away for life if he's actually hurt or helped hurt a child. Or for minor offences (is there such a thing as a minor offence where kids are concerned, not in my book), a good few years in the nick, plus being castrated and his head tattooed purple so everyone knows what he is. Castration should be carried out with a 100 ft of piano wire, a brick and a bridge with a drop of 110 ft. He should be made to tie the wire to himself and the brick, and throw the brick off the bridge. As for the 2nd part, I've met loads of parents who see me as a hired babysitter. Many a time I've had to remind a mum that someone has to be in the room during the party, even though it's on my contract, they all pretend the didn't realise. (probably because they never read it). Every time you turn round and find yourself in the party room alone, the booker is expecting you to look after the kids, every time you're stood there doing a show, while the parents sit right at the other end of the club getting drunk, they are looking at you as a baby sitter. Nowadays it's part of my after taking the booking bit on the phone, I go through what I need, when I'll arrive etc and mention the Adult supervision requirement.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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computerDuster New user 4 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-10-09 16:52, Emazdad wrote: Sure, I take this point on board. Of course it is possible that the entertainer could still be undesirable. But, a check is one small thing parents can do to make sure there are no convictions. It's a simple, easy, pain free process. It doesn't prove much, but it's something. Quote:
On 2004-10-09 16:52, Emazdad wrote: This is a shame. It illustrates the current bad parenting trend also prevalent in todays society. It's sad that this request has become so common. But, society has bred a new kind of person, the 'paranoid parent'. It's not irrational, it's just one small step a parent is able to take to help mantain the safety of their child. |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
"This is a shame. It illustrates the current bad parenting trend also prevalent in todays society."
True! and it's making our job harder and harder as there is so much more you have to learn to deal with instead of being able to concentrate on perfoming.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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computerDuster New user 4 Posts |
Is it really that hard? It's just a check, for peace of mind. Does this check really effect your performance?
The parents who sit at the back of the room drinking probably aren't the ones worried about your motives. The paranoid parent, however, might show some concern if you adjust a childs bow or help with his zipper. Sad, yes, although I'm confused how this could effect your performance. |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
It's not the check that effects the show, it's the increase in bad mannered adults, and ill disiplined kids due to the bad parenting you mentioned.
The check, apart from the hassle of getting one, which isn't easy wouldn't effect my performance at all, but as I've only been asked once or twice so it's nothing I'd bother getting at the moment.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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Billy Whizz Special user Plymouth, UK 576 Posts |
I've only been asked once in 17 years. I don't have one, but even when I did get asked that once, I told them I don't have one, and they still booked me.
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Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
Well Billy, we've never been asked in nearly 26 years either.
ComputerDuster, - are you an entertainer by the way, or a passing web browser? Not that you're not welcome by the way if you are the latter. But just wondering. Thankfully, we predominantly get enquiries from highly intelligent parents in fairly high or very high income brackets. Maybe some of these have more of a depth of understanding or maturity if you will, on what to purchase, whether a service or product (?) They know that we are family people ourselves (we make that VERY clear on website etc. by the way), they combine this information with the home address we trade from, - with the number of years we have been trading, with usually a recommendation from someone who'd seen us; and it all computes in their minds and gives us a five star rating and reassurance factor. Tony. Update: Dec 3 2004 I have to admit a complete turnaround since the above posting in October. We have both now completed and submitted forms to CRB, UK. As an illustration, my CRB representative (they call them "Umbrella Bodies") told me she had a complete amateur dramatic company cast of adults submit declarations just because this Christmas' show also involved using a few children! - and here are we, working with children all the time! The choice is yours, but if you need any advice (UK entertainers) PM me. Tony. Oh yes, forgot to tell you. Children's Entertainers are classed as '01 Priority' as they have direct contact with children. |
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Macbeth Regular user London 129 Posts |
Thanks for letting us know Cheshire.
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benlewis2004 Regular user 150 Posts |
It is fairly new, whenever you work in close contact with children you now need a CRB
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wol Loyal user Norfolk, UK 238 Posts |
I have never been asked for my CRB on even my insurance! But I still have them. I think any entertainer committed to safe and fun events should do all they can to show this. Commitment to higher standards is something we should as a community all strive for.
Billy - Just on a slightly different issue but did you have written permission from all from the parents of the children in your promo video? Where they all informed the use the footage would have? Just wondering is all!
Keep passing the open windows!
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