Protecting Child Stars: Laws and Regulations

"What 'chou talking about Willis?" Remember that line? We all have our favorite child stars and we follow and celebrate their careers by watching them on television and in movie theatres. Many parents want fame for their children and encourage them to pursue entertainment careers, but are they aware of the implications involved in raising a child star?

Legal protection for child stars

Entertainment means big bucks in western countries. Many child stars are created and then lost in the shuffle every year. However, for those who hang in there and become famous, life is not easy; and for the parents of a child star, overlooking their well-being and success is a difficult task. Fortunately, in North America and some other countries, there is legal protection for children in the entertainment industry and laws state that children are not allowed to;

- be put at risk physically (no dangerous stunts)

- be exposed to morally compromising situations

- be nude or partially nude

- be engaged in overt sexual acts

Ensuring that a child star's education is not compromised by the demands of an acting career has become a priority. There are few, if any, good job opportunities set aside for those children who are not properly educated. Whether the young entertainer is enrolled in a regular scholastic program at a public or private school, or enjoys private tutelage, education must continue regardless of the career, and must be overseen by a qualified instructor. Hence, movie and TV sets now employ teachers or education instructors for child actors under their employment.

Child stars working overtime?

Most adults invest a lot of time into their career of choice, some building up businesses from scratch while others join the corporate bandwagon and slowly climb the ladder. As the need for people to be entertained increases, so does the demand for child stars. However, the reason we don't see many children in significant leading roles in movies is that, by law, they are limited to a specific amount of work per day. Infants (like those cute children in diaper commercials) are only allowed under the lights a few minutes a day. Such laws are set to protect actors up until the age of 18, at which time all restrictions are lifted and they are free to take on projects at will.

Will the law save them?

Laws and regulations are only as helpful as those enforcing them. There are always some people who are looking to bend the rules or even disregard them totally. As the parent of a child star, it is imperative to ensure that these laws are abided. Though the excitement of a successful movie career for your youngster may be intoxicating, you must stick to a strict regiment of education for your child. Moreover, greed may inadvertently sneak into the scenario, and it will not only affect the attitude of your child, but will also spoil your relationship with him/her. In order to ensure your child star's well-being, be aware, be alert, be informed about the laws regarding children in the entertainment industry, and see that they are enforced.

Jacklyn Moore is the webmaster and content provider for Hollywood Child Stars.