From 1 October 2025, you must notify the Office of the Children’s Guardian if your project in NSW involves a child under the age of 16.
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Do you employ children under 16?
From 1 October 2025, if you are employing a child or children under the age of 16 in entertainment, exhibition, still photography or modelling, there are changes that you need to know.
What’s changed?
Currently, employment of 15-year-olds only needs to be notified to the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) for modelling work.
From 1 October 2025, all productions casting and employing children under the age of 16 in entertainment, exhibition, still photography or modelling sectors in NSW must be notified to the OCG.
This means, the person responsible for casting and giving directions to the child or children is required to hold an Authority or apply for an exemption for the production to go ahead.
What do we have to do?
Familiarise yourself with and follow the steps to employing children on our website before employing children under the age of 16 in NSW.
Why has this changed?
There has been a legislative change that defines a child as under 16 years of age for all purposes of child employment under the Children’s Guardian Act. The amendments made to the children’s employment requirements come into effect on 1 October 2025.
Learn more about the Children’s Guardian Amendment Bill 2025
