There are hundreds of child modelling agencies available who represent babies, young children, older children and teenagers. If you, like every mother, think your little one is the sweetest, most photogenic and charismatic infant you’ve ever seen, perhaps you’ve considered signing to child modelling agencies.

But How Do You Choose?

First consider how much time you and your child want to dedicate to modelling. If you are constantly driving your child to casting calls and taking them out of school then they are unlikely to find the process enjoyable. And child modelling should be fun.

It works far better as an occasional hobby than a career unless your child really wants to push their modelling further.

Time

Remember that the agency is working for you, you aren’t working for them. Your child can turn down any work that isn’t suitable for any reason. The nature of the industry means that jobs frequently appear short notice, and they might not always fit in well with school activities or the casting call distance might be too far. Talent Management won’t put any pressure on you to attend castings; it’s entirely up to you and your little star.

While some jobs will take your availability into consideration, most will be working on a strict time scale which tends to be based around the normal working week. If you work, or missing school might be a problem, modelling won’t be a good option for them.

Reviews

As there are so many child modelling agencies out there, you’ll find that different agencies will suit some children more than others, so you can’t just rely on reviews. All child modelling agencies receive positive and negative feedback, and they can be because of the client, or parental expectations rather than the agency themselves.

Have a look at all the information available and speak to the agency before joining to make sure they are the best agency for you and your little one.

Licences  

To be paid for employment in the creative arts (including performances and modelling) in the UK, children under the age of 16 require a performance permit. This is part of the child labour law which exists for their protection. Your agency might arrange this for you, but you should make sure. They don’t usually cost anything but they can take a while to acquire, so they need to be applied for around three weeks in advance.

Is Your Child Model Material?

Every child is beautiful, and clients look for a diverse range of looks, so appearance isn’t really a factor for child modelling agencies.

A far more important question is whether your child is happy to sit still for long periods of time, likes having their photo taken, and doesn’t mind travelling. If your child isn’t well behaved, they won’t get called back for jobs. It can be incredibly difficult directing small children so most people involved in the industry will be fairly tolerant, but there is such thing as too terrible a toddler. If they’re kicking up a fuss they almost certainly aren’t enjoying the experience; having to sit still while a stranger takes your photograph really isn’t for everyone.

Most shoots will involve several children and if you end up going to casting calls you will meet lots of other parents who are in the same boat as you. It can be a bit intimidating if your child is a bit shy, and being a little bit nervous is very normal. Most little ones settle in quickly and as they could end up spending quite a lot of time with their faux brother, sister or best friend, they could have plenty of new friends by the end of the day.

If your little one is already signed up with a child modelling agency, how did you narrow down the search?