SAG-AFTRA Answers Call For Child Actor Safety Protocols Following Allegations Of Misconduct On Kids TV Sets

sag-aftra answers call for child actor safety protocols following allegations of misconduct on kids tv sets

SAG-AFTRA has answered calls for additional safety for child artists amid the revelations in Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. Last month, following the investigations and revelations on the Discover’s docuseries, Jenny Kilgen, former writer of The Amanda Show, wrote an open letter to the actors union, asking them to “take action to initiate and institute robust child safety protocols to protect young actors.” She additionally voiced her endorsement of both state and federal laws.

SAG-AFTRA responds to Jenny Kilgen’s letter

The five-part Quiet on Set documentary series detailed accusations of abuse, mistreatment, gender discrimination, racism, and improper conduct implicating underage stars and crew members on Nickelodeon TV show sets overseen by Dan Schneider.

Responding to Kilgen’s letter, SAG-AFTRA chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez replied, “The Union takes young performer safety very seriously and devotes considerable time to advocating for important legislative protections for minors and administering contract requirements for young performers. We give priority to complaints involving minors, maintain a constituent committee of young performers and help to fund and administer programs like ‘Looking Ahead’ that educate young performers about life as a child actor.”

The statement continued, “In addition, SAG-AFTRA’s most recent agreement requires background checks for any ‘teacher or welfare worker (or other individual assigned to perform the same duties as a welfare worker, such as a child labour coordinator) who is engaged by the Producer to supervise or teach minors employed under the Agreement.’ Additionally, we have authorized Producers to demand background checks as a condition of employment ‘for any person working in close proximity to one or more minor(s), other than a minor who is that person’s child/ward.’”

The actors’ union also pointed out that it operates a Safer Set hotline for on-set safety concerns, along with a reporting mechanism that offers referrals for therapeutic, legal, or law enforcement support.

Under California law, individuals obligated to register as sex offenders are barred from providing services to minors employed in the entertainment sector. Additionally, those seeking to work with minors must undergo a criminal background check and acquire a Child Performer Services permit. However, background checks for crew members on set are not mandatory if the minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Kilgen has specifically advocated for the implementation of protections such as “mandatory background checks, appropriate training for adults, transparency of investigation, & reporting policies, and free access to mental health providers through the employment cycle (and when necessary, after).” She also proposed the establishment of a dedicated task force to enhance “child safety and welfare” in the entertainment field and to review SAG-AFTRA’s existing policies.

Kilgen’s letter continued, “It’s my hope that this action will address, and help to dismantle, the current industry power dynamic which seemingly exists to protect the financial well-being of the studios and networks, often at the expense of the emotional, psychological and physical well-being of the children they employ — a dynamic where predatory behavior is enabled, and parents are too often sidelined.”