Safeguarding Young Acting Talent
CPSH, was founded by industry professionals and aims to improve film and TV production practices, focusing on the safety of children and young people. Promoting best practices to help you navigate challenges, ensure continuity, streamline processes, and protect both young talent and production integrity.
Meet our team of experts….
The CPSH Management Team
Arlene De Cruz
With over 18 years of experience in our creative industry and initially starting out as a chaperone, Arlene founded her agency Chaperones and Tutors Limited. Understanding first-hand the challenges productions face daily when working with children, Arlene works with productions to navigate their responsibilities around regulatory compliance.
In 2013, Arlene was part of the working groups for English and Scottish regulation revisions and helped deliver these changes across the UK in 2014, collaborating with the DfE, PACT, BBC, and other stakeholders.
Recognising the need for standardised training and compliance, she worked with BECTU to launch the Broadcast and Film Chaperones and Tutors branch in the summer of 2017.
At this point, she decided to consolidate her experience, expertise, processes, and knowledge into a practical and effective Children’s Regulations course – proudly accredited by City & Guilds and the first of its kind.
Paul Byrne
Paul is an experienced tutor and chaperone who has worked with young people of all age groups, from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 5, in school settings, residential settings, and the television, film, and theatre industry. He has a background in education, management, training, and pastoral care.
Relevant professional body membership and qualifications include:
- Qualified Teacher Status with tutoring Professional Indemnity Insurance
- Licensed Chaperone with Freelancer Public Liability Insurance
- Designated Safeguarding Lead trained ( Refreshed in 2025 )
- City & Guilds Accredited Regulatory Compliance trained (Refreshed 2024 )
- NPSCC Protecting Children in Entertainment (Refreshed 2024 )
- Associate Member of Dyslexia Guild (ADG/FE)
- Youth Mental Health First Aid trained
Paul’s extensive experience, qualifications and continued training reflect his commitment to supporting and safeguarding young people in both educational and creative settings.
Lizzy Talbot
Lizzy is a certified Intimacy Coordinator with IDC Professionals and a pioneering figure in the field, working across the UK, US, and EU. She is the founder and Director of Intimacy for Stage and Screen.
Her credits include high-profile productions such as Bridgerton (Netflix), The Witcher (Netflix), and The Nevers (HBO). She holds an MA in Direction from the University of East Anglia and is also a certified Stage Combat teacher with the British Academy of Stage and Screen.
In addition to her industry work, Lizzy has taught internationally and at leading drama schools and universities in both the UK and the US.
Bringing confidence through competence
Compliance Policies and regulations need to balance between safeguarding the child and remaining workable to encourage the use of today’s child talent. Navigating your way around the actual implications of complex and changing regulations can seem
daunting, and here is where CPSH can help. We aim to support your production process and creative ambitions. By working together we can identify any gaps in your knowledge and develop your skills through exploring the practical implementation of our DfE Child Performance Regulations, whilst adhering to best practices.From Casting Brief to Wrap
