SAG-AFTRA Addresses Plea For More Safety Measures For Child Performers

IN response to the revelations highlighted in Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, SAG-AFTRA has addressed demands for improved safety measures for child actors. In a recent move, Jenny Kilgen, a former writer for The Amanda Show who had also participated in Investigation Discovery docuseries, had written an open letter to the actors’ union. In her letter, Kilgen suggested implementation of comprehensive safety measures to protect young actors.

Spanning five episodes, the docuseries Quiet on Set revolves around the claims of misconduct, which includes abuse, sexism, racism, and improper actions toward minors, involving cast and crew on Nickelodeon TV series overseen by Dan Schneider.

While reacting to Kilgen’s letter, SAG-AFTRA chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez wrote, “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.”

“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 labor 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 statement continued.

The actors’ union also stated that they provide a Safer Set hotline to address safety concerns on set, along with a reporting mechanism that allows access to therapeutic, legal, or law enforcement support.

Kilgen has suggested to implement safeguards like “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 called for a special task force that would look at improving “child safety and welfare” within the entertainment industry and also audit SAG-AFTRA’s existing policies.

“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,” Kilgen added.