Safety-first, copy-ready checklist parents can paste into enquiries: 12 vetting questions, how to validate a WWC, insurance proof, and backup-plan red flags.
Ask 12 Safety Questions Before Booking a Kids’ Entertainer in Australia
Before you ask about costumes or games, ask to see a Working With Children Check and a written child-safety policy. Those two answers tell you more than anything else the entertainer will say. Once they check out, move to age fit, run-sheet logistics, price inclusions, and a backup plan for illness or no-shows. Established providers expect these questions and answer them without hesitation.
TL;DR:
- Confirm the entertainer’s current Working With Children Check and verify it through the relevant state portal before proceeding with any booking.
- Ensure they have a written child-safety policy, current public liability insurance, and clear details on their age specialization and group management skills.
- Clarify logistics including setup space, timing, and food breaks, and insist on written contracts outlining costs, inclusions, and cancellation policies.
- Ask about backup plans such as a substitute performer or rescheduling options to avoid last-minute disruptions caused by illness or emergencies.
- Provide the entertainer with venue details, child’s ages, allergies, and special notes at least a week in advance to help them tailor their performance accordingly.
Table of Contents
- Quick checklist: 12 must-ask questions to vet an entertainer
- Safety and background checks: what to ask and how to validate them
- Age suitability and group management: match the entertainer to your guests
- Logistics and technical needs: confirm space, timing and run-sheet details
- Pricing, inclusions and the contract: make sure payment terms are clear
- Contingency planning and red flags: what to expect and what to avoid
- What to tell the entertainer before the party: a short prep template
- Author perspective: what organisers forget to ask
- How Dreamscape answers this checklist
- Sources
- FAQ
Quick checklist: 12 must-ask questions to vet an entertainer
Copy these into an email, a booking form, or a phone call. They’re ordered from highest priority to lowest, so if you only get through half the list, you’ve still covered the essentials.
- Can you send a photo or copy of your current Working With Children Check?
- Do you have a written child-safety or risk management policy?
- What’s your public liability insurance cover, and can you provide a certificate?
- What age range do you specialise in, and how many kids can you comfortably manage solo?
- How do you handle a mixed-age group or a very shy child?
- What’s the running order for a standard party, and how long does the show run?
- What space, power access, and setup time do you need?
- Where does cake and food fit into your run-sheet?
- What’s included in the quoted price, and what costs extra?
- What’s your cancellation and refund policy?
- Who’s your backup entertainer if you’re sick on the day?
- Can I see recent reviews or speak to a past client?
Safety and background checks: what to ask and how to validate them
A Working With Children Check is the first thing to sight, not the last. Ask the entertainer to send a photo of the card or their registration number, then check it yourself through the relevant state portal rather than taking their word for it. Western Australia’s Have you checked? campaign exists specifically because too many parents skip this step, and the government has published a parent information page walking through exactly how to do it.
The penalty for faking or ignoring these checks is steep. Under WA policy, knowingly breaching Working with Children legislation can mean fines of up to $60,000 and five years’ imprisonment - a clear signal of how seriously the law treats this.
A card alone isn’t the whole picture. Victoria’s Commission for Children and Young People notes that a WWC is only one part of being child safe, and recommends organisers also ask about:
- A written child-safety or code-of-conduct policy
- How one-on-one contact with children is managed and supervised
- Whether staff have completed any child-safety training
- Current public liability insurance, with a certificate on request
Our own child safety checklist for party entertainment goes deeper on what a genuinely thorough policy looks like.
Age suitability and group management: match the entertainer to your guests
An entertainer who says they’re “great with all ages” and stops there hasn’t really answered the question. A good one asks you back: how old, how many, and what’s the group dynamic like?
- Ask directly: what age range do they specialise in, and what’s their comfortable maximum group size?
- Listen for adaptation: do they mention adjusting pacing, humour, or activities for younger versus older kids?
- Ask for examples: how do they draw out a shy child, or settle down an overexcited group before cake?
Experienced performers tend to ask about ages and numbers before they’ve even quoted a price, because it shapes the whole show. If they don’t ask, ask them why.
Logistics and technical needs: confirm space, timing and run-sheet details
Nail these down before the day, not on it.
- Confirm total run time and the show’s structure (arrival, games, activities, wrap-up).
- Ask about arrival, setup, and pack-down times separately from performance time.
- Check the space footprint they need, indoors and outdoors, plus any power requirements.
- Ask where cake and food sit in the run-sheet, since some entertainers build a break around it and others don’t.
- Raise any venue-specific limits, like noise restrictions or a wet-weather backup for outdoor bookings.
If you’re also booking live music or a band for a larger event, this live band booking guide covers similar timing and equipment questions worth asking.
Pricing, inclusions and the contract: make sure payment terms are clear
Get everything in writing before you pay a deposit. A verbal “yeah, that’s included” isn’t worth much if there’s a dispute later.
- Request written confirmation of the date, time, duration, total fee, and deposit amount.
- Ask exactly what’s included (props, music, prizes) versus what costs extra (travel, extra time, add-on characters).
- Ask for evidence of public liability insurance, not just a mention that they have it.
- Confirm the cancellation and refund policy in plain terms, including what happens if you need to reschedule.
Most reputable operators ask for a modest deposit to lock in the date, with the balance due closer to or on the day. Our guide to kids’ party entertainer costs in Melbourne breaks down what a fair price actually covers.
Contingency planning and red flags: what to expect and what to avoid
Ask what happens if the entertainer gets sick. A solid answer names a backup performer, a reschedule option, or a clear refund, not a vague “we’ll sort it out.”
- Reasonable contingency: a named backup entertainer, a reschedule window, or a full refund if neither works.
- Red flag: evasive or defensive answers about checks, insurance, or contracts.
- Red flag: no written confirmation at all, just a text message and a deposit request.
- Red flag: a price well below everyone else’s with no clear reason why.
Pro Tip: Ask for a recent video clip or show reel from an actual party, not a polished promo video. It tells you far more about how they handle real kids than any script.
What to tell the entertainer before the party: a short prep template
A good entertainer will ask for this anyway, but sending it upfront saves time and avoids surprises.
- Number of children and their ages.
- Venue address, parking notes, and how to get in on arrival.
- Any allergies, sensitivities, or kids who might need extra reassurance.
- When cake and food are happening, so they can build it into the run-sheet.
- Any cultural or religious notes relevant to the celebration.
- Whether photos are okay to take or share.
Send this as a short email or booking-form note a week out. Our questions to ask before booking has a fuller version if you want to expand it.
Author perspective: what organisers forget to ask
Most parents remember to ask about themes and characters. Almost nobody asks about the backup plan until the entertainer cancels the morning of the party. That’s the gap worth closing. Some children’s entertainment providers in Melbourne have extensive experience, many positive reviews, and maintain Working With Children Checks as part of standard practice. The other common miss: parents ask “what age is this for?” but never ask how the entertainer handles a room split between four-year-olds and ten-year-olds. Ask both.
- Lauren
How Dreamscape answers this checklist
Run through the list above against Dreamscape and the answers are straightforward: every entertainer carries a current Working With Children Check, pricing is laid out clearly before you book, and character specialists are matched to the age group you’re actually celebrating, from princesses and superheroes through to newer K-Pop-inspired favourites. Backup cover is part of how bookings are handled, so a single illness doesn’t derail your party. If you’re planning a birthday, browse kids’ party characters and themes to see who fits your group, or check pricing and packages to see what’s included before you commit. School coordinators and corporate planners can look at the schools and corporate events pages for group-specific details. Ready to lock in a date? Start with the kids’ party entertainment booking page and get a quote against the checklist yourself.
Sources
Use these directly to verify what an entertainer tells you:
- Campaign calls on parents to check children’s party entertainers | Western Australian Government
- What to look for in a child safe organisation | CCYP Victoria
- Working with children check policy | WA Health
- Who needs a working with children check? | NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian
FAQ
What’s the single most important question to ask a kids’ entertainer?
Ask to sight their current Working With Children Check and validate it through the relevant state portal before you discuss anything else.
Do Working With Children Check rules differ between states?
Yes. NSW, for example, allows some applicants to start work with an Application (APP) number while the full check processes, so always confirm which document and process applies in your state.
How much deposit is normal for booking a kids’ entertainer?
Deposits vary by provider, but a modest amount to secure the date with the balance due closer to the event is standard practice; get the exact figure and due date in writing.
What should I do if an entertainer can’t produce a WWC or insurance certificate?
Treat it as a hard stop. A legitimate operator, including Dreamscape, will produce both without pushback or delay.
Should I ask about backup entertainers even for a small party?
Yes. Illness and last-minute emergencies happen regardless of party size, and a named backup or clear refund policy protects your date either way.
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