The New Child Model Rules

NEW legislation has been proposed in the US to ensure that child models receive the same rights as child performers.Senate co-leader Jeff Klein and State Senate Labour Committee chairwoman Diane Savino joined model Coco Rocha and former child models to announce the news yesterday in the hope of preventing child exploitation in the fashion industry.

The new laws stipulate that employers are now required to provide a nurse with paediatric experience and to offer safety-based instruction and information to child models and their parents/guardians.In addition, a "responsible person" should be present to monitor any model under the age of 16 and a trust must be established by the child's guardian, which an employer must transfer at least 15 per cent of the child's earnings into.

Having once been a teenage model, living and working in New York, I know all too well the difficulties that face underage models.Little to no workplace standards at times made my profession a very dangerous one for a minor," said Rocha."When it comes to protecting children, the moral argument overrides any perceived inconvenience of rules, record keeping or expense.That fact has long been acknowledged for other child performers like actors, dancers and singers, all who enjoy protection under law.Perhaps due to an unfortunate oversight, this has never applied to child models.I'm thankful that the Model Alliance and Senators Savino and Klein are raising awareness around this issue and confident that through continued efforts we can ensure a safer environment for the next generation of child models."

In the UK, Vogue signed a ten-point code protecting models at work in April, which prohibited models under the age of 16 being used for shoots representing adult models.The agreement instructs that models hired byVogue will not work longer than ten hours a day, will have adequate food provided and will not do any semi or fully nude shoots unless agreed in advance.Other requisites include mandatory breaks, changing rooms, transport, prompt payment and suitable temperatures for the clothes being modelled.