Face painting

• You should only use professional hypo-allergenic paint specifically designed for the skin. ‘Non-Toxic’ doesn’t mean ‘safe for skin’.
• It is advisable to seek permission from a parent and check with them whether their child has any allergies, if in doubt it is advisable to do a small patch test first.
• Face painting should not be carried out on any child that has any open cuts or wounds or anything contagious such as conjunctivitis or head lice.
• It is not advisable to paint a child’s face if they are younger than three years old.
• It is important to clean all equipment.
• If a church member is applying the face paint, ensure that they are trained and comfortable in performing the task and that they do not hold the child in a position which could cause injury.

• If you are hiring a professional face painter, it is important to ensure that they are DBS checked and that they have suitable public liability insurance.
• Many face painters belong to Fast Accredited Creative Experts (FACE) you can find members by visiting www.facepaint.co.uk

In April 2013 the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) was created, replacing the Criminal Records Bureau and Independent Safeguarding Authority who were effectively merged.

More information regarding the DBS is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/overview