Taking your first step as a model can be daunting. Here we answer a few of the most common questions asked by parents of young models.

What do I need to know about the modelling industry?

There’s lots of information about modelling out there, some of it confusing, misleading or downright wrong. Some scam agencies will take your money with no intention of helping your child find work. Legally, showcase agencies cannot find you work: only modelling employment agencies (like Models Direct) can. Read more here…

Why should I choose Models Direct?

• There are so many reasons! Here are the most important ones:
• We’ve been bringing child models and clients together since 1990.
• Our approach is sincere, professional, qualified and committed. We want your child to succeed.
• We’ve created what we believe is the most effective and professional platform from which to launch a modelling career, whatever your age.
• We represent men, women, teens, children and babies to clients all over the world.
• We’re not just a faceless internet company – we’re real people, and you can meet us here or visit our offices if you want. (We’ll even pay half your travel costs from anywhere in the UK.)
• We will always speak with you, the parent – we will never conduct direct conversations with your child.

How does Models Direct work?

First, you complete an application and submit your child’s pictures. Then, if your child is selected, you pay a small fee to cover the costs of our representing your child to clients and they go onto our database. Every day, clients send us their specific requests for child models and we search the database to find models we can put forward. The client says yes, we agree a fee with you and the booking takes place. It’s that simple!

How does the process of getting an assignment work?

When clients ask us to provide a child model (or models), we carefully search our database and make a selection of our models’ pictures online for the client to access, using a limited access security code.

For your safety and peace of mind, there is no way that clients can obtain your contact information by viewing our database.

Once the client makes their selection, we agree availability, the type of booking and an acceptable fee for you. Then we confirm all the details with you (time, place and fee).

We collect the assignment fee from the client, retain one-third as our agency fee and give you the rest.

What types of clients do you deal with?

Basically, we deal with any business who needs children for paid modelling and promotional work. These can include photographers, advertising agencies, film and television production companies, fashion houses and any other business. You can view our client list here.

How hard is it to get assignments?

We won’t lie to you: modelling is an extremely competitive industry. Many parents feel their children have the looks and personality to be models. There are no guarantees of work and the choice of model rests with our client.

However, we have a full-time team of professional co-ordinators on duty every day, working exclusively on behalf of all our models and our worldwide clients. We want your child to get work; we succeed when they succeed. Our reputation rests on our ability to provide the perfect model for every requirement.

Can my child work for other model agencies?

Yes, of course. The whole point of modelling is to work whenever and wherever you can. In fact, it benefits us if our child models find work elsewhere, since they gain confidence and experience that makes them more valuable to our own clients.

What do your child models earn?

The short answer is, ‘it depends!’ Fees range from £10 per hour to hundreds of pounds a day depending on the client, how long the assignment takes and where the images or footage will be used. Have a look at some of the success stories on the site to get a feel for what your child could earn as a model.

Since we retain a proportion of the fee, it’s in our interests to get the best possible deal, so rest assured we’re always negotiating on your child’s behalf. We want them to do well.

What else will my child get from modelling apart from money?

Appearing on screen in an advert, TV programme or film can be very exciting for children. Many child models also enjoy the whole experience of being the absolute centre of attention as they are photographed or filmed. Modelling can also build confidence and self-esteem.

Most importantly, modelling is fun! All our child models (and their parents) report that the experience of travelling to a location, doing their shoot and meeting everybody is a great experience.

Will we have to travel?

You may need to travel to your assignment. Sometimes, our clients opt for models living relatively close to them, so they don’t have to pay travel costs. At other times, it’s vital that they get the right look regardless of location, so they’ll ask us for a national search. But you won’t have to pay for your own travel, and we’ll agree all the details with you up front.

Is my child the right shape, size and look to be a model?

Yes. Our clients ask us for a huge variety of different sizes, shapes and looks every day.

Every application we receive is carefully checked by our model co-ordinators and compared with our existing child models before being submitted to our National Selection Panel for a decision on whether we will represent them.

Is it going to cost me anything?

There’s no charge for submitting an application to us. If your child’s application is approved and we make them an offer of representation, there is a small charge that equates to less than £43 a year. This covers the cost of your child being featured in our work seeking publication.

Look at it this way: for less than £1 a week, your child is in with the opportunity to find fun, exciting and rewarding modelling work and perhaps even starting a career in modelling. For our part, we promise to put them forward whenever their look is called for. The rest is up to you!

Does my child need a Child Performer’s Licence?

A Child Performer’s Licence is required for all children of compulsory school age.

If your child is selected and booked for an assignment we will send you the booking forms and a Child Performer’s Licence application.

We will complete as much of the licence as possible. All you have to do is fill in the rest, sign it and take it to your local authority for their signature and approval and they will issue the licence direct to you.

Note that there are regional differences in how local authorities deal with Child Performer’s Licences, so contact your local authority for advice.