Prepare the child for a variety of roles by enrolling him or her in dance movement, singing, acting and modeling classes. Many parents get their child into modeling before acting to expose him or her to being on stage before crowds.
Enroll your child in community center and/or parks and recreation department-sponsored little theater. Additionally, if there are summer stock companies in your neck of the woods, contact producers to see if they are casting children. Use these opportunities to make certain the child is comfortable and mature enough to handle being on stage.
Compile a professional presentation book in preparation for your talent agency visits. The book should include modeling composites (if available), still photos, pictures of the child performing on stage, lists of credits delineating all of the "work" the child had done to date and a list of the performance training classes he or she have taken.
Peruse the Internet or Yellow Pages in your area to locate talent agents specializing in children. Call several to find out what type of materials they wish to see beyond the contents of the child's portfolio. Ask about open casting calls for children. Most agencies schedule these "cattle calls" periodically.
Take your child on as many casting calls as time allows, even if you haven't yet landed an agent. This keeps the child in their environment, gives them an opportunity to meet and become friendly with other actors of the same age and perhaps glean good agent leads from the parents of children who have already been put under contract.
Book appointments with several agents; it's not a good idea to stop at one. Assess each agent's office and staff. Enquire into their professional credentials, years in the business, background, current roster of clients, specializations (some confine themselves to TV, others to stage or movie bookings) and contractual practices. See how your child interacts with the agents you interview.
Evaluate your agency visits. Does one agency stand out from the rest? If none do, keep looking. It doesn't hurt to choose an agency based on solid history, a healthy track record and contacts in other cities, but if your child responded particularly well to one agent, you'll want to give that agency extra points.
Sign a contract on the child's behalf only after your personal attorney has had a chance to vet it. Do your best to make the contract as short as possible. It's easy to renew if the relationship proves a good one, but if the agent turns out to be a bad fit -- or if you find out from the get-go that your child isn't yet suited for or mature enough to handle the hectic pace of the profession, you can get out without worrying about legal complexities.