Safeguarding
Child protection is not a page on a website. It is how adults behave.
A summary of our safeguarding commitments: consent, photography, reporting a concern, and the standards we expect of every adult who works with the school.
Last reviewed: 29 October 2026
Our commitment
Every child at Hopeful Smiles has the right to be safe, respected and listened to. The school does not tolerate any form of abuse, exploitation, neglect or discrimination. This applies to teachers, volunteers, visitors, contractors, donors and anyone else who comes into contact with the school.
What we expect of adults
- Treat every child with dignity. No humiliating punishment, no shouting, no physical force.
- Do not be alone with a child in a closed room. Keep doors open and conversations visible.
- Do not give money or gifts directly to a child. Give through the school office.
- Do not take photographs of a child without the agreement of the school and a guardian.
- Report any concern immediately to the head teacher or the director.
Reporting a concern
If you are worried about the safety or welfare of a child at the school, contact the head teacher or the director immediately. If a child is in immediate danger, contact the local police or the district child-protection authorities as well.
You can write to hopefulsmiles2016@gmail.com with “Safeguarding” in the subject line, or call +256 779 297 054. Concerns are handled confidentially and shared only with the people who need to act.
Photographs and consent
We publish a photograph of a child only when a guardian has given consent and the school has recorded it. We do not publish a child's full name or the school's exact location. Where consent has not been recorded, the image is removed. A donor or visitor may not photograph children independently of this rule.
Children's data on this website
This website does not collect data from children. It does not have a comments feature, a login, or a newsletter sign-up. If a child appears in a photograph, the caption uses a role or a first name only, never a full name or an identifying address.
Review
This summary is reviewed with the school management committee. The full policy, including the code of conduct and the reporting procedure, is available to donors and partners on request. We would rather be asked for it than assume it is not needed.