Child Safeguarding Policy

iSmile Foundation Inc. considers the protection of children a core responsibility. We are committed to creating safe environments for every child we serve, treating all children with dignity, respect, and fairness, responding quickly and seriously to any child safety concern, maintaining zero tolerance for child abuse or exploitation, and ensuring that all staff, volunteers, partners, and representatives understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

This policy applies to all iSmile Foundation staff, board members, volunteers, contractors, partners, and anyone acting on behalf of iSmile Foundation who may come into contact with children through our programs, projects, or events in the United States, Ghana, or any other location where we operate.

For this policy, a child is defined as any person under the age of 18.

iSmile Foundation is committed to protecting children from all forms of abuse, harm, neglect, and exploitation. This includes physical abuse that causes harm or injury, emotional abuse that damages a child’s confidence or development, sexual abuse involving any inappropriate sexual activity with a child, neglect that prevents a child’s basic physical or emotional needs from being met, and exploitation that uses a child for financial, labor, or personal gain.

All individuals representing iSmile Foundation must maintain safe and appropriate conduct when working with children. No representative should be alone with a child without another adult present, photograph or film a child without clear consent from a parent or guardian, share images of children on personal social media accounts, use physical punishment or harmful discipline, make inappropriate or degrading comments to or about a child, or cross appropriate physical or emotional boundaries.

Any concern, disclosure, or suspected safeguarding issue must be reported to iSmile Foundation leadership immediately

iSmile Foundation is committed to representing children in all communications with dignity, respect, and care. We only photograph or film children with written consent from a parent or guardian. We do not publish a child’s full name, address, or identifying personal details, and we do not use images that may appear exploitative, distressing, or disrespectful.

Images and media are used only to share iSmile Foundation’s programs, stories, and impact in a responsible way. Children or their families may request the removal of any image at any time.

iSmile Foundation applies appropriate screening and onboarding standards for all staff and volunteers who work with or around children. This may include reviewing references and relevant experience, requiring written agreement to follow the Child Safeguarding Policy, and providing guidance on safe conduct before any contact with children.

Any person with a known history of child abuse, exploitation, or serious safeguarding violations will not be permitted to work with iSmile Foundation in any capacity.

Anyone who has a concern about a child’s safety, including volunteers, donors, community members, staff, partners, or children themselves, should report it immediately.

To report a safeguarding concern, email ismilefoundationinc@gmail.com with the subject line “SAFEGUARDING CONCERN URGENT.”

All reports will be handled with urgency, care, and confidentiality. iSmile Foundation will review each concern and take appropriate action, which may include involving local authorities, social welfare agencies, or child protection officials in Ghana, the United States, or any other location where we operate.

No person who reports a concern in good faith will face retaliation or negative consequences for doing so.

If a child discloses abuse or harm to any iSmile Foundation representative, that person must listen calmly and without judgment, avoid making promises of confidentiality, avoid investigating the matter themselves, avoid asking leading questions, report the disclosure to iSmile Foundation leadership immediately, and document what was said as accurately as possible.

iSmile Foundation will take all disclosures seriously and will act in the best interests of the child at all times.

This Child Safeguarding Policy will be reviewed annually and updated as needed to reflect best practice, changes in law, and the evolving nature of our programs. Questions about this policy should be directed to: ismilefoundationinc@gmail.com