Policy commitment: Protecting Children from Abuse, Exploitation, Neglect and Harm
Policy review: At least every three years, or earlier where necessary.

SECTION A: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Preamble

Treescape Planet Organization (TPO) is an environmental conservation and community development organization committed to promoting sustainable development through afforestation, agroforestry, reforestation, environmental education, ecotourism, climate resilience, and community engagement.

Although TPO is not exclusively a child-focused organization, children participate in or may be encountered through our activities, including school tree-planting programmes, environmental awareness campaigns, community projects, educational visits, volunteering initiatives, and partnerships with schools and other institutions.

TPO recognizes that every child has the right to protection from violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation, and all forms of harm. We are committed to creating safe, respectful, and inclusive environments in which children can learn, participate, express themselves, and contribute to environmental conservation without fear of abuse or exploitation.

We recognize that children may face increased safeguarding risks because of their age, disability, gender, family circumstances, economic vulnerability, displacement, or other social factors. Children may also be exposed to risks during transportation, field activities, photography, digital communication, interactions with adults, and activities involving unfamiliar environments.

TPO therefore adopts a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, harassment, and other forms of conduct that place children at risk. All staff, board members, volunteers, interns, contractors, consultants, partners, and other representatives acting on behalf of TPO are required to comply with this policy.

TPO will take concerns and allegations seriously, respond appropriately, protect the dignity and privacy of children, and refer cases to the relevant authorities or qualified service providers where necessary.

No individual may excuse abusive or exploitative conduct on the grounds of cultural practices, organizational interests, a child’s apparent willingness, or uncertainty about a child’s age.

1.2 Purpose of the Policy

The purpose of this policy is to establish clear standards and procedures for preventing, identifying, reporting, and responding to safeguarding concerns involving children in TPO’s work.

Specifically, the policy seeks to:

1. Protect children from abuse, exploitation, neglect, discrimination, and other forms of harm.
2. Establish clear expectations for appropriate conduct by adults and other individuals interacting with children through TPO activities.
3. Reduce safeguarding risks in schools, communities, environmental projects, field visits, events, transport, and digital communications.
4. Ensure that staff, interns, volunteers, partners, and other representatives understand their responsibilities for protecting children.
5. Establish accessible procedures for reporting and responding to safeguarding concerns.
6. Promote children’s rights, participation, dignity, and best interests in all relevant activities.
7. Ensure that TPO’s programmes and partnerships are implemented in accordance with applicable child protection laws and safeguarding standards.

1.3 Core Principles

TPO’s approach to child safeguarding is guided by the following principles:

Best interests of the child: The safety, welfare, and best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in all decisions affecting them.

Non-discrimination: Every child deserves protection, regardless of gender, disability, ethnicity, religion, family background, economic circumstances, or other status.

Respect and dignity: Every child must be treated with respect and protected from humiliation, intimidation, exploitation, and degrading treatment.

Child participation: Children should be given age-appropriate opportunities to express their views and contribute to decisions affecting them, without pressure or coercion.

Prevention: Safeguarding risks should be identified and addressed before activities begin, rather than only after an incident occurs.

Accountability: Everyone working with or representing TPO has a responsibility to uphold this policy and report concerns.

Confidentiality and privacy: Safeguarding information must be handled sensitively and shared only with people who need it to protect the child, respond to the concern, or fulfil legal obligations.

Do no harm: TPO will seek to ensure that its activities do not expose children to additional risks or cause further harm.

SECTION B: APPLICATION AND DEFINITIONS

2.1 Scope of Application

This policy applies to all individuals and organizations involved in, representing, supporting, or delivering activities on behalf of TPO, including:

1. Board members and organizational leadership.
2. Employees and programme staff.
3. Interns, volunteers, and visiting students.
4. Consultants, contractors, suppliers, and service providers.
5. Project facilitators, field teams, guides, and activity leaders.
6. Partner organizations and individuals implementing activities on behalf of TPO.
7. Visitors, photographers, media personnel, and other individuals granted access to children through TPO activities.

TPO will communicate its safeguarding expectations to relevant partners and seek appropriate commitments from organizations and individuals working with children through its programmes.

This policy applies to all TPO activities and locations, including schools, community spaces, tree-planting sites, farms, wetlands, forests, tourism activities, field trips, workshops, events, offices, accommodation arranged by TPO, and online or digital engagement.

2.2 Definition of a Child

For the purposes of this policy, a child is any person below the age of 18 years, consistent with the applicable legal definition.

Where a person’s age is uncertain, they must be treated as a child until their age is reasonably established.

2.3 Definition of Child Safeguarding

Child safeguarding refers to the policies, procedures, practices, and actions taken to prevent children from experiencing abuse, exploitation, neglect, or other harm arising from their involvement with, or exposure to, an organization and its activities.

Child protection refers more specifically to actions taken to respond to individual children who have experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, abuse, exploitation, neglect, or other significant harm.

2.4 Definition of Child Abuse and Harm

Child abuse includes acts or omissions that cause, or may cause, harm to a child’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, development, dignity, or safety.

The main forms include:

a. Physical abuse

Deliberately causing physical injury or pain to a child, including hitting, kicking, shaking, burning, pushing, or using excessive physical punishment. It also includes exposing children to unreasonable physical danger or requiring tasks beyond their safe capacity.

b. Emotional or psychological abuse

Conduct that harms a child’s emotional wellbeing or sense of worth, including threats, humiliation, intimidation, bullying, persistent insults, rejection, or deliberate isolation.

c. Sexual abuse

Involving a child in sexual activity, whether or not the child understands what is happening or whether force is used. This includes sexual contact, sexual assault, grooming, exposure to sexual material, and other sexual acts involving a child.

d. Sexual exploitation

Actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, trust, or unequal power for sexual purposes, including obtaining money, services, influence, status, or other benefits through the exploitation of a child.

e. Neglect

Failure to provide appropriate care, supervision, protection, or essential support where this places a child’s safety, health, or development at risk.

f. Online and digital abuse

Using digital platforms, messaging services, social media, photographs, videos, or other technologies to groom, threaten, exploit, harass, sexually abuse, or otherwise harm a child.

g. Exploitation and harmful labour

Involving children in work or activities that are dangerous, exploitative, interfere with education, or harm their physical, emotional, social, or moral development. Children’s participation in TPO activities must be age-appropriate, safe, voluntary where applicable, and consistent with relevant child labour laws.

h. Bullying and discriminatory abuse

Repeated intimidation, exclusion, harassment, or mistreatment based on a child’s identity, disability, background, appearance, or other characteristics.

i. Exposure to unsafe environments

Allowing children to participate in activities involving foreseeable risks without appropriate supervision, safety measures, risk assessment, or emergency arrangements.

2.5 Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

TPO prohibits sexual exploitation and abuse of children by anyone involved in its programmes or activities.

Sexual activity between an adult representing TPO and a child is prohibited, regardless of the child’s apparent consent or any claimed uncertainty about age. A child’s apparent agreement does not justify abuse or exploitation.

No TPO representative may request or exchange money, gifts, food, transport, educational opportunities, assistance, protection, or other benefits for sexual contact or sexual favours.

Grooming, trafficking, sexualized communication, requests for sexual images, and any other conduct intended to exploit a child are prohibited.

2.6 Key Definitions of TPO Representatives

For this policy, a TPO representative includes any employee, board member, intern, volunteer, consultant, contractor, partner representative, or other person acting on behalf of TPO or participating in its activities.

A safeguarding concern includes any disclosure, observation, allegation, suspicion, incident, or pattern of behaviour indicating that a child may have experienced, or may be at risk of experiencing, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other harm.

SECTION C: SAFEGUARDING COMMITMENTS AND PRACTICE

3.1 TPO’s Safeguarding Objectives

TPO will work to ensure that safeguarding is integrated into the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of its programmes.

Our approach has three main objectives:

Prevention: Reduce risks through awareness, safe recruitment, appropriate supervision, risk assessments, clear codes of conduct, and training.

Reporting: Ensure that concerns can be raised promptly and safely, and that everyone understands their responsibility to report suspected or actual abuse.

Response: Take appropriate action to protect children, support safe referrals, preserve relevant information, cooperate with lawful investigations, and prevent further harm.

3.2 Safe Programme Design and Risk Assessment

Before conducting activities involving children, TPO will assess relevant safeguarding risks and put proportionate controls in place.

This is particularly important for tree planting, school outreach, environmental education, field visits, ecotourism, community restoration, and outdoor activities.

Where relevant, planning will address:

1. The age, needs, number, and circumstances of participating children.
2. Appropriate adult supervision and designated activity leaders.
3. Safe locations, equipment, tools, transport, and emergency arrangements.
4. Risks associated with water bodies, wetlands, forests, farms, roads, machinery, chemicals, and other environmental hazards.
5. Safe arrival, departure, collection, and handover arrangements for children.
6. Accessibility and reasonable adjustments for children with disabilities.
7. Procedures for responding to injuries, missing children, or other emergencies.
8. Photography, filming, online communications, and the protection of personal information.

Children must not be assigned hazardous work, left unsupervised in unsafe environments, or expected to undertake tasks beyond their age, abilities, or training.

Where risks cannot be adequately controlled, TPO will modify, postpone, or cancel the activity.

3.3 Consent, Assent, and Participation

For activities involving children, TPO will seek appropriate permission from a parent, guardian, school, or other legally authorized person, as applicable to the activity and the relevant law.

Where appropriate, TPO will also seek the child’s informed, age-appropriate assent. A child’s views, comfort, and willingness to participate must be respected.

Permission from a school or guardian does not remove TPO’s responsibility to protect children during activities.

Consent for participation in an activity must be distinguished from consent for photography, filming, publication, or other use of a child’s personal information. These permissions must be addressed separately where required.

Children must not be pressured, threatened, or made to feel that they will lose educational opportunities, assistance, or other benefits if they decline to participate in optional activities or media activities.

3.4 Code of Conduct for Working with Children

All TPO representatives must:

1. Treat every child with dignity, fairness, and respect.
2. Maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times.
3. Use positive, age-appropriate communication and guidance.
4. Ensure that interactions with children take place in observable and appropriately supervised settings wherever possible.
5. Follow agreed supervision, transport, attendance, and handover procedures.
6. Report safeguarding concerns promptly through the appropriate channels.
7. Protect children’s identities, personal information, and images.
8. Follow instructions from designated activity leaders and comply with applicable safety procedures.
9. Disclose relevant safeguarding concerns or conflicts of interest through appropriate organizational channels.
10. Cooperate with safeguarding measures and lawful investigations.

TPO representatives must not:

1. Hit, threaten, humiliate, bully, or physically punish a child.
2. Engage in sexual activity, sexualized behaviour, grooming, or exploitation involving a child.
3. Use discriminatory, abusive, or degrading language.
4. Arrange inappropriate private meetings or secret communications with children.
5. Invite a child to a private residence or accommodation without an authorized, documented, and appropriate safeguarding arrangement.
6. Share a bed or sleeping space with a child, except where an exceptional emergency requires immediate protective action and appropriate safeguards are applied.
7. Take a child away from an approved activity or location without authorization.
8. Give gifts, money, or special privileges in ways that create dependency, secrecy, or inappropriate influence.
9. Use personal messaging or social media to develop inappropriate relationships with children.
10. Photograph, film, or record children in humiliating, unsafe, intimate, or otherwise inappropriate circumstances.
11. Request, create, possess, or distribute child sexual abuse material.
12. Engage children in hazardous work or use them for personal, commercial, or exploitative purposes.
13. Ignore, conceal, or discourage the reporting of a safeguarding concern.

3.5 Safer Recruitment and Engagement

TPO will take reasonable and proportionate steps to reduce the risk of engaging individuals who may pose a safeguarding threat to children.

Depending on the role and level of contact with children, these steps may include:

1. Verifying identity, qualifications, and relevant references.
2. Conducting lawful background or criminal record checks where available and appropriate.
3. Asking safeguarding-related questions during recruitment or selection.
4. Explaining this policy and the applicable code of conduct before activities begin.
5. Requiring written acknowledgement of safeguarding responsibilities.
6. Providing safeguarding induction and role-appropriate training.
7. Assessing partner and service-provider safeguarding arrangements where relevant.

Where concerns arise about a person’s suitability to work with children, TPO may restrict their contact with children while appropriate checks or procedures are completed.

3.6 Supervision and Adult-Child Interactions

TPO will establish appropriate supervision arrangements based on the nature of each activity, the ages and needs of children, the environment, and applicable requirements.

For school visits, tree-planting activities, workshops, field trips, and community events:

1. A responsible activity leader must be identified.
2. Roles between TPO representatives, teachers, parents, guardians, and other supervisors must be clarified before the activity.
3. Children must be accounted for during activities and at departure.
4. One-to-one interactions should be avoided where possible or conducted in observable settings with appropriate authorization.
5. Private transport of a child by a TPO representative should not occur unless necessary, authorized, and subject to suitable safeguards.
6. Any overnight or residential activity involving children requires specific prior approval, a documented safeguarding plan, suitable supervision, and appropriate accommodation arrangements.
7. Children must not be left in the care of a person whose suitability or authorization is uncertain.

The required number and type of supervisors will depend on the circumstances. TPO will not assume that one supervision arrangement is suitable for every age group or activity.

3.7 Photography, Video, Media, and Digital Safety

TPO recognizes that photographs and videos can help document environmental education, community participation, and project impact. However, children’s privacy, dignity, and safety must always come first.

Anyone photographing, filming, or recording children through TPO activities must comply with the following requirements:

1. Obtain appropriate permission from a parent, guardian, school, or other authorized person, as applicable, and seek the child’s age-appropriate assent.
2. Obtain separate permission for media use where required, explaining the intended purpose and likely platforms or audiences.
3. Use images and recordings respectfully and only for authorized purposes.
4. Avoid publishing children’s full names, precise locations, school details, personal circumstances, or other identifying information where this could create a risk.
5. Never publish images that expose children to humiliation, sexualization, discrimination, exploitation, or danger.
6. Store media securely and restrict access to authorized persons.
7. Never use personal images or recordings of children for unrelated commercial purposes or share them with unauthorized third parties.
8. Respect applicable consent withdrawal requests and assess requests to remove published material, taking account of legal obligations, safeguarding risks, and practical limitations.

TPO representatives must not privately contact children to request images or arrange photography outside authorized activities.

Where a child or guardian raises concerns about an image, TPO will assess the concern and take appropriate steps, which may include removing or restricting access to the material.

3.8 Confidentiality and Protection of Children’s Information

TPO will handle children’s personal information in accordance with applicable data protection and privacy requirements.

Information about a child’s identity, health, family circumstances, safeguarding concerns, school, location, or participation must be collected only where there is a legitimate purpose and handled securely.

Safeguarding information must not be shared casually, posted in public groups, or disclosed to people who have no legitimate need to know.

Confidentiality will be maintained as far as possible. However, information may need to be shared with designated safeguarding personnel, relevant authorities, or qualified service providers where necessary to protect a child or meet legal obligations.

3.9 Working with Schools, Parents, Guardians, and Partners

TPO will work collaboratively with schools, parents, guardians, community leaders, local authorities, and partner organizations to promote child safety.

Before activities involving children, TPO will seek to clarify relevant responsibilities, permission requirements, supervision arrangements, emergency contacts, and procedures for responding to safeguarding concerns.

Where a partner or host institution has safeguarding procedures, TPO will seek to understand and coordinate with those procedures while maintaining its own responsibility to respond appropriately to concerns arising from its activities.

TPO will not knowingly continue an activity where serious and unmanaged safeguarding risks place children in danger.

SECTION D: REPORTING AND RESPONDING TO CONCERNS

 4.1 Duty to Report

Every TPO representative has a responsibility to report actual, suspected, or disclosed child abuse, exploitation, neglect, or other serious safeguarding concerns.

A person does not need to prove that abuse has occurred before raising a concern. Reasonable suspicion or information indicating a potential risk is sufficient to make a report.

Failure to report a serious safeguarding concern, deliberate concealment, retaliation against a person who reports in good faith, or interference with a safeguarding response may result in disciplinary or contractual action.

4.2 How to Respond When a Child Discloses Abuse

If a child tells you that they have been harmed, or you otherwise become aware of a safeguarding concern:

1. Listen calmly. Give the child time to speak and take what they say seriously.
2. Reassure the child. Thank them for telling you and explain that the harm is not their fault.
3. Do not promise secrecy. Explain in simple, age-appropriate language that you may need to tell someone who can help keep them safe.
4. Do not investigate. Avoid leading questions, repeated questioning, or attempting to establish proof.
5. Assess immediate safety. If the child is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical assistance, seek emergency help.
6. Report promptly. Inform the designated safeguarding contact or an appropriate alternative if the designated person is implicated or unavailable.
7. Record the facts. As soon as reasonably possible, document the child’s words as accurately as possible, the date, time, relevant observations, and actions taken. Distinguish facts from assumptions.
8. Protect privacy. Share the information only with those who need to know to protect the child and respond appropriately.
9. Do not confront the alleged perpetrator. Avoid actions that could increase the risk to the child, compromise evidence, or interfere with an investigation.

The child must not be blamed, pressured, or made responsible for resolving the situation.

4.3 Reporting Channels

Safeguarding concerns should be reported promptly to TPO’s designated Safeguarding Officer through the reporting contact or procedure communicated during induction and programme activities.

TPO’s general contact: letstalk@treescapeplanet.org

If the concern involves the designated Safeguarding Officer, the Executive Director, or another person who would ordinarily receive the report, the concern should be directed to an uninvolved senior leader or an appropriate independent reporting contact.

If internal reporting is unsafe, unavailable, or likely to expose the child to further harm, the concern may be reported directly to the appropriate Ugandan child protection authority, police, or other competent service.

For an immediate threat to a child’s life or safety, contact the relevant emergency services or local authorities without waiting for an internal response.

TPO will work to establish and communicate a dedicated safeguarding reporting channel, including an alternative contact for concerns involving senior leadership. Anonymous reporting may be accepted, although the ability to investigate or provide feedback may be limited where insufficient information is available.

4.4 Responding to Reports and Allegations

TPO will seek to ensure that all safeguarding reports are handled promptly, fairly, sensitively, and with the child’s safety as the primary consideration.

Depending on the circumstances, TPO may:

1. Assess immediate risks and take steps to protect the child.
2. Arrange appropriate medical, psychosocial, or child protection referrals.
3. Restrict or suspend an individual’s contact with children while concerns are assessed.
4. Preserve relevant records and evidence.
5. Consult qualified safeguarding professionals or legal advisers.
6. Refer allegations to the appropriate authorities where required or appropriate.
7. Cooperate with lawful investigations.
8. Take disciplinary, contractual, or other corrective action where warranted.
9. Review programme arrangements to prevent similar incidents.

TPO will not conduct investigations beyond its competence or interfere with the work of authorized authorities. Any internal fact-finding must be handled appropriately and must not compromise the child’s safety or an official investigation.

4.5 Protection Against Retaliation

No child, staff member, volunteer, intern, partner, or other person should be threatened, intimidated, penalized, or disadvantaged for raising a safeguarding concern in good faith or participating honestly in a safeguarding process.

Knowingly making a false allegation with malicious intent may be addressed through appropriate procedures. However, a report made in good faith will not be treated as misconduct simply because it cannot be substantiated.

4.6 Record-Keeping and Confidentiality

TPO will maintain safeguarding records securely, with access limited to authorized individuals who need the information for protection, response, or legal purposes.

Records should include, where available:

1. The nature of the concern or allegation.
2. The date and manner in which it was reported.
3. Relevant observations and the child’s own words, where applicable.
4. Immediate safety measures taken.
5. Referrals and communications with relevant authorities or professionals.
6. Decisions, actions, and follow-up arrangements.

Records will be retained and disposed of in accordance with applicable law and TPO’s data protection and record-management requirements.

SECTION E: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 5.1 Responsibilities of TPO Leadership

TPO leadership is responsible for:

1. Promoting a culture in which children’s safety and dignity are prioritized.
2. Approving, communicating, and supporting the implementation of this policy.
3. Designating a Safeguarding Officer and an alternative reporting contact.
4. Ensuring that relevant staff, interns, and volunteers receive safeguarding induction and appropriate training.
5. Making reasonable arrangements for safer recruitment, risk assessment, supervision, and reporting.
6. Ensuring that concerns are handled appropriately and referred to relevant authorities when necessary.
7. Taking appropriate action when this policy is violated.
8. Protecting safeguarding records and respecting confidentiality.
9. Reviewing safeguarding arrangements with partners involved in activities with children.
10. Reviewing the policy periodically and documenting significant improvements.

5.2 Responsibilities of the Safeguarding Officer

The designated Safeguarding Officer is responsible for receiving and documenting concerns, advising on immediate protective action, coordinating appropriate referrals, maintaining secure records, and advising TPO leadership on safeguarding risks and policy implementation.

The Safeguarding Officer must not handle a complaint where they are implicated or have a conflict of interest. In such circumstances, the concern must be referred to an appropriate alternative or independent contact.

The designation of this role must be communicated clearly to staff, interns, volunteers, partners, and relevant programme participants.

5.3 Responsibilities of Staff, Interns, Volunteers, and Other Representatives

All TPO representatives must:

1. Read, understand, and comply with this policy and the applicable code of conduct.
2. Attend required safeguarding induction or training.
3. Maintain appropriate boundaries with children.
4. Follow activity risk assessments and supervision arrangements.
5. Obtain required permissions before activities involving children.
6. Protect children’s personal information and media.
7. Report concerns promptly and cooperate with appropriate safeguarding procedures.
8. Avoid actions that could place a child at risk or compromise a safeguarding response.

5.4 Responsibilities of Partners and Third Parties

TPO will communicate its safeguarding expectations to relevant partner organizations, suppliers, contractors, schools, and service providers.

Where activities involve children, TPO will seek to clarify safeguarding responsibilities and ensure that reasonable protective measures are in place.

Partners and third parties acting on behalf of TPO are expected to report concerns arising from TPO activities and cooperate with appropriate protective action. Contractual arrangements may include additional safeguarding requirements according to the nature and risk of the work.

SECTION F: POLICY VIOLATIONS, IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW

 6.1 Breaches of the Policy

 Violations of this policy will be treated seriously. Depending on the nature and severity of the breach, responses may include:

1. Immediate protective measures to safeguard children.
2. Removal from activities involving children.
3. Suspension or termination of employment, volunteer engagement, internship, or contractual arrangements.
4. Termination or review of a partnership.
5. Referral to the relevant authorities where appropriate or legally required.
6. Other lawful disciplinary, civil, or criminal action, as applicable.

TPO will seek to ensure that responses are proportionate, fair, and consistent with applicable law and due process, without compromising the immediate safety of children.

6.2 Training and Communication

TPO will make this policy available to relevant personnel and communicate its key requirements before individuals begin activities that involve children.

Safeguarding training will be appropriate to the person’s responsibilities and level of contact with children. Additional guidance may be provided for school visits, fieldwork, photography, transportation, overnight activities, and other higher-risk situations.

6.3 Monitoring and Review

TPO will periodically assess how effectively this policy is being implemented and identify improvements based on programme experience, reported concerns, feedback, and changes in relevant laws or safeguarding standards.

This policy will be reviewed at least every three years, or earlier where necessary following a significant incident, organizational change, legal development, or identified safeguarding gap.

6.4 Related Policies and Procedures

This policy should be read alongside TPO’s relevant organizational policies and procedures, including:

1. Gender Equality Policy.
2. Code of Conduct.
3. Volunteer and Internship Terms and Conditions.
4. Data Protection and Privacy Policy.
5. Photography, Media and Communications Guidelines.
6. Complaints and Whistleblowing Procedures.
7. Health, Safety and Field Activity Procedures.
8. Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment procedures, where adopted.

Where a relevant procedure has not yet been formally established, TPO should develop and approve it to support consistent implementation of this policy.

7. OUR COMMITMENT

Treescape Planet Organization believes that children have an important role in building a sustainable future. Through environmental education, tree planting, conservation, and community engagement, we seek to inspire children to become responsible stewards of the environment while protecting their rights, safety, and wellbeing.

We recognize that every adult and organization interacting with children has a responsibility to help create safe environments in which children can learn, participate, and thrive.

TPO will not tolerate child abuse, exploitation, neglect, or other forms of harm in its activities. We are committed to prevention, responsible reporting, appropriate action, and continuous improvement in child safeguarding.