Consultancy - Adapt the Capacity Building Strategy of Care for Child Development (CCD) in Latin America Regional Office (LACRO) 6 months - Req 543769

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, protection

Background

Care for Child Development (CCD) is an approach developed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen early child development outcomes for young children in the first 3 years of life primarily through health services, but also through other child and family services such as protection, ECD, early intervention services, among others. Several interventions promoted by health services are recognized to promote early child development outcomes; for example, breast feeding; however, emerging evidence suggests that while nutrition and physical health interventions support children’s development, alone they are inadequate, thus attention to stimulation and responsive caregiving interventions is necessary. The practical evidence-based recommendations in CCD are designed to integrate the following features or components in existing services to:

• Promote nurturing care by guiding caregivers to engage in play and communication activities with their young children to help their children develop motor, cognitive-language and social-emotional skills. These foundational skills support learning and behaviour in later life.
• Strengthen responsive caregiving skills by coaching caregivers during a play interaction with their child to observe, interpret and appropriately respond to their child’s signals. Responsive care is a fundamental parenting skill necessary for supporting children’s health, growth, behaviour and learning.

The UNICEF Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office (LACRO) is convinced that the implementation of evidence-based strategies such as CCD can greatly strengthen national level capacities, generate relevant knowledge and information based on individual country contexts and practices, and foster timely collaboration opportunities within and across countries.

In line with this understanding, UNICEF LACRO, in coordination with UNICEF Country Offices has contextualized, field tested, and enhanced the Care for Child Development Package (CCD) and invested in multi-country roll out processes, actions which have been instrumental to contribute to the operationalization of the Nurturing Care Framework1 in Latin America & the Caribbean.

In 2020, the pandemic caused by Covid-19 forced the country offices to cancel the face-to-face CCD courses and to quickly adapt the capacity building strategies to virtual and hybrid modalities. Therefore, LACRO would like to identify the best practices used by the country offices and consolidate in a participatory process a hybrid proposal that can be used at local, national and regional levels.

1 https://nurturing-care.org

Purpose of the Assignment

Under the overall guidance of the Regional ECD Manager and in collaboration with his team, the purpose of this consultancy is to develop tools and resources to continue the CCD training processes in a virtual and hybrid manner (virtual and face-to-face).

How can you make a difference?

Specific Tasks

Under the direct supervision of the Regional ECD Manager and in collaboration with the ECD Specialist and Education Officer, the consultant will be working on:

• Supporting evidence generation, producing analysis and regional situation on strategies that LAC countries are implementing to roll-out and/or scaling-up CCD at local and national level.
• Developing resources for UNICEF across the region to implement CCD capacity building strategies (virtual and hybrid modalities) that contributes to the quality services of your children and their parents.
• Developing a guidance note on strategies to promote the incorporation of the CCD approach in university training process and academic environments.
• Supporting capacity building and training opportunities for UNICEF Country Offices and their partners.

Expected Results (measurable)

The consultant will be working on:

• Develop an advocacy document on how to promote the CCD approach in academic environments such as universities and knowledge centers, including guidelines for its incorporation into university curricula.
• Provide technical support to the development of a CCD hybrid training including face to face and virtual components.
• Provide technical support to at least (3) country offices that are (and would like to work on) CCD training strategies, including the piloting of the hybrid course.
• Systematize (3) good and promising practices that LAC countries are implementing to train frontline workers in CCD.
• Provide feedback and finalize the CCD Master Trainers Manual.
• Support the organization and animation of a training and strategic reflection on CCD with the ECD staff in the region.

Deliverables

Description****Duration (in days)****Expected deadline(1) document and (1) PPT to implement CCD hybrid trainings including face to face and virtual components.15 days1st of October 2021(1) CCD Master Trainers Manual finalized.10 days1st of November 2021(1) advocacy document to promote the CCD approach in academic environments such as universities and knowledge centers, including guidelines for its incorporation into university curricula.10 days1st of December 2021Systematize (3) good and promising practices that LAC countries are implementing to train frontline workers in CCD in context of pandemic.15 days1st of January 2022Provide technical support to at least 3 country offices that are (and would like to work on) CCD training strategies, including the piloting of the hybrid course.7 days15th of February 2022Support the organization and animation of a training and strategic reflection on CCD with the ECD staff in the region.7 days15th of February 2022To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education

Advanced University degree in early childhood development, education, social sciences, international development or a related field.

Work Experience

• A minimum of eight years of professional work experience at the local and national levels in policy planning in a related field;
• Professional technical knowledge/expertise in Early Childhood Development and Care for Child Development approach;
• Knowledge and experience of strategies of implementing ECD Programmes.

Languages

• Excellent written and verbal communication in Spanish.
• Advance level in English is required.

Technical Knowledge

• Knowledge of ECD and CCD trends in the LAC region. Familiarity with ethical protocols for working with young children and parenting support.
• Capacity to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with RO and CO colleagues and external partners.

Other skills and attributes

• High level of Integrity and commitment to UNICEF's mission and professional values.
• Analytical and conceptual ability, negotiating, communication and advocacy skills.
• Strong organizational, planning, and analytical skills.
• Good judgment, initiative, high sense of responsibility, tact and discretion.
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and ability to establish harmonious working relations in a multicultural environment.

Supervision:

The contractor will work under the direct supervision of the ECD Regional Manager and in close collaboration with the ECD Regional Specialist, Early Learning Regional Officer, and ECD Officers in country offices

Workplace:

This consultancy is remote, home-based.

Duration:

This contract is expected to start on 1st September, 2021 with an estimated duration of 6 months.

How to Apply:

Application should be submitted online and should include: Complete online application, Resume, Cover Letter, University Degree and Financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily and monthly fees in their financial proposal.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.