Consultancy-Development of Guideline for Provision of Telephone Counselling Services to Children and Adolescents at risk of Suicide Crisis National Guideline for Mental Health and Social Wo

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Consultancy (National): Development of Guideline for Provision of Telephone Counselling Services to Children and Adolescents at Risk of Suicide Crisis, National Guideline for Mental Health and Social Workers Serving in SWO Social Emergencies Unit

  1. Background

Successful completion of this assignment will contribute to the objectives of Activity 1.1 of the joint 2021-2022 work plan between UNICEF and the State Welfare Organization (SWO) i.e. Support capacity development of Social Emergencies Department focal points for provision of quality telephone counselling service.

Suicide attempts, self-harm, suicidal ideation/thoughts, and suicide are significant public health concerns in children, adolescents and young people. The impacts of children suicide extend beyond the individual as exposure to suicide may predict suicide ideation and attempts in other children. There are several physicals, mental and social reasons which may increase the likelihood of children and adolescents experiencing this phenomenon. Interventions by suicide prevention hotlines can make a difference in the life of children and adolescents.

2. Objective

In light of the above, this consultancy will contribute to achieving the following main objective:

  • To strengthen SWO’s social and mental health workers’ capacities to provide telephone counselling services to children and adolescents at risk of suicide crisis (thoughts, plan and attempt).

To achieve the above-mentioned objective, the consultant should conduct the following activities:

  • Develop a national guideline on the provision of telephone counselling services to children and adolescents at risk of suicide crisis (thoughts, plan and attempt) for focal points of the SWO Social Emergencies Unit;
  • Conduct training of trainers (ToT) workshop for focal points of the Social Emergencies Unit on the above-mentioned guideline;
  • Provide clinical supervision of the above-mentioned focal points of the Social Emergencies Unit and pilot a supervisory programme in four selected provinces for a period of six months;
  • Incorporate feedback from the pilot programme, adjust and finalize the guideline.
  • Update the training material

3. Methodology and Technical Approach

In line with the above-mentioned objectives, the consultant will use scientific methodologies to develop a comprehensive guideline on the provision of telephone counselling services to children and adolescents at risk of a suicide crisis. The guideline is aimed at providing guidance to mental health and social workers serving in SWO’s Social Emergencies Unit.

To conduct this consultancy, the following steps should be taken into consideration:

Guideline:

The consultant should conduct a desk review of relevant scientific theories, global and national research and standards approach; s/he should also review evidence-based global and national guidelines from organization with similar mandates and successful experiences such as the Ministry of Health and Medical Education;

The consultant should benefit from participatory methods (such as interviews, focus group discussions, etc.) to facilitate participation and seek technical opinions of the relevant professionals, social/mental health workers serving in the Social Emergencies Unit as well as relevant managers and policymakers. The consultant should also use child-friendly and age-appropriate participatory methods to seek the opinions of children and adolescents on the most common reasons for suicide among children and adolescents. The final guideline should be reviewed by at least three senior experts in children and adolescent’s psychiatry, children and adolescents psychology and social work and obtain their scientific vetting/validation

Training and Supervision:

The consultant should conduct a training of trainers (ToT) workshop for a minimum of 30 master trainers/focal points of the SWO Social Emergencies Unit. Depending on the COVID-19 situation, and in consultation with SWO, the training workshop will be conducted either in-person or remotely.

The training workshop will be followed by a six- month in-job clinical supervision for the same focal points. The consultant should envisage a consultative method to collect feedback from the pilot provinces for further incorporation in the guideline.

Additionally, the guideline should include, but will not be limited to the following topics:

  • Risk and protective factors and warning signs in children and adolescents suicide crisis;
  • Basic skills, communication technics and essential interventions for telephone counselling with a focus on suicide in children and adolescents;
  • Suicide risk assessment standard checklist including assessment of the cases with imminent risk of suicide;
  • Essential interventions for children and adolescents at imminent risk of suicide;
  • Interventions, treatment, protection and referral services in cases with suicide thoughts, suicide attempt or failed suicide;
  • Guideline on development of safety plan for cases of suicide thoughts;
  • Required interventions for parents, family members and other relatives of children and adolescents at risk of suicide crisis;
  • Recommended procedures for third-party callers, reporting imminent risk of suicide;
  • Required equipment, resources, forms and necessary checklist for provision of care, protection and referral services in cases of suicide crisis;
  • Designing referral network including health, welfare and protection service-providers aimed at effective management of required intervention and referral;
  • Guideline on Ethical standards in suicide crisis interventions with a focus on children and adolescents;
  • Self-care interventions for social/mental health workers providing services to cases of suicide crisis;
  • Roles and responsibilities of supervisors in social emergencies unit/helpline centres with regard to cases of suicide crisis;

N.B. #1: All reports and presentations will be submitted in Persian. The consultant is requested to submit the final report in both Persian and English.

Work Assignment Expected Results

Activity 1: Conduct desk review and draft the guideline

Deliverable 1: Report of desk review and mapping, 20 days

Activity 2: Develop guidelines, reviewed and approved by a minimum of three senior experts

Deliverable 2: Guideline scientifically approved by three senior experts, 60 days

Activity 3: Conduct

a) Training workshop

b) Pilot supervisory programme

Deliverable 3:

a) Report of the training workshop, 10 days

b) 2 reports on the supervisory programme at three-month intervals, 180 Days

note: Duty travel of the individual consultant for the implementation of the consultancy within the country shall be included as part of an all-inclusive quotation (lump sum) in which case the individual consultant will be responsible for his/her travel arrangement

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

  • Minimum Master’s degree in psychology, Children and Adolescent psychiatric, counselling, social work or related disciplines.
  • Minimum three years of working experience in providing telephone counselling services with a focus on suicide crisis intervention
  • Minimum two years of working experience in clinical supervision
  • Technical proposal: to be attached to the application
  • Proven experience in the development of protocols and guidelines

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org