Consultancy: Parenting Programmes of Adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean Region

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UNICEF promotes the rights and welfare of all children and adolescents in everything we do. Together with our allies, we work in 190 countries and territories to transform this commitment into practical actions that benefit all children, especially focusing our efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded, worldwide.

The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office is based in in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices.

UNICEF works to put the rights and well-being of the most disadvantaged children at the heart of the social, political, and economic agenda, in line with our equity focus, working across our organization and with our partners in government, civil society and the private sector to support shifts in public policy, fuel social engagement, and increase investment for children.

The UNICEF strategic plan for 2018-2021 includes a focus on adolescent girls and boys, with a commitment to ensure gains made during early years are sustained and not lost during the second decade of life. Adolescence is a period of opportunity, growth, exploration, and creativity. There are 1.1 million adolescents aged 10-19 alive in the Latin America and Caribbean region today the largest cohort ever. Realizing the rights of these adolescents and investing in their development and participation contributes to a competitive labour force, sustained economic growth, improved governance, vibrant civil societies and accelerates progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals1. In addition, approximately 2 million babies are born from adolescent mothers (15 19 years old) each year in the region, 15 per cent of all births among women under 20 years old2.

Parents play a key role in supporting adolescent development. Positive parenting creates better parentchild interactions and contributes to ensuring a safe, protective and nurturing environment for children and adolescents all factors that promote their safety, development and well-being3. The evidence suggests that positive parenting practices is important across the lifecycle of a child.

Available research has demonstrated that parenting practices account for more variance in externalizing behaviours in adolescence than any other one factor. Several studies reaffirm the importance of positive parenting practices and behaviours to health, education, child protection and overall well-being outcomes for children, including adolescents4 5. Parenting programmes are also increasingly recognized as an important element of national policies and social investment packages aimed at breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty, social exclusion and violence, decreasing inequalities and promoting the successful development of children and adolescents6.

Most parenting programmes interventions globally remain focused on early childhood, and while there is evidence that interventions in this stage of life have long-term beneficial impacts, few evidence-informed parenting programmes are available for parents/caregivers of adolescents and have been evaluated. Furthermore, most experience and evidence are coming from high income countries i.e. US, Australia and the UK. In addition, there is a lack of information on parenting programmes for parents who themselves are adolescents.

Parenting programmes are operationally defined as interventions or services aimed at supporting parenting interactions, behaviours, knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and practices7. Parenting programmes help parents and caregivers to better understand why parenting matters (especially with respect to early development and the function of caregiving), and the critical role they play for children to develop through a unique period of life when interactions and stimulation set the foundation of wellbeing. In the Latin America and Caribbean region, these programs need to take into consideration the specific needs of adolescent parents and the importance of establishing a nurturing environment for their children and themselves.

Ideally, parenting programmes should address the range of parenting needs and dimensions, by including content that addresses health, nutrition, stimulation and protection. These programmes should be developed to empower parents and caregivers to continue to build on their own good practices and enable them to adopt others that will improve children health development learning and ell-being and ensure they are protected.

UNICEF LACRO is looking for a consultant who can support a scoping analysis of existing Parenting Programmes of Adolescents in the Latin America and the Caribbean region in order to give elements to COs that are working or planning to work on this issue.

For more information about UNICEF and its work. (www.unicef.org/lac)..)

**For every child, equal opportunities

Purpose of the Job**

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Regional Specialist Adolescents and HIV and the Regional Specialist Child Protection, the consultant will support the regional office to consolidate existing knowledge on adolescents parenting programmes, recognizing that parenting programmes for younger children are very different from adolescents to younger children in terms of objectives, focus, implementing strategies and measurement.

The aim is also to build the evidence base on how parenting is understood and practiced by parents/caregivers of adolescent boys and girls (including the most vulnerable) in LAC region and the extent to which this knowledge is translated into every day parenting practices and programmes.

Specific objectives of the assignment are to: 1. Identify through a desk review existing data and evidence key elements of effective parenting programmes for parents/caregivers of adolescents and of adolescent parents which contribute to reducing risky behaviours including violence, promoting or stimulating learning, life-skills and citizenship education, participation, nurturing care and development of children across the life cycle recognizing that there may be fundamental differences in terms of practices and approaches for children and adolescents (different age groups). 2. Map and document existing Parenting Programmes in LAC Region using an agreed analytical framework8 (whether existing or developed) with a focus on programmes that are linked to systems strengthening whether directly or indirectly9. This framework should also consider age, gender and context (humanitarian/development) among others. 3. Build an initial library of resources on parenting adolescents and parenting programmes for adolescent parents from the resources used during the consultancy 4. Draft action plan on next steps to promote positive parenting programs of adolescents and adolescent mothers.

How can you make a difference?

Specific Tasks

The consultant will conduct the following tasks, in line with the above objectives:

1. Undertake a systematic desk review of available global data and evidence to identify the key elements of an effective parenting programme for adolescents which contribute to reducing risky behaviours including violence, promoting or stimulating learning, life-skills and citizenship education, participation, nurturing care and development of children across the life cycle..

2. Complete a mapping of existing parenting programmes in the region. Map and document existing Parenting Programmes in LAC Region using an agreed analytical framework10 (whether existing or developed by the consultancy) with a focus on programmes which are directly or indirectly linked to systems building at national or sub-national levels11. Within this include in particular programmes that have been evaluated. In addition, identifying the key components of programmes for adolescents and for adolescents parents including the key gaps or challenges which have prevented these programmes from being systematically embedded into national and or sub-national delivery systems and platforms.

3. Organize a knowledge sharing event to disseminate findings, inviting key experts from the region as well as UNICEF country offices to discuss findings, identify gaps and opportunities and develop recommendations for future action, by UNICEF and partners.

Expected Results

The consultant is expected to develop the following results:

1. Desk review of available global and regional evidence to identify the key elements of an effective parenting adolescents, including the development of a desk-review summary report (max. 20 pages plus annexes where relevant).

2. Inception report that should include the development of an agreed analytical framework which sets out the criteria to be used for the completion of the mapping exercise to decide which countries and programmes will/will not be including in the mapping exercise.

3. Mapping of Parenting Programmes implemented by targeted countries in the region using the analytical framework.

4. A knowledge sharing event (i.e. webinar) to present results from the desk review and mapping to regional experts and UNICEF country offices, including the preparation of a short summary report with main recommendations emerging from this event.

Deliverables

1. Draft Desk review of available global evidence to identify the key elements of an effective parenting programmes, including the development of a desk review summary report (max. 20 pages plus annexes where relevant). Expected number of working days: 20. Expected deadline: 2 months from signing the contract.

2. Draft Inception report that should include the development of an agreed methodology and analytical framework which sets out the criteria to be used for the completion of the mapping exercise to decide which countries and programmes will/will not be including in the mapping exercise. Expected number of working days: 5. Expected deadline: 2 months from signing the contract.

3. Draft Mapping of Parenting Programmes implemented by targeted countries in the region using the analytical framework. Expected number of working days: 20. Expected deadline: 3 months from signing the contract.

4. A knowledge sharing event (i.e. webinar) to present results from the desk review and mapping to regional experts and UNICEF country offices, including the preparation of a short summary report with main recommendations emerging from this event. Expected number of working days: 3. Expected deadline: 4 months from signing the contract.

5. Final reports. Expected number of working days: 8. Expected deadline: 5 months from signing the contract.

**To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Education:** Advanced University degree in Social Science, Human Rights, Protection, Psychology, or related field. Work Experience: A minimum of eight years relevant professional experience. Working experience in promoting children rights, violence prevention, adolescent development. Demonstrated experience and knowledge of the latest developments and issues related to violence against children and child protection systems Demonstrated experience and knowledge of the latest developments and issues related to parenting and parenting programmes are essential. Demonstrated excellent writing skills, and strong communication, in particular for the development of technical documents is essential. Publication record related to violence prevention and response, adolescents, gender and child protection issues more broadly, and/or parenting an asset.

Languages: Fluency in Spanish and English is required. Knowledge of French or Portuguese will be considered an asset.

Technical knowledge: Professional technical knowledge on children rights, violence prevention, adolescent development, Professional technical knowledge on parenting programs Expertise in conducting mapping/landscape analysis or similar Expertise in collecting data, conducting evidence review and/or mapping in the LAC Region. Experience in preparing writing reports, conduct analysis and present results to a wider audience expert audience.

Other skills and attributes: Demonstrated excellent communication skills Demonstrated ability to engage and build collaboration with multiple partners, with a focus on youth organizations. Ability to work efficiently under tight deadlines. Demonstrate strong communication skills, verbally and written. Able to work effectively and engage young people in program design Demonstrated experience on UNICEF will be an asset

Supervision: The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Regional Adolescent and HIV Specialist and the Regional Specialist Child Protection. Workplace: The consultant will be requested to work remotely, home-based.

Expected start date: 30 November 2020

Expected duration: Fifty [50] working days, in a five [5] months contract.

How to apply: Application should be submitted online and should include CV, cover letter, technical and financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily and monthly fees in their financial proposal. Travel: No travel is involved in this consultancy. If later agreed, it will be covered by UNICEF, as per policy. For every Child, you demonstrate…

Core values of care, respect, integrity, trust, and accountability.

UNICEF competencies: building and maintains partnerships, demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, drive to achieve results for impact, innovates and embraces change, manages ambiguity and complexity, thinks and acts strategically, works collaboratively with others and nurtures, and, leads and manages people.

Remarks:

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.

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.

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