Consultant: define a minimum package of services and development of SOPs for provision of integrated child centered services for children with disabilities at local level

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, care.

Montenegro ratified the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol in 2009. Since, the country has made progress in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. However, challenges remain.

While the 2013 Law on Social and Child Protection set preconditions for deinstitutionalization and shift from institutional to family and community-based care, overall, the legal and policy frameworpk in force continues to allow institutionalization and is not fully in line with CRPD. A considerable number of adults and children with disabilities live in institutions, some of them for decades, where they are not able to exercise their rights same as children and adults living in the family environment and their communities. Deinstitutionalization and development of family and community-based support services are one of the highest priority issues identified by persons with disabilities in Montenegro. Others are at risk of institutionalization as family and community-based services are yet inadequate. There is no minimum package of such services currently defined and available at local level.

Based on recommendations from the Situational analysis of the rights of persons with disabilities in Montenegro, the two-year joint UN initiative was developed under the title “Accelerating Disability Inclusion for Children and Adults with Disabilities in Montenegro”. The initiative is funded by the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) and implemented by UNICEF, UNDP and UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO). It aims at supporting the Government in preventing institutionalization and taking key steps to facilitate transition of persons with disabilities from institutions to family and community-based services. Moreover, it facilitates closer engagement between organizations of persons with disabilities and Protector for Human Rights and Freedoms in monitoring implementation of CRPD. The initiative is committed to ensure strong disability inclusion and meaningful participation of persons with different types of disabilities, women and men, children with disabilities and their parents in UN programming.

Under this initiative, UNICEF Montenegro is seeking for a consultant to support the Government to develop a minimum package of services for children with disabilities and their families, as well as standard operating procedures (SOPs) for coordination across sectors at technical/professional level for provision of integrated, holistic and child centered approach in service provided to children and youth with disability throughout the lifecycle. The minimum package of services that municipalities are mandated to provide to children and youth with disabilities should consist of a service mix available to every child with complex and severe needs in Montenegro regardless of where they live, and should facilitate the process of deinstitutionalization for children and youth with disabilities, including prevention of family breakdown.

The following question should be considered when defining the minimum package: 1) What should the minimum package of services encompass to facilitate the process of deinstitutionalization for children with disabilities and youth with disabilities, including preventing family breakdown? 2) What would be the cost of the minimum package of family and community-based services for children and youth with disabilities, in total/on average and for each service separately? 3) How does the cost of institutional care compare to the cost of family and community-based services.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: Montenegro ratified the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol in 2009. Since, the country has made progress in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. However, challenges remain. While the 2013 Law on Social and Child Protection set preconditions for deinstitutionalization and shift from institutional to family and community-based care, overall, the legal and policy frameworpk in force continues to allow institutionalization and is not fully in line with CRPD. A considerable number of adults and children with disabilities live in institutions, some of them for decades, where they are not able to exercise their rights same as children and adults living in the family environment and their communities. Deinstitutionalization and development of family and community-based support services are one of the highest priority issues identified by persons with disabilities in Montenegro. Others are at risk of institutionalization as family and community-based services are yet inadequate. There is no minimum package of such services currently defined and available at local level. Based on recommendations from the Situational analysis of the rights of persons with disabilities in Montenegro, the two-year joint UN initiative was developed under the title “Accelerating Disability Inclusion for Children and Adults with Disabilities in Montenegro”. The initiative is funded by the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) and implemented by UNICEF, UNDP and UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO). It aims at supporting the Government in preventing institutionalization and taking key steps to facilitate transition of persons with disabilities from institutions to family and community-based services. Moreover, it facilitates closer engagement between organizations of persons with disabilities and Protector for Human Rights and Freedoms in monitoring implementation of CRPD. The initiative is committed to ensure strong disability inclusion and meaningful participation of persons with different types of disabilities, women and men, children with disabilities and their parents in UN programming. Under this initiative, UNICEF Montenegro is seeking for a consultant to support the Government to develop a minimum package of services for children with disabilities and their families, as well as standard operating procedures (SOPs) for coordination across sectors at technical/professional level for provision of integrated, holistic and child centered approach in service provided to children and youth with disability throughout the lifecycle. The minimum package of services that municipalities are mandated to provide to children and youth with disabilities should consist of a service mix available to every child with complex and severe needs in Montenegro regardless of where they live, and should facilitate the process of deinstitutionalization for children and youth with disabilities, including prevention of family breakdown. The following question should be considered when defining the minimum package: 1) What should the minimum package of services encompass to facilitate the process of deinstitutionalization for children with disabilities and youth with disabilities, including preventing family breakdown? 2) What would be the cost of the minimum package of family and community-based services for children and youth with disabilities, in total/on average and for each service separately? 3) How does the cost of institutional care compare to the cost of family and community-based services.

Scope of Work: Under the direct supervision of UNICEF Montenegro Child Rights Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist (CRMES), the Individual international consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks: 1. Desk review of relevant documents (legislation, policies, analyses, good practice examples, etc). 2. Online consultations with representatives of national and local authorities, Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, organizations of persons with disabilities and associations of parents of children and youth with disabilities, etc. 3. Designing draft document defining minimum package of family and community-based services that municipalities are mandated to provide to children and youth with disabilities and their families, including the cost of the minimum package, in total/on average and for each service separately and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for coordination across sectors at technical/professional level for provision of integrated, holistic and child centered approach in service provision to children and youth with disability throughout the lifecycle. 4. Sharing drafted documents with UN staff, representatives of national and local authorities, Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, organizations of persons with disabilities and associations of parents of children and youth with disabilities for commenting. Integrating comments and inputs in the document. 5. Presentation of the document defining minimum package of services and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to stakeholders. Submission of final document defining minimum package of services and standard operating procedures in English and Montenegrin with integrated comments from consultations with stakeholders.

Work Assignment Overview

Estimate

Tasks/Milestone: Deliverables/Outputs: Timeline budget

Desk review of relevant documents (legislation, policies, analyses, good practice examples, etc)

Desk review done

By mid-June

Online consultations with stakeholders

Consultations organized

By end of June

Designing draft document defining minimum package of family and community-based services that municipalities are mandated to provide to children and youth with disabilities and their families, including the cost of the minimum package, in total/on average and for each service separately and standard operating procedures (****SOPs) for coordination across sectors at technical/professional level for provision of integrated, holistic and child centered approach in service provision to children and youth with disability throughout the lifecycle

Document defining minimum package of services and SOPs drafted, including the cost of the minimum package, in total/on average and for each service separately

By end of July

Sending drafted document to UN staff and stakeholders for commenting. Integrating comments in the document.

Comments integrated in the document

By end of September

Presentation of document defining minimum package of services and SOPs.

Presentation organized

By mid of October

Integrate comments from consultations with stakeholders in the final document.

Final document delivered in English and Montenegrin

By November

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

Education:

- University degree in: law, social work, social sciences or other relevant fields - An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in social social sciences or other relevant fields

Experience: - Experience of 5 or more years in child rights and rights of children and youth with disabilities, more precisely in prevention of institutionalization and provision of quality integrated services; - Sound knowledge of the social and child protection system and deinstitutionalization, development of services, public expenditure, budgeting and costing; - Substantial experience in conducting similar analyses; - Familiarity with the context of Montenegro related child rights, and rights of children with disabilities will be considered as an advantage. - Previous work experience with UN/UNICEF or other international organization will be considered as an advantage.

Language: - Excellent command of English and Montenegrin (or SloSouth-East language). Other: - Excellent writing skills, presentation skills, strong strategic and analytical skills. - Ability to work with different stakeholders. - Demonstrates tact and high sense of responsibility and discretion. - Demonstrates integrity and high ethical standards. - Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Payments: The payments will be made in two instalments upon successful completion of the deliverables and submission of invoices. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.

E-learning: Upon conducting the recruitment process and prior to the signing of the contract, the consultant will be required to complete the following online courses. All certificates should be presented as part of the contract. 1. Ethics and Integrity at UNICEF 2. Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority (PSEAA) 3. Prevention of Sexual Exploitation Abuse (PSEA)

Before commencement of any travel on behalf of UNICEF, the Consultants and Individual Contractors must complete course on General Information Security Awareness Course.

In addition to above, any consultant or individual contractor who is issued a UNICEF email address must complete the following courses no later than 30 days after signature of contract: 1.Fraud Awareness; 2.General Information Security Awareness Course (only for consultants/individual contractors with a UNICEF email address). The above courses can be found on Agora through the following link: AGORA: Log in to the site (unicef.org). Course completion certificates should be shared and retained with the human resources unit of the hiring office.

Selection methodology: All applicants will be screened against qualifications and requirements set above. Candidates fully meeting all the requirements will be further evaluated based on the criteria below. The proposal will be evaluated against the following criteria: A) Technical criteria – Technical evaluation process / Maximum points: 70 1. Technical Criteria – please select: 1 Interview 1Desk review of CVs -70 % of total evaluation– max. 70 points • Education: [20 points] • Previous experience: [20 points] • Technical questions at the interview: [30 points];

Only candidates who obtained at least 70% of points from the technical part (who will score at least 49 points) will be qualified for considering for financial proposal evaluation B) Financial criteria – evaluation of financial proposal - Maximum points: 30 The applicants are requested to submit their financial proposal consisting of a professional all-inclusive fee per deliverable and the number of consultancy days. Financial scores will be calculated using the formula [lowest offer / financial offer of the candidate x 30].

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.