Individual international consultancy to improve cross-sectoral cooperation in prevention of institutionalization and provision of quality integrated services for children with disabilities

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Thursday 25 Aug 2022 at 21:55 UTC

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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, a fair chance.

At present, about 400 persons with disabilities in Montenegro reside in institutions, some of whom for decades. This number includes adults, both women and men with intellectual disabilities who primarily reside at “Komanski Most” institution, adults with psychosocial disabilities most of whom live in the Psychiatric Hospital in Kotor, and children with disabilities who primarily live in the Children’s Home “Mladost” Bijela. Those who are not institutionalized are at risk of institutionalization as community-based services are yet inadequate and insufficient, and the minimum package of such services doesn’t exist. Deinstitutionalization and development of community-based support services are one of the highest priority issues identified by persons with disabilities in Montenegro, and one of the key aspects of the social welfare and childcare system reform, in line with the key policy national, regional and international recommendations. One of the main goals of the on-going reform is to ensure that there are no children living in the large-scale residential institutions. Government of Montenegro has committed to transferring children from large-scale residential institutions to alternative settings. Till now, significant efforts have been invested in deinstitutionalization of children and in allocating resources to ensure that children have access to all necessary services in community care. Reform resulted in over 50% decrease in the number of children in large-scale residential institutions between 2010 and 2020, and complete eradication of placement of children from 0–3 in institutional care. However, the proportion of children with disabilities in institutional care has increased over the years, and there is a need to develop specialized services for them, including respite care and specialized foster care. While the 2013 Law on Social and Child Protection set preconditions for deinstitutionalization and a shift from institutional to family and community-based care, overall, the legal and policy framework in force continues to allow institutionalization and is not in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). By-laws are missing, and existing support services are insufficiently available with the State Budget disproportionally allocated to institutions rather than to individual family and community-based services. 2019 Analysis of cross-sectoral system support to children with disabilities and their families was foreseen to provide a knowledge base for professionals and decision makers from different sectors on how to apply effectively and efficiently consolidated interventions and multisector system support and response throughout the lifecycle of children with disabilities in order to achieve important improvements in realization of rights of children with disabilities and their families. The Council for Child Rights, as the highest inter-sector body in the country dealing with the promotion and protection of children’s rights, has not sufficiently used its mandate and capacities to ensure the implementation of laws and policies, and to foster inter-sector cooperation in the protection of the rights of children with disabilities and their families. Despite the existence of strategically planned cooperation procedures at the national level between the health, social and education sectors, in practice the coordination of professionals is a challenge. There is a need for stronger intersectoral cooperation, and this initiative represents an exceptional opportunity to advance policies and practices in this domain. In 2021, the Situational Analysis in which different governmental stakeholders, persons with disabilities and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) were consulted on priority areas was funded by the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) and implemented by the UN Country Team in Montenegro. Based on their inputs, UNICEF, UNDP and Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) developed the two-year project under the title “Accelerating Disability Inclusion of Children and Adults with Disabilities in Montenegro” with the aim to support the Government to prevent placing of persons with disabilities in institutions, take key steps to facilitate their transition to existing and potentially new family and community-based services, and advance implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Under the project, UNICEF Montenegro is seeking technical expertise for providing trainings and knowledge sharing to improve capacities and upgrade the skills of duty bearers and service providers from relevant ministries, Parliament, local governments, Institution of Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, Employment Agency of Montenegro - Fund for Professional Rehabilitation, Center for Professional Rehabilitation and OPDs to draft recommendations, advocate for change in law and policy, and implement activities for improved cross-sectoral cooperation. Capacity building activities will guarantee that different perspectives, challenges and needs of men and women with disabilities are integrated. Trainings will be centred around cross-sector and inter-sector coordination, prevention of institutionalization, transitions of children and adults with disabilities back into the family and community, implementation of family support, integrated and holistic services at national and community level for children with disabilities and their families, etc. They will be of multi-sectoral nature involving local and national level duty barriers and OPD’s representatives. The capacities of participants will be strengthened to draft recommendations to advocate for change, and more specifically recommendations for a) Developing a minimum package of family and community-based services for children with disabilities and their families, b) Guidelines for easier process of licensing of the providers of social and child protection services and use of disability inclusive indicators by all stakeholders, c) Development of an Action Plan for the implementation of the findings and recommendations from the the Analysis of the cross-sector system support for children with disabilities in Montenegro which refers to improved coordination, data collection and analysis, budgeting, multi-sectoral cooperation and financing, decentralization of services and resources, and definition of a minimum package of services.

How can you make a difference?

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:

  • Desk review of all available relevant international standards, national strategic, legal and other documents (reports, analyses, data) (5 days);
  • Consultations to collect information from the relevant professionals from relevant ministries, Parliament, local governments, Institution of Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, Employment Agency of Montenegro - Fund for Professional Rehabilitation, Center for Professional Rehabilitation and OPDs (3 days);
  • Preparation of the programme and materials for two trainings in consultation with the project team. Adaptation of the programme for the second training, based on participants’ feedback from the first training. (10 days);
  • Two two-day trainings for total of 100 professionals and service providers from relevant/line ministries, Parliament, local governments, Institution of Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, Employment Agency of Montenegro - Fund for Professional Rehabilitation, Center for Professional Rehabilitation and OPDs (4 days);
  • Submission of reports on delivered trainings and evaluation sheets after each training (6 days).

The consultant will be responsible for delivering the follow:

Work Assignment Overview

Estimate

Tasks/Milestone: Deliverables/Outputs: Timeline budget

Desk review of all available relevant international standards, national strategic, legal and other documents (reports, analyses, data)

Desk review done

By mid October 2022

Consultations to collect information from the relevant professionals

Consultations conducted

Preparation of the programme and materials for the two-day training in consultation with the project team

Programme and materials prepared

By 10th November 2022

Two-day training for 50 professionals and service providers from competent ministries, Parliament, local governments, Institution of Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, Employment Agency of Montenegro - Fund for Professional Rehabilitation, Center for Professional Rehabilitation and OPDs

Training conducted

End November 2022

Report on the delivered training and evaluation sheet

Report and evaluation sheet submitted

End November 2022

Preparing the programme and materials for the two-day training in consultation with the project team. Adaptation of the training programme, based on participants’ feedback from the first training

Programme and materials prepared

By 31st July 2023 (depending on the agreement with stakeholders)

Two-day training for 50 professionals and service providers from competent ministries, Parliament, local governments, Institution of Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, Employment Agency of Montenegro - Fund for Professional Rehabilitation, Center for Professional Rehabilitation and OPDs

Training conducted

Report on the delivered training and evaluation sheet

Report and evaluation sheet submitted

Payment schedule: The payments will be made 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.

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

The Consultant is expected to have the following qualifications/specialized knowledge/experience required to complete the task:

Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, economics or other relevant fields.
  • Master’s or equivalent diploma will be considered as strong advantage.

Experience:

  • Experience of ten (10) years in social and child protection;
  • Experience in child rights and rights of children/adults with disabilities, more precisely in topics of prevention of institutionalization and provision of quality integrated services at national and community level;
  • Experience in development of training material and delivery of capacity building trainings in child protection sphere;
  • Familiarity with the context of Montenegro in particular with child rights, and rights of children/adults 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.

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, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 – Interview/Written test -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 separately their financial proposal consisting of a professional fee only for the services to be provided.

• Financial scores will be calculated using the formula [lowest offer / financial offer of the candidate x 30].

Mandatory eLearning: 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. Sexual Exploitation Abuse (PSEA)

Consultants and Individual Contractors must complete the following course before commencement of any travel on behalf of UNICEF.

• BSAFE security training

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:

• Fraud Awareness

• Information Awareness Security Course (only for consultants/individual contractors with a UNICEF email address)

The above courses can be found on Agora through the following link: Summary of Mandatory Learning for UNICEF Staff .

Course completion certificates should be shared and retained with the human resources unit of the hiring office.

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 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.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org