Individual International Consultant on Technical Assistance for Strengthening Child Protection Social Service Workforce on Child Protection, Viet Nam

Consultant Programme & Policy

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, Child Protection

Background:

Violence against children is a widespread issue affecting children and adolescents in Viet Nam. It is exacerbated by the social norms and behaviours that undermine children’s and adolescents’ safety and protection. Official figures[1] record, between 01/01/2015 and 30/06/2019, there were 8,709 children subject to abuse, involving 7,037 females, accounting for eighty per cent; and 75 percent being child sexual abuse. However, this only captures the tip of the iceberg of what is in fact a much more widespread phenomenon, with cases often underreported and therefore under-investigated. According to the second National Survey on Gender-Based Violence[2] 4.4% of women experience sexual violence in Viet Nam before the age of 15. 72.4% of children from 1-14 years old in Viet Nam report experiencing corporal punishment and violent discipline at home, with cases of serious injuries reported to be at 1.6%[3]. Though ban in school setting, corporal punishment is also widespread in schools, with over half of children in Viet Nam below 8 years old reporting witnessing teachers who resort to corporal punishment[4]. Online violence has also become more and more prevalent with 1% internet-users aged 12-17 in Viet Nam being victims of online sexual exploitation and abuse[5]. Child labor remains the most traditional and widespread form of exploitation in Viet Nam with around 5.4 % of children aged 5-17 years considered child laborers, of which half perform work in hazardous conditions.[6]

Viet Nam has demonstrated its strong commitment to address child abuse, violence, and exploitation (VAC). The Government has exerted serious efforts to improve the legal and policy framework on child protection. The Child Law (2016) promulgates principles, roles and responsibilities of government and stakeholders for child protection. It also defines three levels of child protection services, including prevention, early intervention and tertiary services. In addition, the National Programme on Development of Social Work Profession, 2021-2030, has contributed to the improvement of social welfare services system for vulnerable people and children. The national plan on prevention and control of child abuse and violence, 2020-2025 includes concrete targets to improve the capacity of the workforce on child protection.

The Child Law and national programme on social work development have created important opportunities for Viet Nam to develop prevention and response services for children and strengthen child protection system. However, the provision of child protection services still relies largely on untrained staff, para-professional workers, and volunteers rather than trained and paid professionals. There is a lack of a network of designated and qualified social workers at the local level. In addition, the recent government’s policy on reduction of public payrolls has created more challenges to the development of social service workforce for child protection. The health sector is the most developed in term of social work services with social work units having been established at almost all central and provincial hospitals. However, their technical capacity is very limited in providing quality social work and child protection services. In the education sector, there is no full-time staff in charge of providing counselling and child protection services for children in the school system.

Against this background, UNICEF is supporting the government to strengthen the social service workforce in all the welfare, health, and education sectors. In 2019, UNICEF supported Ministry of Labor-Invalid and Social Affairs (MOLISA) to assess the existing roles, responsibilities, and training needs of social service workforces within social welfare, health and education sectors through the review of laws, policies, reports, and existing training curricula, and conducting consultations and meetings with relevant counterparts at national level and local level. Based on the results of the assessment, during 2020 and 2021, UNICEF supported the development and roll-out of the in-service training programmes on generic child protection for key trainers and frontline workers in social welfare, health, and education sectors.

To address the needs of children to have special child protection services, especially for children victims of abuse and violence, children without parental care, exploited and trafficked children, UNICEF will support the Ministry of Labor-Invalid and Social Affairs (MOLISA), Ministry of Education and training (MOET), Ministry of Health (MOH), Viet Nam Women Union (VWU), Viet Nam Youth Union (VYU) and leading universities in social work to strengthen institutional capacity of child protection services delivery in these sectors via development of the competencies for various staff positions related to child protection, policies and training programmes on specialized child protection interventions including response to abused children, trafficked children, children without parental care and others.

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[1] Vietnamese government report number 217, 2020, to the National Assembly

[2] Journey of Change: General Statistics Office, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and UNFPA

[3] General Statistics Office and UNICEF. 2021. Survey measuring Viet Nam Sustainable Development Goal indicators on Children and Women 2020-2021, Survey Findings Report. Ha Noi, Viet Nam: General Statistics Office

[4] Corporal Punishment in Schools Longitudinal Evidence from Ethiopia, India, Peru and Viet Nam, UNICEF and Young Lives, 2016

[5] ECPAT, INTERPOL, and UNICEF. (2022). Disrupting Harm in Viet Nam [SNAPSHOT]: Evidence on online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children.

[6] Viet Nam National Child Labor Survey 2018, Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs, General Statistic Office and ILO, 2020

Purpose and Objectives:

The consultancy on technical assistance for strengthening child protection social service workforce on child protection, including development of the national competencies, policies and guidelines; and development and delivery of training programmes on specialized child protection interventions (advanced training) for managers and frontline workers in the social welfare, health and education sectors, aims to provide technical assistance to MOLISA, MOET, MOH, VWU, VYU and selected universities to improve the national policies and strengthen institutional capacity in providing child protection services to prevent and respond to abuse and violence against children.

Specific objectives are:

1. To develop training packages on specialized (advanced) child protection interventions for managers and frontline workers to improve quality child protection services delivery by MOLISA, MOET, MOH, VWU, VYU and universities.

2. To develop national professional child protection standards, policies, and guidelines on competencies to strengthen the social service workforce in social welfare, health, and education sectors.

Specific tasks:

The international consultant will work closely with UNICEF, MOLISA, MOET, MOH, VWU, VYU and selected universities to implement following tasks:

Task 1: To review and provide technical support to the standardization of the in-service training programmes on basic child protection (10 days: home-based).

Task 2: To develop a multi-module training programmes on specialized (advanced) child protection and deliver TOT training for key officers and trainers within social welfare sector, including VWU and VYU (40 days: 30 days home-based & 10 days in Viet Nam).

Task 3: To develop a multi-module training package on specialized child protection and deliver TOT training for key officers and key trainers within education sector (25 days: 19 days home-based & 6 days in Viet Nam).

Task 4: To develop a multi-module training package on specialized child protection and deliver TOT training for key officers and trainers within health sector (25 days: 19 days home-based & 6 days of Viet Nam).

Task 5: To develop child protection professional standards, policies, and guidelines on competencies of child protection managers and frontline workers in the sectors of MOLISA, MOET, MOH, VWU, VYU (15 days: 11 days of home-based and 4 days in Viet Nam).

Task 6: To support the development of the training curriculum and syllabus of specialized child protection courses as part of the Bachelor/Master programmes at key universities, including Ha Noi University of Education, University of Labour and Social Affairs, University of Public Health (30 days: home-based).

Task 7: To provide technical assistance and act as resource person in relevant workshops/meetings on strengthening the child protection social service workforce (15 days: 11 days home-based and 4 days in Viet Nam).

Methodology and Expected deliverables and timeline:

UNICEF will support MOLISA, MOET, MOH, and related mass organizations to develop the necessary regulatory framework and training programmes to strengthen institutional capacity of the staff and multi-sectoral child protection services delivery.

The international consultant is expected to work closely with UNICEF, MOLISA, MOET, MOH, and related mass organizations in all the steps of the consultancy. The international consultant takes accountability to develop the training packages, deliver TOT trainings and provide technical assistance for the relevant national policies.

Specific Deliverables as attached Consultancy Notice on SSW Strengthening 2022.pdf

Management:

The international consultant will be supervised by the Chief of Child Protection in UNICEF, who is responsible for providing overall technical guidance and approving intermediate and final products. The concerned Child Protection Specialist/officers will be responsible to liaise with the international consultant, facilitate the communications between the consultant and stakeholders, providing technical input and day-to-day support. The UNICEF Child Protection section will support MOLISA in the organization of relevant technical meetings, training, and workshops. UNICEF Child Protection section will also provide support in ensuring the translation of documents, deliverables, and interpretation during country-based activities.

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

Qualifications and Experience

- Advanced Degree in related fields including social work, child rights, child protection, public administration;

- At least 10 years professional experience in the area of social work, child protection, and human services.

Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies

- Excellent knowledge on and understanding of the area of child social welfare and protection workforces and services.

- Knowledge of child protection and social work development in Viet Nam is desirable.

- Very good research skills and training skills in the areas of social work, child protection, social sciences and human services.

- Excellent knowledge of international standards and practice on child protection.

- Good working experience and familiarity with UNICEF’s vision, mission and programming on child protection.

- Experience in working with Governments.

- Previous experience working in Viet Nam is preferred.

- Good written and communication skills.

Languages

- Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Assessment criteria:

For evaluation and selection method, the Cumulative Analysis Method (weight combined score method) shall be used for this recruitment:

a) Technical Qualification (max. 100 points) weight 70 %

- Advanced Degree in related fields including social work, child rights, child protection, public administration, 15 points,

- At least 10 years professional experience with excellent knowledge and skills (research, training) in the area of social work, child protection, and human services, 30 points.

- Knowledge of child protection and social work development in Viet Nam, 15 points.

- At least 5 years working with the Governments and Organizations in development of social work and child protection, 15 points.

- Good working experience and familiarity with UNICEF vision, mission and programming on child protection in Viet Nam, 15 points.

- Excellent English writing and communication skills, 10 points.

b. Financial Proposal (max. 100 points): weight 30 %

The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened/evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 70 points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview if needed.

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents to the assigned requisition in UNICEF Vacancies: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/:

a. Letter of interest/confirmation of availability and CV;

b. Technical proposal which clearly explains the outline on how to deliver the tasks and deliverables (preferably less than 05 pages);

c. Performance evaluation reports or references of similar consultancy assignments (if available).

d. Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including consultancy fee, travel, accommodation and any other costs for this assignment.

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.

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