International Consultant Child Protection Case Management, Bissau, 9 Months (open to Non Guinea-Bissau nationals only)

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, Protection

Scope of Work:

The UNICEF Child Protection programme is supporting the Government and all key child protection stakeholders to improve the country’s child protection system, including the legal and policy frameworks. Therefore, UNICEF is ensuring that child protection stakeholders are working together to build the national child protection system, with a strong focus on prevention, based on a holistic response to vulnerabilities of children and their families as well as in working in a more coordinated and systemic way with other social sectors.

The new CP policy and its costed action plan were technically validated by child protection (CP) partners and will be approved by the Council of Ministers during the first semester of 2023. In the meantime, the Institute of Women and Child (IMC) has disseminated the policy document to other relevant officials from the social sector ministries, to ensure a stronger comprehension on the importance of interoperability in implementing the policy. Along with this process, the Child protection Code was developed and aligned with relevant legal codes (Civil and Penal Codes) and approved by the government in 2022. As soon as the new parliament is in place (after 2023 legislative elections), the CP Code will be disucssed and approved.

Under the Government of Guinea-Bissau and UNICEF 2022-2026 country programme, one of the key expected outputs of the Child Protection Programme, is to assist the country in developing and implement a Child Protection Case Management system that is aligned with the new Child Protection Policy and the Child Protection Code. Therefore, the 2022/2023 MMFSS/UNICEF agreed workplan prioritize the elaboration of a national Child Protection Case Management mechanism for the welfare and protection of children in Guinea-Bissau, with a clear framework, which includes standard procedures, assessment, and planning tools, guidance in the delivery of case management services and referral systems with various sectors (particularly Health and Education). Also, to strengthen the current process, the joint UNICEF/UNDP/OHCHR Peace Building project (PBF) on “Enhancing the human rights protection system in Guinea-Bissau” will provide a substantial support to ensure a stronger incident reporting, monitoring, referral and management of critical women and child rights violations

Therefore, UNICEF Guinea-Bissau is looking for an experienced consultant with qualified skills on developing policies, legislation and case management system that are aligned with the national policy and legislation, including capacity building skills (training) on child protection.

To develop the Case Management mechanism, the consultant will:

In a first phase: • Conduct a desk review and key informants’ interviews (analyze current and past social work practices and case management system in Guinea-Bissau; analyze regional work on child protection case management, including best practices countries in the regional; review regional normative frameworks around social work and case management; review any other relevant documents that exists for Guinea – Bissau) • Conduct a brief capacity assessment of case management capacity and identification of caseworkers who will work with the case management, including competencies. • Draft inception report and workplan with timeline based on requirements and the roadmap for the rollout of the CMS Training Model Testing program. • Draft Case management protocol with guidelines and tools (SOP and forms) in line with relevant laws and regulations. • Facilitate validation workshop of Case management system and its tools

In a second phase: • Develop a three-tier pilot social work training programme for: social work/ Supervisor/Para-social workers training curriculum/manual. • Assist the roll out of the pilot training program in 2 regions (tbd), including training sessions with follow-up coaching and mentoring activities. • Submit to UNICEF and the MMFSS the approved final report.

ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

General Conditions: The contract will be for nine-month period (102 working days), in a combined home and office based. Extension is possible subject to availability of funding. This assignment includes field visits in regions. The consultant will not be based at the UNICEF Country Office, but whenever necessary, an office space will be available. The consultant is expected to use his/her own electronic devices to perform the assignment. However, he/she will be authorized to use facilities such as the Office copy machine and scanner during the contract period, as well as internet connection.

The Consultant will work under the supervision of the Child Protection Manager and will work directly with the Woman and Child Institute team, responsible for the Steering committee established.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE Payment will be done according to the deliverables outlined below. Payment of professional fees will be based on the submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to request withholding of payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION PROCESS Interested consultants should provide the following: • Cover letter describing the candidate’s relevant experience with similar type of assignments (max 300 words). • Updated Curriculum Vitae

Include with your application: • A Technical proposal The candidate should submit a proposal explaining a short description of methodology or approach on how to deliver the assignment as per the TORs including field visits. The proposal should not be more than 5 pages long. • A financial proposal The financial proposal will include all costs related to this consultancy (travel, consultancy fees, insurance, and Daily Subsistence Allowance - DSA) in USD to complete the assigned ToRs tasks as captured in the scope of work.

The final selection will be based on the principle of “best value for money” i.e., achieving desired outcome at lowest possible fee.

WORK ASSIGNMENT:

Work Assignments Overview 1 : Desk review and key informants’ interviews

Deliverables/Outputs

• Analyze current and past social work practices and case management system in Guinea-Bissau.
• Review any other relevant documents
• Summary of preliminary conclusions based on desk review and assessment

Delivery deadline: 7 working days

Work Assignments Overview 2: Capacity assessment

Deliverables/Outputs

• Carry out a brief assessment of case management capacity (within the national social service workforce) and identification of caseworkers who will work with the case management, including competencies/skills.
• Report on capacity assessment and skills analysis.

Delivery deadline: 10 working days

Work Assignments Overview 3: Draft inception report and workplan with timeline based on requirements and the roadmap for the rollout of the CMS Training Model Pilot program.

Deliverables/Outputs

• Inception report with conceptual framework for CMS, to be validated by UNICEF and by the Child Protection Group, Ministry of Women, Family and Social Solidarity.
• Workplan with timeline

Delivery deadline: 20 working days

Work Assignments Overview 4: Draft the Case Management Protocol, Guidelines and Forms

Deliverables/Outputs

• Draft document of Case management protocol with guidelines and tools
• Report of the validation workshop of Case management system and tools.

Delivery deadline: 20 working days

Work Assignments Overview 5: Develop of a three-tier pilot Social Work Training Programme

Deliverables/Outputs

• Prepare the training outline/work plan for each training programme: Social work, supervisor, and para social training (curriculum/manual).
• Training materials include modules involving instructor-led training and lectures with group activities, workshops, and role play scenarios.
• Social work training programme manual aproved.

Delivery deadline: 15 working days

Work Assignments Overview 6: Assist the Ministry of Woman, Family and Social Solidarity, through the Woman and Child Institute, to draft and roll out a workplan to test the training program in 2 target regions.

Deliverables/Outputs

• Training sessions (in person and/or on-line)
• Follow up with coaching and mentoring (in person and/or on-line)
• Report of training sessions and feedback.
• Revised training modules and other documentation based on feedback.
• Final report

Delivery deadline: 30 working days

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in An advanced degree in law, social service, international relations, Human rights (child rights) or other relevant social science filed.
• More than 8 years of work experience in Child Protection, with focus on developing child protection policies and legal frameworks, system strengthening, including case management mechanisms.
• Excellent writing, analytical and synthesis skills.
• Experience of working in international environments especially in PALOPs (African Portuguese speaking countries) and other Portuguese speaking countries, is an asset.
• Good knowledge of the country context is an asset.
• Familiarity with UNICEF mission and mandate is an asset.
• Experience in the UN common system is desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to working in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective relationships with national partners.
• Proven ability to work under tight timelines.
• Proficiency in English and Portuguese is required.

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.