International Individual Consultancyfor Technical support to operationalization of Nurturing Care Framework by UNICEF Turkey and support to development of a national Early Childhood Developm
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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.
I. BACKGROUND
Turkey is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the overall 2030 Agenda which recognizes Early Childhood Development (ECD) as a priority. Specifically, SDG Target 4.2 states that by 2030 countries should “ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. In addition, the GoT’s 11th National Development Plan has identified ECD as one of the priority areas for the next 5 years (2019-2023). The approach to ECD programming will be aligned with the global Nurturing Care Framework (NCF), which was launched at the 71st World Health Assembly in May 2018.
In line with the expected outcomes in the 2021-2025 Country Programme Document (CPD), UNICEF is expected to contribute to the development of a national ECD policy. One of the outcomes of the CPD states that, “By 2025 more young children, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from learning, nurturing care and development, both at home and in their communities”. Key priorities have been identified in the CPD including:
a) Supporting the development and implementation of an integrated national strategy on ECD with related implementation mechanisms and adequate allocation of resources.
b) Improving access to and quality of education services, making them more inclusive for the most vulnerable young children.
c) Promoting nurturing care by parents and other caregivers (focusing on infant and young child feeding practices, immunization, early stimulation, positive discipline, and early identification and reporting of developmental delays).
UNICEF is seeking an international expert to provide technical assistance to the UNICEF Turkey Country Office (TCO) team by (i) preparing a road map for supporting the Government of Turkey (GoT) to develop a national ECD Policy, facilitating consultation meetings, and drafting the national ECD Policy; and (ii) developing the UNICEF strategy for support to the operationalization of the NCF and implementation of the national ECD policy in Turkey.
UNICEF was requested by the GoT to support the development of an integrated national strategy on ECD including implementation mechanisms. In 2019, UNICEF started to work with an NGO called the Association of Child Development and Education (ACDE) which focuses on ECD in Turkey. ACDE was tasked with analyzing the situation of ECD in Turkey and with preparing baseline documents, including landscape analysis reports. Using a participatory model and in collaboration with line ministries, such as the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) and the Ministry of Family, and Social Services (MoFSS), civil society organizations (CSOs), and academics, sectoral reports were drafted and made ready for review and feedback. Once feedback was received and the reports were completed, they were presented to the Presidency of Strategy and Budget (PSB) which will lead in drafting the procedure for the creation of a national ECD policy document for Turkey. In the UNICEF TCO-PBS Rolling Work Plan, the PSB has requested UNICEF’s support in facilitating high level coordination meetings and in drafting the national ECD policy document.
II. PURPOSE of the ASSIGNMENT
Provide technical assistance and prepare a strategy for actualizing UNICEF CPD 2021-2025 outcomes related to ECD, and provide senior level technical support to the GoT in drafting a National ECD Policy document.
III. DESCRIPTION of the ASSIGNMENT
Tasks:
- Support the finalization of UNICEF’s feedback on the drafted ACDE sectoral reports on ECD
- Review all ECD strategy background materials, including corresponding policies(laws, as well as sectoral policies, regulations, directives, service manuals, standards, training materials, etc. that are related to young children and families), ECD documentation reports, draft ECD evaluation reports, data from DHS-Turkey and other sources
- Participate in ECD sectoral discussions, review inputs and make suggestions for refinement of the UNICEF programmatic priorities and activities
- Develop a “Road map for the development of an ECD policy document for Turkey” including descriptions, definitions and guidance of what needs to be included in line with intervention areas of the new ECD policy for Turkey and detailed work flow and process in three phases as “template, comprehensive and final (improved by feedbacks)”
- Facilitate strategic brainstorming sessions with UNICEF and government partners about the key areas and modalities for support of the proposed ECD strategy, participate in all workshops by moderating discussions and sharing international experience on ECD (particularly relevant to policy formulation)
- Draft an UNICEF internal strategy document for implementation of CPD 2021-2025 outputs related to ECD focusing on:
- Proposing key priority activities and interventions for UNICEF technical and financial support, including both sectoral and cross-sectoral options for ECD program modelling
- Identify main entry points for ECD in the current service delivery systems/platforms
- Identify partnership options and modalities of working with the GoT, NGOs and CSOs
- Participate in UNICEF-TCO internal ECD Working Group meetings
- Provide a comprehensive consultancy report with recommendations.
DELIVERABLE
TOTAL ESTIMATED PERSON DAYS TO COMPLETE THE DELIVERABLES and
TENTATIVE* PERIOD/DEADLINE
Conduct a desk review for available background materials on ECD in Turkey
5 workdays, June 2021
Support the finalization of UNICEF’s feedback on the drafted ACDE sectoral reports on ECD
3 workdays, July 2021
Draft a strategic internal strategy document for implementation of UNICEF’s CPD 2021-2025 outputs related to ECD and finalize it with recommendations
7 workdays, July 2021
Participate (remotely) in ECD sectoral discussions, review inputs and make suggestions for refinement of the UNICEF programmatic priorities and activities in Turkey
5 workdays, July 2021 (to be
defined)
Create a “template of the road map” for the development of an ECD policy document for Turkey to draw general framework including descriptions, definitions and guidance of what needs to be included in line with intervention areas
5 workdays, August
2021
Develop a comprehensive road map for the development of an ECD policy document for Turkey including detailed workflow and process (policy work with GoT to achieve consensus on ECD multi-sectoral strategy; leadership and coordination arrangements timeline for developing the National ECD Policy, etc.)
10 workdays,
September- October
2021
Review and provide final suggestions to the latest version of the road map based on comments and suggestions
3 workdays, November
2021
Facilitate strategic brainstorming sessions with UNICEF and government partners about the key areas and modality of support
7 workdays, August- Dec 2021 (to be defined)
Provide a comprehensive consultancy report with further recommendations
5 workdays, Jan-Feb
2022
Total
50 days
*Delivery dates are tentative. Detailed time plan is required together with the technical proposal.
IV. DUTY STATION
The international individual consultancy assignment will be home based, involving no travel, but the consultant will also be expected to work punctually from the UNICEF Ankara Office, if and when circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic permit.
UNICEF will regularly communicate with the consultant and provide formats for reports, feedback and guidance on performance and all other necessary support in order to achieve objectives of the exercise, as well as remain aware of any upcoming issues related to the expert’s performance and
quality of work.
V. SUPERVISOR
Overall supervision will be provided by the Deputy Representative of the UNICEF Turkey Country Office, with regular interactions with and supervision from colleagues in ECD/Health, CP and Education sections.
VI. DURATION & COST
- Duration:
This assignment will commence on 14 June 2021 and end at 28 February 2022 (50 days, remote work).
Payment Schedule:
UNICEF will issue a contract in USD. The payment for the entire consultancy will take place in USD, will be done in instalments upon deliverables as per contractual agreement.
All-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs.
- Reservations: UNICEF reserves the right to terminate the contract without a prior notice and/or withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if the rules and the regulations regarding confidentiality, ethics and procedures of UNICEF and the project partners are not followed, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.
VII. BACKGROUND, QUALIFICATIONS and SPECIALIZATION REQUIRED FOR THE ASSIGNMENT
Qualifications/Skills and personal traits:
- Advanced university degree in ECD, Social Science or other related fields;
- Minimum 10 years + of professional work experience in the area of ECD with a focus on ECD policy development, strategic planning, integrated and multi-sectoral approaches, monitoring, evaluation and research;
- Experience in evidence-based policy making;
- Highly developed analytical and writing skills
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Fluency in spoken and written English
- Previous experience working with UNICEF is an asset.
Ethical considerations
Consultants are required to clearly identify any potential ethical issue, as well as the processes for ethical review and oversight of the research/data collection process in their proposal. UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation, Data Collection and Analysis can be found at: https://www.unicef.org/supply/files/ATTACHMENT_IV-UNICEF_Procedure_for_Ethical_Standards.PDF and should be consistently applied throughout the research process. The procedure contains the minimum standards and required procedures for research, evaluation and data collection and analysis undertaken or commissioned by UNICEF (including activities undertaken by individual and institutional contractors, and partners) involving human subjects or the analysis of sensitive secondary data.
VIII. APPLICATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA
- Application Procedure:
Applications should be submitted in English and should include:
1. Financial proposal using the enclosed Financial Proposal Template.
2. P11 Form, where previous experience in ECD is provided in detail.
3. Cover Letter (that cover a technical proposal that described the plan how the consultancy will be conducted, max 10 pages)
The submission deadline is 14 May 2021.
If needed, an interview may be conducted with the applicants during the evaluation process.
- Selection method:
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.
Criteria for technical evaluation
Max points
Having the required qualifications as requested in the TOR (relevant education background)
Max points: 35
Having the required work experience as requested in the TOR
Max points: 35
Maximum total points
Max points: 70
The financial proposals will be opened only for the candidates that reach or exceed fifty (50) points out of maximum seventy (70) points. Thirty (30) points will be awarded to the candidate that presented the lowest fee for the services requested. The remaining financial offers will receive proportional points ((lowest bid/bid) X 30 points).
REMARK:
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities to apply.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
- UNICEF Turkey Office holds copyrights for all deliverables. The documents (including raw materials, etc.) may not be reproduced, distributed or published without the written permission from UNICEF.
- UNICEF Turkey Office will share with the selected consultant all the relevant materials it has and provide required expertise.
- UNICEF Turkey Office and the Regional Office Business for Results (B4R) expert will review and provide feedback on deliverables/ concept notes prepared by consultant.
All information from produced deliverables cannot be shared with the media without the written approval of UNICEF Turkey 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 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.
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Source:
unicef.org
