National Individual Consultancy to conduct the child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) service mapping (Sri Lankan nationals only), 2 months, home based

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, Results

UNICEF works to protect the rights of every child in Sri Lanka. Our goal is to ensure that all of our children survive, thrive and fulfill their vast potential.

In a world that is rapidly changing, children are faced with complex challenges and unprecedented opportunities. UNICEF’s programs are designed to reach and benefit all children so that they can withstand these challenges, leverage these opportunities and be the drivers of their own destiny.

UNICEF is committed to creating a country in which every child is free to learn, play and grow. Our programs work towards providing all children in Sri Lanka with shelter, nutrition, protection and education, wherever they may be. We strive to create communities in which children can live with dignity and hope, free from discrimination, violence and fear.

We make every effort to create and maintain environments that will enable and empower children to be the very best that they can be.

In this way, all children will not only benefit from economic and social growth but will become the driving force behind sustainable national development.

For over 50 years, with the help of our vast network of partners, UNICEF has made significant strides in raising health, education and protection standards for children in Sri Lanka. From achieving Universal Child Immunization (1989) to establishing The National Child Protection Authority (1998) to providing decades of crucial relief in the wake of devastating conflict and natural disaster, UNICEF has played a pivotal role in creating an environment in which children have the best chance to survive and thrive.

Yet, many challenges still exist, especially for the most vulnerable. Some national and regional bodies require resources and reinvigoration. Individuals and institutions need to be strengthened, coordinated and aligned with global standards so that children enjoy support in their schools, communities and homes to help them overcome challenges and unleash their full potential into the world.

Due to our long-standing reputation as an experienced, neutral and collaborative partner, UNICEF is ideally suited to drive these efforts. Our history of success in Sri Lanka is built on our ability to tap into a wide network of national and international partners which, in turn, is bolstered by our own far-reaching presence in the field. In working closely with these government, non-government and private entities, UNICEF takes a leadership role, drawing on our technical expertise to accurately assess existing challenges and develop, execute and coordinate solutions that are relevant and scalable on the ground. For more information about UNICEF Sri Lanka and its work visit: http://www.unicef.org/srilanka

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Assignment:

National Individual Consultancy to support the child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) service mapping

Scope of Work:

A Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) Service mapping can provide valuable insights into the availability and utilization of such services, distribution of human and other resources, as well as gaps. Such information is critical for informing CAMH service planning, strategic resource allocation, and prioritization of needs.

UNICEF is supporting the Ministry of Health in mapping CAMH services at the national and selected sub-national levels, across formal health care, community-based services, school based MHPSS and others beyond the health systems. It was developed based on the European CAMHS Mapping Questionnaire (ECM-Q) and forthcoming WHO-UNICEF primer on Mental Health Services for Children and Young People.

It is expected to covers six key domains:

1. CAMH Policy and Legislation
2. Financing for CAMH services
3. CAMH Services
4. CAMH Medication and Treatment Modalities
5. Human Resources for CAMH services
6. CAMH Data and Health Information Systems

The mapping will examine prevention and treatment services for the 0–19-year-old population group. It will encompass services provided within the healthcare system, at the community-level, and/or other CAMH services extending beyond the heath sector. These may include services aimed at the family and caregiver level as well as those provided within both public and private systems. To ensure a comprehensive review, various methodologies including literature reviews, interviews, consultations, and workshops may be employed with a diverse group of stakeholders (such as but not limited to implementing partners, relevant ministries, community leaders, etc).

Methods

The mapping process can be adapted based on contextual factors of the country such as the availability of CAMH literature and data, size of country, scale of CAMH services, structure and organization of services (i.e. centralized or decentralized), and the level of NGO or private sector engagement in service delivery. A diverse range of stakeholders should inform the mapping to gain comprehensive understanding of existing CAMH services and system with the administrative area of focus. These stakeholders may include specialist and non-specialist CAMH professionals, organizations, civil society groups, academic institutions, and ministry focal points across sectors.

Literature Review and National/Regional Health Information Systems:

• Begin the data collection process by conducting a literature review based on research, studies and publications related to CAMH services.
• Also review national or regional health information systems data, documents, and reports to gather information on existing policies, strategies, plans, programs related to CAMH.

Consultation/Interview:

• Gather insights and recommendations from specialist and non-specialist professionals involved with CAMH services, including focal points, managers, and service providers across sectors.
• Consult with NGOs and civil society groups to understand perspectives and experiences from a broader spectrum of stakeholders involved in CAMH services.

Workshops:

• In collaboration with the Ministry of Health DDG NCD, organize consultation workshops as a participatory method to engage diverse stakeholders in collaborative discussions about CAMH services and system.
• Workshops can be used to promote dialogue, sharing of knowledge, as well as generate key recommendations that inform the development of strategies for improving CAMH services.

Description of assignment:

Inception report

• Conduct a literature review based on research, studies and publications related to CAMH services.
• Also review national or regional health information systems data, documents, and reports to gather information on existing policies, strategies, plans, programs related to CAMH.
• Determine the detailed study design (qualitative and quantitative); the sampling frame-that CAMH service focal points, managers, relevant ministry counterparts, or providers across sectors should be further consulted as required. These may include specialist or non-specialist professionals, non-governmental organizations, and/or civil society groups, and the data gaps to be addressed by the field study. - In addition to the literature review, you may also consider interviews, informal or formal consultations, and workshops to collect the relevant information from various stakeholders.
• Submit the inception report consisting of the desk review, and the study design and the details of the methodology.
• Technical committee to review and confirm the study design and methodology to move to the next step.

Data collection and analysis

• Data collection – as stipulated and agreed in the inception report. Respond to the questionnaire by referencing literature and any national or regional health information systems, documents and reports. CAMH service focal points, managers, relevant ministry counterparts, or providers across sectors should be further consulted as required. These may include specialist or non-specialist professionals, non-governmental organizations, and/or civil society groups.
• Analyse the collected data and conduct the preliminary analysis

Reporting

• Preliminary report of findings and recommendations submitted
• Discuss in a Technical Advisory Committee and a stakeholder meeting for further comments
• Submit the final report

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

Minimum Qualifications required:

• Master’s degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Public Health, Psychology, Psychiatry.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• 5-year experience in health-related service assessment and mapping.
• Experience in working with public health institutions, mainly the Hospitals, Regional Director of Health Services, and Mental Health Units of the Ministry of Health, would be an advantage.
• Broad understanding of the Mental Health program implementation in the country is required.

• Prior experience in conducting similar service mapping exercises will be an added advantage.

  Languages required:

• Ability to work in English is essential. During the assessment ability to work in Sinhala and/or Tamil is required.

Duration of the consultancy: 60 days / 2 months

Duty station – Colombo, Sri Lanka (Home Based)

Start date - July 2024

How to apply:

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a resume and other relevant documents

Please complete your profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system. https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html

Please indicate your ability, availability and fee/rate (in LKR) to undertake the terms of reference above. (Indicate an all-inclusive fee (including lump sum travel, IT accessories, Internet and subsistence costs, as applicable) to undertake the tasks in the Terms of reference. Office 365 license will be provided by UNICEF, as applicable)

Applications submitted without a fee/rate will not be considered

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.

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.

If you think this position might be for you, please take the time to review our Country Office Mutual Agreements before you apply.

If you believe you can team member that can uphold these everyday, then we look forward to receiving and reviewing your application