re-advertisement: National Consultant - “Preparing a mental health service package for children and adolescents living with disabilities, their parents and caregivers during the COVID-19 pa

Consultant Medical & Health Programme & Policy

Contract

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Consultant for Project on “Preparing a mental health service package for children and adolescents living with disabilities, their parents and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic and holding a three-days training workshop for service providers”

Timeframe: 8 months

Duty Station: Tehran - Iran

1. Background

Iran is dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak since February 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic situation is still in alarm level and Iran is reported to have the highest number of registered cases and deaths in the MENA region. Market instability and supply shocks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures, coupled with sanctions are hitting hard on Iran. More importantly, COVID-19 outbreak has put children and adolescent girls and boys with special needs at risk of being neglected in social protection services, systems and policies, even more than before, and in some cases differently. Most vulnerable groups of children, specifically children and adolescents living with disabilities (CLWD), are disproportionately affected by this situation.

Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has a multifaceted impact on mental health due to physical illness, restrictions and lockdowns, and loss of employment and institutional support. COVID-19 may disproportionally impact children and families with special needs and disabilities due to the already higher prevalence of mental health conditions in children with special needs and disabilities and their parents. Children living with disability might be impacted by closure of rehabilitation centres and restrictions on movements and social interactions, social distancing, disruption of services affect CLWD's routine and social support services which may lead to fear, anxiety, worry about their own health and the health of their family, friends and relatives, changes in sleep or eating patterns, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, worsening of chronic health problems, worsening of mental health conditions, depression, conflict with siblings, conflict with parents, domestic violence, poor academic and learning performance or avoiding school/rehabilitation centres, difficulty with attention and concentration, avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past, unexplained headaches or body pain and depression.

Meanwhile, the COVID triggered a new stressor on parents and caregivers who need to find new options for daily care to their children living with disability which may result into or exacerbate types of violence from parents and caregivers on children such as neglect, maltreatment, aggressive behaviours, stigma, discrimination, social and psychological pressure or negative coping mechanisms and affect CLWD’s development in all its dimensions.

Failure to control the longer-term effects of this pandemic will result in CLWD to have unpleasant experiences of disability exacerbation, drop out from school, fail to develop skills and capacities to integrate into the society at older ages.

To mitigate secondary impacts of the pandemic, the Social Welfare Organization is seeking UNICEF’ support to develop and adapt a mental health service package for children with disabilities and their parents and caregivers.

2. Objectives

The consultant will contribute to achieve the following key objectives:

• To enhance the capacity of SWO service providers on provision of mental health and psychosocial support and care to children and adolescents living with disabilities (CLWD) and promote psychological support for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents living with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic through:

- Conducting needs assessment and situation analysis,

- Development of a service package

- Organization of the 3-day training workshops for service providers.

3. Methodology and Technical Approach

A. Conduct Needs Assessment and situational Analysis: the consultant shall meet the UNICEF technical staff, SWO experts, service providers from SWO rehabilitation centres, and representative of adolescents and children with disability and parents and benefit from their inputs to assess the needs and analyse the situation; The result of this assessment identifies the gaps between the current and the desired situation. This assessment also helps to recognize the required educational content and services, as well as best methodology for provision of trainings and delivery of necessary services.

B. Development of psychosocial support service packages for children and adolescents living with disabilities, their parents and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic Packages: The purpose of this package is increasing the knowledge and skills in provision of mental health and psychosocial support and care to children and adolescents living with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The consultant should use attractive new methods for developing a manual for service providers, a guide for care givers, and guide for parents of children and adolescents living with disabilities. The service package should cover adapted practical and hand-on practices and instruction for subjects such as how to communicate properly, stress management, social adjustment, dealing with anxiety, coping skills, relaxation, anger control, dealing with depression and sadness, assertiveness, and preventing aggression and violence, etc.

C. Provide trainings and Facilitate Training Workshops for SWO service providers working with children and adolescents living with disabilities: the consultant shall develop criteria for eligible participants and provide 24 hours training in 3 days workshops as well as 3 hours online group supervision for SWO service providers working with children and adolescents living with disabilities. The manual, guides, and training materials should be prepared and submitted before workshop.

4. Activities, Deliverables, Indicators, Timeframe, and Schedule of Payment

1. Situational analysis, consultation with UNICEF and SWO experts and identify the needs of target groups including frontline service providers, parents, caregivers, and children and adolescents living with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and inception report.

a. Deliverables: - Situation analysis report - Inception report

b. Indicator: all deliverables are timely submitted and validated by UNICEF ADAP team

c. Timeframe: Month 1

d. Schedule of Payment: 30% after submitting deliverable 2

2. Development of service packages (including a manual for SWO staff, 2 guides for caregivers and parents) on mental health and psychosocial support and care for children and adolescents living with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

a. Deliverables: -Manual for SWO service providers - One guide for care givers - One guide for parents - Training materials for workshop

b. Indicator: all deliverables are approved, timely submitted and validated

c. Timeframe: Month 2 to 3

d. Schedule of Payment: 30 % (for both deliverables 1 and 2)

3. Facilitation of a 3-day training workshops and 3 hours online group supervision for 36 SWO service providers from 31 provinces.

a. Deliverables: -TOT materials -Workshop agenda -Workshop hand-outs -Workshop evaluation forms - List of trainers

b. Indicator: all deliverables are approved, timely submitted and validated

c. Timeframe: Month 4 to 7

d. Schedule of Payment: 30%

4. Submit the final report including recommendation for further adaptation, incorporation and scale-up of the initiative

a. Deliverables: - Final report in Farsi and English -Power Point Presentation on report and recommendations -Presenting findings and lesson learns of the project in a mutual meeting with SWO and UNICEF

b. Indicator: all deliverables are approved, timely submitted and validated

c. Timeframe: Month 8

d. Schedule of Payment: 30%

N.B. All reports and presentations should be submitted in English and Persian

5. Management and Organization

5.1. Management: The consultant will work under the direct supervision of UNICEF Adolescent Development and Participation Officer. The responsible government partner is the IRI. State Welfare Organization (SWO).

5.2. Travel: The consultant will be responsible for organizing all relevant travel arrangements if/ when required.

5.3. UNICEF will be responsible for organizing and coordinating all meetings with the counterparts as required.

5.4. Timeframe – The entire project will be conducted in 8 months between 15th of February 2022 to 15th of September 2022.

6. Conditions of Work:

The consultant shall use his/her own facilities to manage the work.

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

The consultant should possess the following qualifications:

• University degree; Master of Science in Psychology or relating disciplines (counseling, social working, etc.);

• Minimum five years of working experience in the field of Mental health, Psychology and working with children and adolescent with special needs;

• Proven experience in organization and provision of the training workshops;

• Previous working experience with UNICEF/UN is an asset;

• Fluency in Farsi and English is required. (The English writing skill should be assessed based on experience of the candidate)

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

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.

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