Consultancy for Strengthening Capacity and Supervision in Aftercare Services for Children in Alternative Care (588958)

This consultancy is designed to establish a structured supervisory framework that strengthens both the capacity and the professional oversight of social workers. The national supervisory programme further ensures long-term sustainability while reducing the risk of subjective or inconsistent decision-making.

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For every child, the right to Education! 

UNICEF’s current five-year country programme of cooperation in Iran (2023-2027) is aimed at ensuring that all children and adolescents, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from an integrated social protection system, which meets their needs for health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and overall protection and well-being of children in both development and humanitarian settings. The programme also aims to ensure that children’s participation and inclusion in their communities are fully realised, allowing them to reach their full potential. 

How can you make a difference? 

Background:

Globally, family is recognized as the fundamental unit of society and the primary environment for the child’s growth, well-being, and protection. In accordance with the international child rights standards i.e. the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, national governments are obligated to strengthen and support families to ensure that a child can safely remain in his/her family care.

When family-based care is not feasible or does not adequately safeguard the child’s best interest, the State is responsible for providing a continuum of appropriate alternative care options tailored to the individual needs of each child. Furthermore, systematic and coordinated efforts must be made throughout the period of care to promote emotional stability and self-reliance, as well as other soft skills and knowledge required to prepare the child for reintegration/adaptation into community life, and to facilitate a successful transition toward independent living, minimizing the risks of social isolation, re-entry into care, or exposure to exploitation and neglect following discharge from the alternative care system.

UNICEF collaborates with the State Welfare Organization as the main national custodian of children in alternative care, to enhance the quality of children’s transition to independent living across its three phases: preparation, transition, and the five-year post-transition period. To achieve this objective, UNICEF will support SWO’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of its social workers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively facilitate, supervise, and support the transition process. This training aims to ensure that the transition to independent adulthood is structured, empowering, and sustainable for all children in alternative care.

Rationale and Statement of Problem:

In alignment with the recommendations of the UN Guidelines for Alternative Care of Children, the responsible organization should establish and implement a comprehensive policy on aftercare of children in alternative care to ensure a structured, well-supported transition from care to independent living. Preparation for aftercare shall commence at the earliest stages of placement in alternative care settings. Where feasible, each child should be assigned a specialized case/social worker to provide individualized guidance and support throughout the transition to independent living. Throughout this individualized process, case/social workers must ensure that the child’s age, gender, maturity, and specific circumstances, including any disabilities, are carefully considered, and that the child’s active participation in the planning process is fully supported.

In Iran, the national guideline for aftercare of children in alternative care was developed in 2023 and implemented nationally by SWO. However, there remains a critical need for case/social workers who are specifically trained in this field and possess the required skills and competencies to engage with children from the earliest stages of their placement in alternative care. Such specialized expertise is essential to ensure that transition and aftercare processes are effectively planned, implemented, and monitored across the three key phases of preparedness, transition, and follow-up extending up to five years after the child has left the care setting.

This consultancy is designed to establish a structured supervisory framework that strengthens both the capacity and the professional oversight of social workers. The national supervisory programme further ensures long-term sustainability while reducing the risk of subjective or inconsistent decision-making.

Objectives:

The initiative will contribute to:

• Establishment of a national pool of master trainers and supervisors who will conduct cascade trainings, and provide ongoing support and mentoring, quality assurance, and oversight for implementation of the protocol on aftercare and transition to independent living for children in alternative care.
• Timely development and effective implementation of individualized aftercare plans for children in alternative care, aimed at minimizing the risks of social isolation, re-entry into care, and exposure to exploitation or neglect following their discharge from the alternative care system.

Geographical Boundaries: The capacity-building programme will be conducted for 50 social workers from SWO and affiliated Social Work Clinics, from 31 provinces, who are engaged in the field of alternative care for children.

Population: The overall target group of children who will ultimately benefit from these services includes all children identified and placed in alternative care under the supervision of the SWO.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  TOR-Supervision- Aftercare and reintegration in independent life-VA.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Advanced degree in social work, mental health, or other related disciplines; 
• Proven experience working with children on empowerment initiatives; experience with children in alternative care is an asset.
• Proven expertise in designing and delivering capacity-building programmes. Experience in mentoring and supervision is an asset.

• Language Requirements: Excellent communication and report-writing skills in Farsi. 

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION:

TECHNICAL CRITERIA

Advanced degree in social work, mental health or other related disciplines = 10 Points Max Score

Minimum five years of proven experience working with children on empowerment initiatives; experience with children in alternative care is an asset = 20 Points Max Score

Minimum two proven experiences in designing and delivering capacity-building programmes,   mentoring and supervision = 25 Points Max Score

Technical Proposal = 25 Points Max Score

TOTAL SCORE = 80 Max Technical Score 

Financial offer = 20 Points Max Score (Iranian Rials Only)

Minimum score for the technical criteria: 65 Points (passing threshold before financial offer consideration) 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable people with disability are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.