Consultancy -Background Paper on the Foster Grant and Child Headed Household Grant

This consultancy is focused on the components/aspects of the basic social security programmes (PSSB and PASD) and the ProSAS targeting: - Orphaned children in poor and vulnerable households - Children aged 14-18 years who are heads of households. Therewith it is built on the premise that to address the unique and multiple social risks and vulnerabilities these target groups face, any monetary or in-kind support should be complemented with social welfare services and counselling.

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 For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE

In this context, through the One UN Joint Programme on Social Protection 2017-2020 (UNJP), UNICEF Mozambique, in close collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), and with funding from the Department for International Development (DFID), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs will support MGCAS and the National Institute of Social Action (INAS) in aligning the existing basic social security programmes (PSSB, PASD and PASP) with the ENSSB II and in designing its new components through the elaboration of  operational manuals. Within the same context, and also as part of the UNJP, UNICEF Mozambique will support MGCAS in the design of the ProSAS (Programa Serviços de Acção Social) envisioned as part of the third Axis of the ENSSB II. 

The current consultancy, with funding from USAID and Irish Aid, aims to contribute to the above processes through the development of a background paper(s) that will provide the building blocks for:

1. the operational manuals for the PSSB and PASD – content related to components targeting orphaned children in poor and/or vulnerable households and child-headed households will be defined[1], and;
2. the conceptual design of the ProSAS – idem.

 METHODOLOGY AND TECHNICAL APPROACH

This consultancy is focused on the components/aspects of the basic social security programmes (PSSB and PASD) and the ProSAS targeting:

• Orphaned children[2] in poor and vulnerable households
• Children aged 14-18 years who are heads of households

Therewith it is built on the premise that to address the unique and multiple social risks and vulnerabilities these target groups face, any monetary or in-kind support should be complemented with social welfare services and counselling.

1. Activities and Tasks:

The major tasks envisioned as part of this consultancy involve:

2. 1. 1. 1. Conduct a comprehensive desk review including:
            1. Thorough review of existing policies, strategic documents and legislation on social protection, social welfare and alternative care, including, though not limited to:
            2. Thorough literature review to map existing evidence (both peer-reviewed and grey literature) on the specific risks and vulnerabilities orphaned children in poor and vulnerable households and children in child-headed households face in Mozambique.
            3. Documentation of lessons learnt, best practices and promising models from the region and beyond linking social protection and children’s care, primarily foster care, as well as social protection programmes providing cash benefits to adolescents, including those targeting child-headed households, with attention to potential preserve incentives across both.
3. Conduct in-country consultations:

At the community level – assess needs and demands (e.g. through FGDs and/or IDIs) among (future) beneficiaries (e.g. child-headed households, kindship carers, foster parents) in terms of monetary and/or in-kind support (incl. level, type and frequency) and counselling, case management and referral. In addition, explore views in relation to key programme design parameters such as eligibility criteria, validation processes, payment modalities and programme graduation.

At the district/provincial/national levels – following the desk review and work at the community level, gather further information and verify initial ideas and thinking (through KIIs or in workshop context) with selected key informants from government and non-government.

3. Organize a validation exercise at the national level to:

 Present options for the design of the basic social security programme components defined in the ENSSB II targeting orphans in poor and vulnerable households and child-headed households, along with fiscal space requirements for programme set up and implementation across the upcoming 5 years

• Ensure alignment with the work on the elaboration of the PSSB and PASD operational manuals; as well as ongoing work related to the conceptual design of the ProSAS

4. Draft the background paper(s)

Following the above, draft the background paper(s) delineating the context and overall conceptual framework, with detailed reference to the recommended operational model (the design parameters), including, though not limited to, such aspects as:

• • • • • • Objectives
          • Eligibility criteria
          • Identification, selection, enrolment and exit
          • Level, type and frequency of monetary and/or in-kind support^[1]
          • Payment modalities
          • Beneficiary monitoring
          • Complaint and grievance processes
          • Case management processes
          • Referral mechanisms to additional services
          • Ethical requirements and considerations (incl. for example codes of conduct) related to working with child beneficiaries

Along with a clear plan and budget for set up and implementation, a proposal on the management arrangements, (inter-)institutional governance structures, and human resources and training requirements.

The final structure of the paper will need to be presented as part of the proposal, discussed and approved by UNICEF and MGCAS, though should contain at a minimum the following sections:

• • Introduction
  • Purpose and objectives
  • Programme justification (ENSSB II) and viability
  • Programme stakeholders
    • Institutional roles and responsibilities
  • Organizational structure of the programme(s)
    • Foster grant
    • Child-headed household grant
  • Project cycle
    • Identification and selection
    • Enrolment
    • Payments and in-kind support
    • Case management and referral to other services
  • Financial cycle
    • Cash flow requirements
    • Process and controls for the execution of the programme
  • Monitoring and evaluation
  • Complaint and grievances mechanisms

The background paper(s) should be accompanied by all proposed forms, tools and aids necessary for the implementation of the programme 

DELIVERABLES

• Inception report and detailed work plan
• Progress report on the findings from the desk review and the proposed conceptual framework
• Qualitative and workshop tools to guide the in-country consultations
• In-country consultations prepared, conducted and documented
• Validation exercise prepared, conducted and documented
• Background paper drafted
• Background paper finalized

 MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION.

The assignment is estimated at 80 days to be implemented across a period of approximately six months between the 1 April 2018 and 30 Sept 2018. The work will be partially conducted home-based and partially in-country with travel to Zambezia and Nampula provinces (in-country consultations).

The consultant is expected to contract translation services and/or recruit a local consultant/qualitative researcher to support the in-country consultations (e.g., accompany the successful candidate during FGDs with beneficiaries) as needed. Details pertaining the former should be clearly spelled out in the proposal to be submitted in response to this ToR. 

The consultant will work under the day-to-day management of the Child Protection Specialist (Social Protection), and receive general guidance from the Chief of Child Protection, the Social Protection Specialist of the UNICEF Mozambique Social Policy Section and MGCAS/DNAC (taskforce envisioned). Compliance with the ToR and timely delivery of the expected outputs/results will be closely monitored. Upon completion of contract assignments, the supervisor will certify relevant documents, evaluate the consultant’s work and process/follow-up on the payments.

 QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE

Academic Qualifications. Advanced university degree in public policy, social protection, child protection or other related discipline

 Work Experience. Minimum eight years of increasing professional experience in the field of social protection, social policy, and/or public policy and administration, including at least three years in the area of child protection, preferably in the area of child protection systems and/or alternative care

 Technical Knowledge Required.

Specific knowledge, competencies, and skills required:

• Excellent management, interpersonal, planning and coordination skills
• Evidence of excellence in writing quality expert reports in a timely manner that clearly synthesize complex findings and recommendations that are practical and useful
• Experience working in Southern and Eastern Africa and/or familiarity with Mozambique strongly preferred
• Knowledge of the UN system considered an asset

 Language Proficiency.

Fluency in written and spoken English required

Fluency in Portuguese desired, if not, the consultant must ensure support in relation to in-country consultations and report writing.

 Other. The consultant should be sensitive to beliefs and act with integrity and respect to all stakeholders.  In the report the consultant may not refer to individual children.  The consultant may not share findings with media in Mozambique or abroad concerning individual children or individual institutions. 

 APPLICATIONS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA

 The selection of the consultant will be based on a “best value for money” principle.  As such consultants, in addition to submitting their CV and cover letter, should also indicate their all-inclusive fees (including travel, subsistence costs, etc.) for the services to be provided.  The office shall select the individual who quoted the lowest fee from the list of individuals who are deemed technically suitable for achieving all tasks in time.  Applications submitted without financial information will not be considered.

 OTHER

 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 to become a part of our organization.