National Consultancy to carry out a Rapid Assessment of and Develop Guidance on Guardianship and Trusteeship in Tajikistan

The main purpose of this assignment is to assess the Guardianship and Trusteeship system, including its functionality at central, province and district levels in Tajikistan

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Guardianship and Trusteeship are alternative family care options that are formally used in Tajikistan to place children deprived of parental care in a family arrangement, and hence to prevent children from being placed in Residential Childcare Institutions. Despite the fact that the number of children in Residential Childcare Institutions has remained stable over the years with a slight reduction (10,802 children in 2012 and 10,061 in 2016), the number of children under Guardianship and Trusteeship tends to decrease (1,261 in 2012 to 720 in 2016).

The legal framework governing the Guardianship and Trusteeship system consists of the Family Code and the Regulation on Guardianship Authority revised by the Government in 2017. In August 2016, 1.5 year after the adoption of the Law on Child Rights Protection, the MOES was appointed the custodian of the 2015 Law in general and as a result was made responsible at national level for overseeing the Guardianship and Trusteeship system. The MOES is currently working towards the establishment of a Division on Child Right Protection in the Ministry that will eventually provide the required oversight mechanism.

Case-management for placement of children is carried out by the Secretary of the Commission on Child Rights at district level in some places and in other places it is done by the Guardianship and Trusteeship Authority under the District Education Department. Guardianship and Trusteeship functions are one of the specific mandates of the Commission on Child Rights at district level and its Secretary; however, existing practices and structures vary across regions and would need some alignment in order to clarify roles and responsibilities between the Guardianship and Trusteeship Authority, the Commission on Child Rights at district level and local self-governance authorities. There is no clear data in the country on such practices in the country.

UNICEF Tajikistan intends to carry out a rapid assessment to better understand the current functioning of Guardianship, as well as the situation of children placed under guardianship and the circumstances surrounding their placement. This exercise will also assist the MOES with the development of practical guidance to support the delivery of Guardianship functions – notably in the context of labour migration. The assessment is also expected to explore opportunities for strengthening this system to increase placements under this type of formal care, and hence reduce the number of children placed in Residential Childcare Institutions.

Against this backdrop, UNICEF Tajikistan Country Office, in close consultation with the MOES, seeks to hire a national consultant to carry out the rapid assessment of the Guardianship and Trusteeship system in the country.

How can you make a difference?

The main purpose of this assignment is to assess the Guardianship and Trusteeship system, including its functionality at central, province and district levels in Tajikistan. In particular, the assignment aims to:

• Examine the current practices used and capacities in place in selected districts on how the system works;
• Assess the process of placement of children under Guardianship and Trusteeship from a case-management perspective;
• Draw a comprehensive picture of factors, reasons and dynamics or trends of placements under Guardianship and Trusteeship;
• Develop practical guidance for the delivery of Guardianship and Trusteeship functions in light of the 2017 Regulation on Guardianship Authority and the findings of the Functional Assessment of Commissions on Child.

The specific objectives of the assignment include:

• Provide a detailed picture of the Guardianship and Trusteeship system and its interactions with other services to keep children in their biological families and when children are placed under this type of care to sustain such placements;
• Clarify implications of Guardianship and Trusteeship in terms of access to legal protection and social assistance for the child and the guardian, but also for the biological parents (potential loss of benefits, process to revert or appeal the decision, possibility to resort to temporary guardianship, etc.)
• Provide a comprehensive analysis of the reasons why children cannot stay in their biological families (e.g. migration), why social protection measures (i.e., assistance, benefits) are not effective to keep children in their families, which families are taking in children under Guardianship and Trusteeship, period of stay of children under this type of care, re-integration of children under this type of care into their biological families, how biological families are supported to have their children back, risks of placement of children in Residential Childcare Institutions when they are placed under Guardianship and Trusteeship.
• Explore to what extent Guardianship and Trusteeship is granted to extended family members or persons already known/close to the child, and in a position to nurture continued contacts or communication with the biological parents when appropriate. Similarly, explore the current extent of informal kinship care in Tajikistan; existing barriers, as well as pros and cons, to its formalization through Guardianship and Trusteeship.
• Other issues to be considered in the analysis include the following: 

Children and their caregivers:

• Who are children at risk of leaving their biological families and children placed under Guardianship and Trusteeship?
• Why such alternative options (Guardianship and Trusteeship) are preferred for these children?
• What is the process of making the decision to place the child under Guardianship and Trusteeship and what principles or criteria are used for such placement?
• How are children in need of Guardianship and Trusteeship identified in the first place and what are the dynamics or trends of Guardianship and Trusteeship placements at district level?
• What are the profiles of families who cannot take care of their children and resort to guardianship and the profiles of families who receive children under Guardianship and Trusteeship?
• What are the problems faced by children under Guardianship and Trusteeship (e.g. discrimination, violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect, ill-treatment, depression)?
• What other types of alternative care options are available for children at risk of leaving their biological families (formal and informal) besides Guardianship and Trusteeship?
• Who do children placed under Guardianship and Trusteeship turn to if they need support? What services are available and accessible to children at risk who are placed under Guardianship and Trusteeship?
• Are children and their Guardians/ Trustees aware of the different services and support available to them?
• What support do formally registered Guardians/ Trustees receive from authorities in terms of assistance and benefits? What assistance and benefits do Guardians/ Trustees require to sustain such placements?

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:

The main tasks of the assignment are as follows:

1. Undertake a desk review of relevant statistics, studies, policies, legislation and regulations related to alternative family-based care and child protection in general, and to the Guardianship and Trusteeship, in particular.

2. Identify key informants jointly with UNICEF and MOES and develop questions/questionnaires for interviews with stakeholders and focus group discussions with families whose children have been placed under Guardianship and Trusteeship and families who have taken in children under this type and other care arrangements.

3. Develop six case studies of children placed under Guardianship and Trusteeship, describing the placement process and the circumstances that led to this placement, including the outcomes for the children.

4. Identify and describe the tasks of the Secretary of Guardianship Authority and each member of the Commission on Child Rights related to Guardianship and Trusteeship.

5. In close consultation with key stakeholders, develop practical guidance for the MOES in general and for the Guardianship Secretaries in particular to deliver their Guardianship and Trusteeship functions.

6. Produce a high-quality report.

7. Present results to key stakeholders.

 KEY DELIVERABLES:

The report should include:

• Executive summary
• Country context and the description of the situation
• Brief description of the methodology/data collection
• Description of main findings
• Analysis
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Annexes:
  • Assessment instruments (questionnaires, focus group reports), list of institutions/organizations and individuals that participated in the process, bibliography

The report should be provided in electronic format in English language and Tajik or Russian languages.

Assignment period

The assignment will be carried out in 35 days spread over a period starting from 29 October 2018 to 31 December 2018.

EVALUATION PROCESS:

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

1. Cover letter/application/CV.
2. A technical proposal with proposed methodology/approach to managing the project, showing understanding of tasks.
3. Financial quote for the consultancy in Tajik Somoni per deliverable, stating also the timeframe for completion of deliverable and/or daily rate in Tajik Somoni.
4. Examples of previous, relevant work related to the deliverables.
5. At least 2 References

The evaluation on the results will be based on:

• Technical and professional competence (quality of the product delivered to UNICEF);
• Quality of work (quality of documents submitted);
• Quantity of work (completing the tasks indicated in the table above);
• Timeliness of submission of deliverables.

In addition, such indicators as work relations, responsibility, initiative and communication will be taken into account during the evaluation of the consultant's work.

During the selection, the ratio between the technical evaluation and commercial offer is 70 to 30.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis methodology. The award of the Contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) Having received the highest score out of a weighted set of technical and financial criteria.

* Technical Criteria weight - 70%;

* Financial Criteria weight - 30%;

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in Technical Criteria evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Financial Proposal

Please provide a rate all-inclusive price (in Tajik Somoni) for delivery of professional services in accordance with the assignments described under this TOR.

The formula for the rating of the Financial Proposals will be as follows:

FP Rating = (Lowest Priced Offer / Price of the Offer Being Reviewed) x 100

Insurances:

UNICEF does not provide or arrange life or health insurance coverage for consultants and individual contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to United Nations staff members. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for assuming all costs related to required inoculations, vaccinations and medical examinations.  
Consultants and individual contractors are fully responsible for arranging, at their own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the period of their services as they consider appropriate. The responsibility of UNICEF is limited solely to the payment of compensation for service-incurred death, injury or illness as per the provisions detailed below.

Recourse 

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.

Ethical considerations 

Adequate measures should be taken to ensure that the process responds to quality and ethical requirements. The contracted consultant should be sensitive to beliefs, manners, and customs and act with integrity and honesty in their relationships with all stakeholders. It should also protect the anonymity and confidentiality of individual information.

Mandatory trainings: 

Consultants and individual contractors, regardless of contract duration, must complete the applicable mandatory trainings. The link will be provided during the selection process for the successful candidates.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• Education: Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Law, Development Studies, Public Policy or any related discipline.
• Work Experience: At least five years of work experience in a relevant field.
• Competencies: Strong knowledge of child rights, child protection system approach and child care system design and reform, social protection and social welfare, Familiarity with rights-based approaches, gender mainstreaming and institutional strengthening concepts, Proven experience in designing and conducting assessments.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong analytical and conceptual thinking, Excellent writing skills, Excellent communication and presentation skills with stakeholders and ability to work under pressure and commitment to work to tight timeframe.
• Language: Fluency in English and Tajik or Russian.

Queries can be sent to: tad-procurement@unicef.org with subject line "National Consultancy to carry out a Rapid Assessment of and Develop Guidance on Guardianship and Trusteeship in Tajikistan". Applications must be received in the system by the 22 October 2018 at our website: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index.php   

Please indicate your availability and rate per deliverable in Tajik Somoni to undertake the terms of reference above.  Currency of payment will be agreed upon at time of contracting.

Travel costs and DSA will be covered in accordance with UN rules and regulations. No other remunerations apply. UNICEF considers best value for money as criteria for evaluating potential candidates.  As a general principle, the fees payable to a consultant or individual contractor follow the "best value for money" principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Please note that consultants and individual contractors are responsible for assuming costs for obtaining visas and travel insurance.

For every Child, you demonstrate

UNICEF's core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.