Protection Assistant-Social Worker

About DRC
DRC began operating in Kenya in 2005 with assistance to refugees and displacement-affected communities via implementation of protection and livelihoods activities. DRC works in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps, as well as in Nairobi and Mombasa to assist urban-based refugees, and in Mandera County implementing a 3-year cross-border resilience programme. In Kakuma, DRC’s programme supports refugee youth and adolescents with life skills, resilience, training and scholarships alongside livelihood and vocational skills development.  DRC has recently acquired implementing partner status of UNHCR and will be implementing protection related activities in Kalobeyei camp – which is a new camp opened near the Kakuma refugee camp.

About the job:
The incumbent will provide case management interventions aimed to protect refugee and host community children from situations of abuse, neglect and other forms of maltreatment by ensuring the social, physical, psychological and emotional well-being of children within Kalobeyei Settlement. Under the Supervision of the Protection Officer -Child Protections/he will assist in the development case management plans and implementation of such plans. S/he will directly supervise a number of child protection community incentive staff. 
 

Responsibilities: 

Child Protection Case management:

• Identify refugees and host community children at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation including UASC and other vulnerable children through best interest assessment and reviewing available assessment data through referral notes.
• Conduct home visits/ follow up assessment on key social factors to establish facts on allegations of abuse or neglect or exploitation and make concrete case plans
• Conduct assessments to determine whether a parent or care giver is fit to provide care, evaluating whether a child should be temporarily or permanently removed from his living situation and placing children with foster care 
• Conduct regular follow up visit for children under alternative care arrangements
• Conduct referrals of vulnerable children to partner agencies and follow up to facilitate access to external services not offered by DRC. 
• Monitor to ensure social assistance is reaching out to vulnerable refugees 
• Provide basic counseling and or psycho-education to children at risk and refer complex cases to the Pediatric counselor for continued counseling
• Collaborate with national/county child protection officers and provide joint in-home visits, safety and risk assessments and progress reports for host community children’s 
• Respond to and support families during crisis situations

Community Engagement and Outreach:

• Supporting in identification and conduct family evaluations for prospective foster cares and maintain up to date database of community foster care families and provide ongoing capacity building
• Attend and instruct planned trainings for parents and foster families within the community
• Support with management of the CFS and child-to-child activities within the CFS
• Support in conducting sensitization, dialogue and training sessions with the community members in Kalobeyei settlement on child protection issues
• Facilitate child protection structures (CBPN) meetings, Child rights clubs in schools and other sensitization forums 
• Reporting
• Provide high quality weekly and monthly reports and data to Protection Officer-CP and M&E officer highlighting individual performance, progress against targets and client needs
• Must complete extensive documentation, maintain case files and perform other types of administrative tasks related to case management Identify 

Staff Management:

• Monitor and provide objective feedback related to staff performance, including objective setting, probation & performance evaluations to promote growth and professional development.
• Provide leadership and support to ensure community incentive staff well-being, i.e. monitor and manage stress management by providing regular opportunities for staff debriefing to address secondary trauma.
• Ensure incentive staff timesheets are done and submitted to HR on time on a monthly basis.

Experience and technical competencies:

• Bachelor’s Degree in (Social Work or any other Social Sciences)
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Swahili.
• At least 2 years of experience working in Child Protection, social work with refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and/or other orphans and vulnerable children; with at least 1-year experience working with refugee children in a camp setting 
• Must have technical expertise in case management and psychosocial support to children at risk including Unaccompanied children and separated children (UASCs)
• Should be resilient and able to handle high levels of stress and emotionally volatile or difficult situations.
• Experience with conducting best interest assessments (BIA) and Best interest determination (BID)
• Experience in establishing and working with community structures including foster careers, committees, child rights clubs etc.
• Knowledge of international and national child protection standards and instruments 
• Experience and proven ability to work as part of a team 
• Excellent analytical and writing skills; cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective and working relations with local partners and other stakeholders
• Experience and willingness to work in the field and proficient in the use of computer/email/internet  

DRC Core Competencies
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:  
Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.  
Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.  
Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.  
Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.  

Position Description
Title         : Protection Assistant-Social Worker
Location: Kakuma (Local position doesn’t qualify for RnR and accommodation)
Start of Contract & Duration: 1st May 2020, 8 months (renewable contingent on funding)
Reports to: Child Protection Officer
Direct reports: Community Workers

Key stakeholders: 
Internal: Kakuma Protection and Livelihoods implementation teams, Support Services team,
External: Local government authorities, Other NGOs, Donors and Implementing partners 

Community Structures Salary and conditions will be in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council terms of employment for National staff.

General
Commitments: 
DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability committments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework (http://www.drc.dk/HAF.4265.0.html)

Application Process 
Qualified candidates are invited to submit their applications, which should include a 1-page cover letter clearly stating their motivation, and qualifications and a CV. Applications should include contact details of three professional referees who have supervised the candidate in the last five years. One referee must be the applicant’s most recent manager. Only applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications will be considered.  

We only accept applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.ngo under Vacancies. Applications should be sent no later than: 31st March 2020

Danish Refugee Council does not charge any kind of fee at any stage of the recruitment process nor does it use recruitment agents.