Child Protection Officer

Summary statement of responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the CYPD Manager of the area, with technical support from the child protection technical unit of Addis Ababa, the Child Protection Officer of Afdem IDP site will supervise, coordinate and run child protection (CP) prevention and response program in a professional manner. She /he will demonstrate technical capability and support the CP staff (volunteers/ community facilitators) to ensure the program is according to standards, procedures and principles of child protection. She /he will coordinate the child protection interventions with the various services available in the camp.

Specific Responsibilities:

Program Planning Development and Implementation

• The child protection officer is responsible for the establishment /strengthening of community base child protection mechanisms and respond to the needs of children in Afdem IDP sites
• Ensure child protection situational assessments, data collection, compiling and analyzing are to the required standard.
• Facilitate and participate in the development of service mapping and CP referral pathway to ensure a coordinated and quality response services for UASC and other at-risk children.
• Takes primary responsibility in conducting community mass awareness raising, mini campaign /outreach activities and equip the community base structures with knowledge and skills of prevention and support for children against risk and harm.
• Ensure well-coordinated and broad approach to address needs of Unaccompanied / Separated children and youth living in the camp.
• Carry out standardized psychosocial support educational and recreational activities at the temporary Safe Healing and Learning Space (SHLS) according to schedule.
• Take a lead and support the community-based associations in establishing /strengthening family based appropriate care arrangement and protection mechanisms, including follow-up of the case management process.
• Provide training for CP staff (volunteers, community facilitating), implementing partners, care giver /families, teachers and the community and opinion leaders including children based on IRC’s training toolkits.
• Ensure identified and registered children are supervised follow-up and receive appropriate support (including materials support) and services according to the needs of children.
• Responsible for crafting of activity and budget planning, implementation, follow-up and monitoring of the child protection program in line with organizational and donors’ guidelines, requirements and ensure the accurate utilization and tracking of budget and materials allocated to the program.

Program Liaison, Coordination and Networking

• Maintain active working relationships with relevant partners including children, families, community leaders and other government implementing partners.
• Represent the program in all partner meetings and communicate the outcomes with program staff.
• Facilitate regular monthly meetings with the community leaders, children and implementing agencies and sectors including preparation of agenda and circulate the minutes of the child protection working group (coordination body) meetings
• Develop a positive team spirit to encourage innovative and quality programming.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Support the CP team in ensuring the availability of accurate, complete and up-to-date information required for effective Child Protection program implementation, follow-up, review, monitoring and evaluation.
• Regularly review and give feedback on the child protection program information management system and follow-up and report on the progress of the IA CP IMS.
• Prepares monthly progress, quarterly and annual implementation and donor reports and review budget required for CYPD manager and field coordinator in Jigjiga and CYPD coordinators in Addis Ababa.

Key Working Relationships:

The Child Protection officer will directly report to the CYPD Manager based in Jigjiga with additional oversight from the Field Coordinator and technically to the Assistant Child Protection Coordinator based in Addis Ababa.