Consultancy on “Development of a National Protocol on Care Plans for Children in Family-based Foster Care Settings” (Iranian national only)

The State Welfare Organization, as the main responsible governmental body in charge of providing care and support to children in alternative parental care, is planning to develop a standard/national protocol on care plans for children in family-based foster care settings through the current consultancy. In light of the above, this consultancy will contribute to achieving the following key objectives: • Development of a national protocol on care plans for children in family-based foster care settings, ensuring provision of a comprehensive and individualised care plan for their care and protection; • Development of a monitoring and evaluation framework including indicators, baselines, targets and means of verification, enabling SWO’s experts to monitor and evaluate the above-mentioned services; • Implementation of a pilot project in minimum four provinces, including training of relevant SWO experts, supervision of the pilot project for three months, incorporating feedback from the pilot provinces, and finalizing the national protocol.

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UNICEF Iran Country Office

Consultancy on “Development of a National Protocol on Care Plans for Children in Family-based Foster Care Settings” 

Type of Assignment:  Individual Contract

1. Background

Successful completion of this assignment will contribute to the objectives of activity 3.3 of the 2019-2020 UNICEF joint-work plan with the State Welfare Organization (SWO) i.e.  Support development of two complementary guidelines relating to care, growth and development of children without effective caregivers in residential and family-based settings.

2. Objective

Globally, family is known as the fundamental group of society where a child’s growth, wellbeing and protection should naturally take place. While there is global consensus on this concept, there are children who are deprived of the family environment and/or staying in the family is not in their best interest. The governments should make every effort to, firstly, enable the child to remain in or return to the care of his/her family through family empowerment and supportive programmes and, secondly, ensure that a range of alternative care settings are available to meet the child’s specific needs when staying in the family is not possible. Additionally, systematic efforts should be made during the child’s placement in alternative care to respond to care and protection of the child, his/her family and the community in an integrated manner. This includes adopting a holistic approach to the child’s health, nutrition, physical and mental development, as well as aftercare and his/her reintegration within the community.

In light of the above, development of a standard protocol on care plans for social workers/case managers dealing with children in alternative care is essential in ensuring provision of holistic and individualized care services, starting from the child’s placement in alternative care and continuing until he/she leaves that environment. The care plan involves the child, his/her family/caregivers, community and other relevant service providers through a participatory process, and entails various aspects of his/her care, development and protection, subject to review and revision as required.

The State Welfare Organization, as the main responsible governmental body in charge of providing care and support to children in alternative parental care, is planning to develop a standard/national protocol on care plans for children in family-based foster care settings through the current consultancy.   

In light of the above, this consultancy will contribute to achieving the following key objectives:

• Development of a national protocol on care plans for children in family-based foster care settings, ensuring provision of a comprehensive and individualised care plan for their care and protection;
• Development of a monitoring and evaluation framework including indicators, baselines, targets and means of verification, enabling SWO’s experts to monitor and evaluate the above-mentioned services;
• Implementation of a pilot project in minimum four provinces, including training of relevant SWO experts, supervision of the pilot project for three months, incorporating feedback from the pilot provinces, and finalizing the national protocol.

3. Methodology and Technical Approach

In line with the above-mentioned objectives, the consultant will use scientific methodologies to develop a national protocol on care plans for children placed in family-based foster care settings, as well as the related monitoring and evaluation framework. The protocol should take into consideration the various aspects of care and protection of these children, as follows:  

• The consultant should conduct a desk review of relevant global and national standards and guidelines, as well as a mapping of the existing national rules and regulations, policies and services relevant to development of care plans for children in family-based foster care settings. This will include reviewing of evidence-based models and practices in a sample number of countries with similar successful experiences;
• The consultant should envisage a child-friendly method to facilitate children’s participation in development of the protocol and to ensure that their views are given due weight in this process. He/she should also ensure that foster parents/caregivers are involved, and that their views and experiences are duly incorporated in the protocol;
• The protocol should be developed in close consultation with SWO’s policy makers and experts, professionals working in social clinics, and other relevant stakeholders;
• All measures envisaged in the protocol should take into consideration SWO’s rules and regulations, facilities and limitations. In this regard, the consultant will work in close consultation with the experts from SWO’s Children and Adolescents Office;
• The protocol should take into consideration various components of the care system i.e. child, foster family, community, SWO and other service providers;
• The protocol should also provide measures/guidance for vulnerable children such as children with disabilities, children of non-Iranian nationality, children with special diseases, etc. who are placed in alternative parental care;
• The protocol should include a monitoring and evaluation framework including indicators, baselines, targets and means of verification, enabling SWO’s experts to monitor and evaluate the above-mentioned services;
• The protocol should include measures/instructions for provision of necessary services in response to emergencies;
• The protocol should take into consideration the local context in development of care plans.

Additionally, the following main principles must be observed:

• The best interest of the child as a primary consideration;
• The child’s evolving capacity, including his/her age, gender, background and level of development;
• The child’s participation and the right to express his/her views.

Under the direct supervision and coordination of SWO and UNICEF’s head of Child Protection, the consultant will support piloting of the protocol in minimum four provinces. The pilot will include capacity-building of relevant personnel, supporting/supervising implementation of the protocol in the field for three months, receiving and incorporating feedback from the pilot provinces, and finalizing the protocol.

4. Activities, Deliverables, Indicators, Timeframe, and Schedule of Payment

Activity#1: Conduct desk review  

Deliverable: Report of desk review

Indicator: Availability of deliverable

Timeframe: 15 days

Schedule of Payment: % 15

Activity #2: Draft the protocol

Deliverable: Draft Protocol

Indicators: Availability of deliverable

Timeframe: 50 days

Schedule of Payment: % 40

Activity#3: Pilot the protocol in four provinces

Deliverables: Report of training, Report of pilot implementation, including feedbacks

Indicators: Availability of deliverable

Timeframe: 100 days

Schedule of Payment: 0

Activity #4: Finalize the protocol

Deliverables: Final protocol

Indicators: Availability of deliverable

Timeframe: 15 days

Schedule of Payment: % 45

Total number of required days: 180 days

N.B. #1: The timeframe to complete the consultancy is 180 days, out of which 126 days is considered as the working days.

N.B. #2:  All reports and presentations should be submitted in Persian.

5. Management and Organization

5.1. Management: The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Child Protection Specialist. The responsible government partner is the SWO Children and Adolescents Office.

5.2 Travel: Duty travel of the individual consultant for implementation of the consultancy within the country shall be included as part of all-inclusive quotation (lump sum) in which case the individual consultant will be responsible for his/her travel arrangement.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, all travel related to implementation of this consultancy requires UNICEF’s approval prior to the trip.

5.3. The consultant will be responsible for organizing and coordinating meetings with the counterparts and stakeholders as required.

6. Conditions of Work

The consultant shall use his/her own facilities to manage the work, but, where circumstances demand otherwise, shall be allowed to make use of available UNICEF office space, computer and internet facilities with prior notification and arrangement with the supervisor and UNICEF Admin/ICT. The provision of these facilities by UNICEF shall be subject to their availability.

7. Qualifications

The consultant should possess the following qualifications:

• Minimum Master’s degree in social work or related disciplines;
• Minimum three years of working experience in the field of children in alternative parental care;
• Proven experience in development of protocols and guidelines;
• Previous working experience with UNICEF/UN is an asset.

8. Ethical Note

All the products developed in the course of this consultancy are the intellectual property of UNICEF and SWO. The consultant may not share these products without the expressed permission and acknowledgement of UNICEF and SWO. 

9. Evaluation:

The minimum score for technical competency (qualification plus technical proposal) is 70. The applicant should submit a technical and financial proposal, outlining methodology, proposed technical team members, timeframe and financial breakdown.

Qualification #1: Minimum Master’s degree in social work or related disciplines

Score: Master’s degree (10 scores), PhD (15 scores), Maximum 15 scores

Qualification #2: Minimum three years of working experience in area related to children in alternative parental care

Score: 5 scores per year; minimum 15 scores required, maximum 25 scores

Qualification #3: Proven experience in development of national protocols and guidelines

Score: 5 scores per protocol/guideline, maximum 15 scores

Technical proposal: 35 scores

Financial proposal: 10 score

Total score: 100

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.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

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.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.