National consultant to strengthen capacities of frontline child protection workforce to deal with unaccompanied, separated refugee and migrant children in Albania

Hire a National Consultant to strengthen capacities of frontline child protection workforce dealing with unaccompanied, separated refugee and migrant children in Albania

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

For every child, protection of rights

In the context of the increased pressure on border management, a UNCT Joint Needs Assessment - led by UNHCR, with the participation of UNICEF, IOM, WHO, UN Women, and UNFPA - was conducted in 2018 and shared by the UN Resident Coordinator with the Minister of Interior in December 2018. It identified gaps and challenges in border procedures, with a focus on the identification of vulnerable groups, their protection, and referral to specialized services. To ensure that those who arrive in Albania in need of international protection have access to rights and social and health services, the Albania UN Country Team has secured additional funding provided by the Government of Norway, to enhance support to the Border and Migration Police and other relevant stakeholders in border areas.

This initiative that has been endorsed both by the Government and the UN in Albania aims to enhance the capacity of the Border and Migration Police and local service providers in identifying, referring and providing services for vulnerable asylum-seekers upon their arrival in the country.

In order to address the needs identified specifically for unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children, UNICEF has to engage a dedicated local child protection expert to do extensive work inclusive of frequent travel to Gjirokastra and Korça regions. 

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this consultancy is to engage a local child protection expert (individual consultant) who will assist UNICEF Albania office to provide direct technical capacity-building support to the child protection workforce, especially in the border adjacent regions in Korça and Gjirokastra, as well as in Tirana.  

The objectives of this consultancy are to:

• Support for the improvement or establishment of a referral mechanism and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for case management of Unaccompanied and Separated foreign children;
• Build capacities of local government stakeholders specifically within social and child protection units, who are mandated to implement relevant SOPs, guidance, instructions.
• Provide dedicated technical on-the-job and/or coaching support to frontline protection workers and draft toolkits for the respective stakeholders.

The expected results of this consultancy are:

• Draft Standard Operating Procedures OR comprehensive technical comments to the existing document(s), accompanied with technical guidance on required steps and phases envisaged in the legal and the normative framework. 
• Improved capacities of frontline workers through direct technical support, provision of a toolkit, online workshops, and training.

The individual contractor is expected to support the office with the improvement or establishment (pending advice from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection) of referral mechanism and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Unaccompanied and Separated Foreign Children and with the capacity enhancement of social and child protection units and broader stakeholder groups for the implementation of the relevant SOPs, guidance, and instructions.

The individual contractor will cover the following non-exhaustive list of tasks:

1.    Review of the existing legal/normative framework on the case management of unaccompanied and separated children;

2.    Organizing technical consultations and/or round tables with all the core relevant stakeholders.

3.    Draft necessary normative and/or procedural documents;

4.    Carry out additional assessment of capacity needs, if necessary;

5.    Develop learning materials such as training modules, guidelines, toolkits, and manuals;

6.    Provide dedicated technical support or/on-the-job training and coaching for frontline professionals assisting them with the necessary knowledge and technical skills they need to effectively and safely manage Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) cases.

7.    Coordinate planned actions with the broader UN task force

Deliverable 1: Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) or comprehensive technical comments for the relevant procedural document on case management for Unaccompanied and Separated Foreign Children UASC drafted.

Tasks:

• Review existing legal/normative framework on the case management of unaccompanied and separated children;
• Organizing technical consultations and/or round tables with all the core relevant stakeholders;
• Draft or provide technical comments to Standard Operating Procedures for UASC.

Duration: 15 working days  Actor: Consultant  Completion date: in 6-8 weeks from contract signing

Deliverable 2: A specific training package is developed for the child/social protection workforce and relevant other stakeholders, pre-tested, and the first workshop is conducted.

Tasks:

• Carry out additional assessment exercise if needed to properly capture the needs for capacity building;
• Develop and draft learning materials and toolkit;
• Organize and run the workshop(s).

Duration: 15 working days   Actor: Consultant   Completion date: no later than May 2021

Deliverable 3: Technical report of the existing normative framework and specific recommendations for its improvement. Technical support and on-the-job coaching are provided to child protection frontline workers, who are dealing with cases of UASC.

Tasks:

• Provide dedicated technical support or/on-the-job training and coaching for frontline professionals assisting them with the necessary knowledge and technical skills they need to effectively and safely manage UASC cases;
• Provide technical guidance, prepare an expert report, contribution, comments, notes for the strengthening of normative framework pertaining to quality case management of UASC.

Duration: 25 working days    Actor: Consultant    Completion date: Before 18th November 2021

The consultant will report and submit all deliverables based on timeline and deadlines agreed upon, to the Child Protection Specialist. The deliverables shall be accompanied by the invoice and are contingent on the approval by the Child Protection Specialist.

All materials developed will be submitted to UNICEF and will remain the copyright of UNICEF. 

The exact dates of the starting and ending date will be negotiated upon awarding the contract. The tentative starting period is 18 January 2021 and the foreseen end of the contract is 18 November 2021. The total number of working days is 55. 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• Advanced University degree in human rights, humanities, psychology, sociology, international law or other social science fields, etc.
• At least 8 years of direct experience working in the child protection sphere with a focus on child protection case management.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in conducting need assessments and developing training modules/curriculum, training materials, etc.
• Demonstrated experiences and skills in facilitating stakeholder/working group consultations and training.
• Excellent writing, and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work within short deadlines.
• Strong sense of integrity, sensitivity, and commitment to preserving the confidentiality of subjects involved.

What to submit:

• Curriculum Vitae or United Nations Personal History Form (P11);
• Letter of Interest specifying the relevant experience with a similar type of assignments (max 300 words);
• Copies/samples (or web-links to) of relevant/related work conducted in the past;
• All-inclusive daily rate in ALL.

If you have any question with regard to the TORs do not hesitate to contact Elvana Pernaska at epernaska@unicef.org

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) 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.

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.