Consultancy Support – Tools, Guidance and Awareness materials on MHPSS for the school system, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The UNICEF Gulf Area Office (UNICEF GAO) is unique in its mandate. It is accountable for providing programmatic support to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. In addition, it identifies, cultivates and sustains partnerships with Gulf-based partners to generate resources for the organization globally. UNICEF has a role to play in ensuring rapid development in the Gulf is child sensitive and child focused and that children remain at the heart of the national development dialogue.

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, hope

Over the past many years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been taking steps to advance human rights and human development in the country. The Government announced a draft law for the establishment of a national human rights institution in line with the Paris Principles. The UAE Cabinet approved the Family Protection Policy which focuses on the centrality of the family for social cohesion. From this overarching policy, numerous actions will follow, such as new disciplines in academia to support family protection, initiatives to prevent domestic violence, formulation of strategies and other efforts to harmonize prevention and response to violence at the federal level.

To support the efforts of the UAE, UNICEF Gulf Area Programme (2019-2023) has outlined three priorities: Early Childhood Development, Child Protection and Data for children. UNICEF is in the process of expanding its programming engagement in the country, broadening its areas of support to include child protection related issues such as child protection online, mental health and psychosocial  support, social work force strengthening and overall strengthening of child protection systems.

One of the key areas of support that has emerged over the last few months is for mental health and psychosocial support. The COVID crisis has brought to focus a crisis that was already affecting human lives. COVID also has a direct impact in terms of the loss of loved ones, causing feelings of isolation and increasing levels of anxiety and distress. The crisis has also impact in terms of disruption of existing services. Emerging evidence draws our attention to the urgent need for investing in mental health and psychosocial wellbeing.  Of significant concern is the issue of emotional well being of adolescents. Worldwide, 10-20% of children and adolescents experience mental disorders; half of all mental disorders begin by the age of 14 and three-quarters by mid-20s; mental and brain conditions are the leading cause of disability in young people in all regions; and 1 in 4 children is living with a parent who has a mental disorder. Suicide is among the top 5 leading causes of adolescent deaths, with higher rates among adolescent girls.

Mental health and psycho-social support needs to be addressed urgently and in a well-thought of, well-organized, well-planned action by the state systems, especially education, health, child protection, social services, and public information systems. This needs to be done building on the already existing services for support. The Supreme Council for Childhood and Motherhood in the UAE has prioritized the issue and UNICEF is working with the council to address the issue with a focus on adolescents and children. The SCMC works collaboratively with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health in addressing the issue.

UNICEF is seeking a consultancy firm to adapt existing resources on MHPSS to the UAE context and produce practical tools and resources that can support child friendly services. The tools planned to be produced include 1) Screening tool 2) Referral mechanism 3) ethical guidelines. The consultancy would also develop an awareness package that complements the services and draw attention to the issue.

How can you make a difference?

The consultancy seeks to adapt and produce resources that would support the school system to deal with the issue in the country. The resources are meant to build the capacity of school nurses and psychologists to identify and refer cases as they deem fit for appropriate services. The consultancy would produce tools and resources that the school system can use to support children and caregivers.  The consultancy would also have a focus on creating an awareness generation package that would complement the services being offered in the country including in schools and also spread awareness on the importance of mental health considerations

description of the assignment:

The agency hired for this purpose would look at exiting global and regional resources for supporting adolescents, children and parents, adapt them to the UAE context and produce resources for online and offline use.

Key tasks envisaged for the consultancy include the following:

• Desk review of existing resources on the issue from around the world, but particularly from the Arab context.
• Undertake a mapping of existing resources for support through schools.
• Assess the appropriateness of available content through a consultation process involving key stakeholders, including children and adolescents and school functionaries
• Conduct exploratory meetings with key stakeholders and experts both within and outside the organization.

Do a quick assessment of the institutional capacities for dealing with the topic so that the tools and resources developed are put to optimum use.

Deliverables:

The agency would support the programme team to develop the below materials by drawing from global and regional resources, and through consultations with experts in the area. Consultations would be required with key stakeholders in the UAE, which include the SCMC, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Prevention. Consultations with young people themselves would also be required.  

The key deliverables accordingly would be the following:

1. A roadmap for schools to deal with mental health and well-being of children. This road map is to be used at the school system level for school administrators to prioritize and support schools in prioritizing the issue.  (Approximately 20 pages, with a user friendly version)
2. Screening tool, referral mechanisms and ethical standards for school personnel  developed (3 documents).
3. Training/Orientation on resources for the tools developed  and TOT conducted for teachers, psychologists, social workers and nurses in schools
4. Development of resources and TOT for school personnel (psychologists and nurses) on drug addiction and smoking.  
5. Key communication package aimed at school children, teachers, service providers and parents.

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

• An agency with adequate experience in children’s issues, life skills, with a focus on mental health/child protection.
• Adequate experience in the development of communication materials, with online and offline presence.
• Have a team lead with technical competence on the issue of mental health and psychosocial well being.
• Demonstrated experience in developing resources online.
• Prior experience working with UN agencies, particularly UNICEF.
• Ability to develop resources both in English and Arabic.
• Demonstrated expertise in social media communication and reach people at scale.
• Ability to work within an international and multicultural environment.
• Demonstrated experience in working with government actors, preferably in the middle east

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. 

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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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.