UNICEF UKRAINE

TERMS OF REFERENCE

National Consultancy for Child Protection Expert –Psycho-social and

child-friendly spaces in Mariupol & neighbouring rayons

Duration: 6 months

Level: NO-B

1.  Purpose of the Contract:

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has been ongoing for over a year, resulting in almost 2.7 million Ukrainians (including internally displaced people and refugees) being displaced by the conflict. Of these displaced, almost 1.6 million people have been registered by the Ministry of Social Policy (MoSP) as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) within the Government-controlled area of Ukraine.

Despite a reduction in shelling over the last few months, sporadic fighting in key locations along the contact line, continues to have an ongoing humanitarian impact upon people living in these locations, and upon host communities receiving internally displaced people (IDPs), who despite the decrease in the conflict, continue to arrive.

Mariupol, an industrial port city, is of strategic advantage to both sides, and throughout the conflict has been shelled – its district of Vostochnoe has been shelled 24 January 2015 where 30 people died (approximately 130 people were injured with different levels of trauma and as recent as October 14th, the suburb town of Mariupol, Sartana, has been shelled which affected 207 living complexes, with 23 people injured including one child and 11 deaths, including 2 mothers with young children. Other suburbs towns directly affected have included Vinogradnoye, Pionerskoye, Primorskoye, Talakovka and Gnutova.

The largest city of Donetsk oblast that is currently located in Government-controlled territory, Mariupol is hosting more than 80,000 IDPs from the non-Government controlled area and communities located on the contact line. Likewise, neighbouring districts from Mariupol have also faced a large brunt of the conflict, especially those located along or near the contact line.

The results of these factors have been that tens of thousands of children have been affected by the conflict, both regarding their psychological well-being and development. Exposure to continued shelling, loss of, or separation from, family members and friends, deterioration in living conditions, inability to provide for one’s self and family, and lack of access to services all have immediate and long-term consequences for children, families and communities, and continue to impair their ability to function and be fulfilled. According to the assessment done by Kyiv Mohyla Academy in Donetsk oblast in January-March 2015, showed that 37% of children showed signs of heightened distress. Through two months of psycho-social interventions, the percentage of children was reduced to 11%, proving a strong need for timely and structural psycho-social interventions.

To better address these needs, UNICEF has initiated a partnership in Mariupol and neighbouring areas[1] to support child protection needs. In this capacity several child protection responses will be conducted including establishment of 10 community protection centers[2] and at a minimum 5-7 psycho-social mobile teams as well as capacity building of social workers and child protection experts on child protection emergency responses and case management.

2.  Objective:

This contract is to provide field support to the child protection section in UNICEF-s Mariupol zonal office through monitoring and reporting of work conducted by the 10 community protection centers and psycho-social mobile teams in the Mariupol and neighbouring rayons.

3.  Scope of Work:

The contract is planned for 10 months and will be overseen by the Child Protection officer in the Mariupol zonal office, with technical support from the Child Protection Specialist in Kyiv. Specific tasks required during this contract include:

(1)  Monitoring:

·  Conduct site visits to CPCs at least bi-monthly (every two weeks) to clarify needs, provide follow-up information, providing UNICEF field office with summary updates

·  Review CPC databases, identifying challenges and summarizing information across CPCs (highlighting key issues, trends, etc.)

·  Shadow PSS mobile teams to monitor CP issues in rural areas and address urgent needs (one day per week), developing overall CP issues report weekly (including review of CPC databases)

(2)  Reporting:

·  Provide weekly reports of progress of CPCs and PSS mobile teams, arising CP issues identified, and provide on bi-weekly basis data needed for HAC and Situation Reports

·  Organize agendas/ programmes in coordination with Child Protection Officer in Mariupol zonal office for donor visits

4.  Deliverables:

Deliverables / Timeframe
Consultancy Timeframe
Monitoring
1)  Monitoring of 10 CPCs & PSS mobile team areas (2.5 days/week) / 100 days
Reporting
2)  Preparation of weekly report on progress of CPCs, PSS mobile teams, identification of CP issues, updates on distribution/ dissemination (1 day per week) / 40 days
3)  Organization of logistics for donor or media/ communication missions (1 day/ every two months) / 5 days
TOTAL: / 145 days

5.  Performance indicators for evaluation of results:

Evaluation of results will be based on the following indicators:

§  Technical and professional competence will be measured by quality of work, including quality of progress and final reports to UNICEF, quality of conclusions/ recommendations developed, as well as feedback from peer review

Such indicators as work relations, responsibility and communication will be also considered during evaluation of the consultant’s work.

6.  Qualifications/specialized knowledge/experience required to complete the task:

A consultant to be selected for this Consultancy should meet the following requirements:

§  Proven record of monitoring/ evaluation work to be provided to UNICEF Ukraine CO together with this application – having at least 2-3 years of monitoring/ evaluation work of social service practices;

§  At least 2-3 year work experience in social work, social services, or psychological support

§  Statistical experience, qualitative and participatory research experience;

§  Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team;

§  Ability to express clearly and concisely, ideas and concepts in written and oral form;

§  Strong conceptual and analytical thinking skills and good writing skills;

Excellent and proven command of written and oral Russian/Ukrainian, command of English is an asset.

7.  Definition of supervision arrangements:

Supervision will be provided by Child Protection Officer in the Mariupol zonal office which technical support provided by the Child Protection of the UNICEF Office in Ukraine.

8.  Description of official travel involved:

The assignment will require travels within Ukraine.

Prior to undertaking any travel within the framework of this contract, the consultant must complete UN Basic and Advanced Security in the Field Training Courses (linkages to these courses will be provided by UNICEF Ukraine).

All travel costs of the consultant should be planned and included in the consultant’s contract. The consultant is responsible for managing all travel plans, though UNICEF can provide some minimal administrative support for travel plans and coordination with the national consultants who will participate in this work.

9.  UNICEF recourse in the case of unsatisfactory performance:

In the event of unsatisfactory performance, UNICEF reserves the right to terminate the Agreement. In case of partially satisfactory performance, such as serious delays causing the negative impact on meeting the programme objectives, low quality or insufficient depth and/or scope of the assessment completion, UNICEF is entitled to decrease the payment by the range from 30 to 50%.

The deadline for submission of applications is 22 February 2016

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Applicants that fulfil the above requirements are requested to complete a United Nations Personal History Form (P. 11) which is available at a web-site www.unicef.org/ukraine/overview_10566.html and submit it together with a CV and a cover letter describing your professional interests in working for UNICEF.

Please, indicate National Consultancy for Child Protection Expert –Psycho-social and

child-friendly spaces in Mariupol & neighbouring rayons , Mariupol

in the subject.

E-mail:

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation

[1] Rayons within the project include Mariupol, Volnovakha, Mariinsky, Volodrasky, Krasnoarmiysky, Pershotravnevy, and Velukonovosulkivsky.

[2] Community Protection Centers are places where all affected community members can access information but with a specific focus on providing to affected women, adolescents and girls and boys protection and building resilience.

Structure of Community Protection Centers:

CPCs are ‘safe’ environments where girls and boys and their caregivers are able to obtain:

1.  Range of child protective social service activities (See section 5 for examples of activities)

2.  Humanitarian services (e.g. access to hygiene kits, winter items, school supplies etc.)

3.  Information services (e.g. information on good hygiene practices, mine safety, healthy life styles, positive parenting)

4.  Outreach for services in the wider community

5.  Referral in/out to other (specialized) services

The framework of all communication and service delivery in CPCs is based on the principles and practices of Psychological First Aid.