Background
In Sub-Saharan Africa, a number of countries have undertaken significant action to reform national policies and systems concerning the care for children. With this growing momentum for child care reform, there is a significant opportunity to support country-level initiatives by increasing knowledge, political will and capacity; sharing promising policies and practices; facilitating targeted technical support; and encouraging national and regional collaborations and peer support mechanisms.
In 2013 and building on this momentum, the Better Care Network (BCN) initiated a regional inter- agency initiative in Eastern and Southern Africa hosted by Save the Children East Africa Regional Office, with a primary objective of improving the knowledge and capacities of regional and national stakeholders to develop and implement care reform policies and practices that strengthen families and improve alternative care services. The initiative builds and shares knowledge on and advocates for technically sound policy and practices for quality family and alternative care in the region. In addition the initiative will also provide focused support, in an initial phase, to three countries identified in the first quarter of 2014. Promising practices and policies from other countries within the region will also be identified to facilitate peer learning.
To ensure BCN builds on and contributes to the efforts already undertaken in Eastern and Southern Africa, the Better Care Network and Save the Children East Africa Regional Office seek to hire a consultant or team of consultants to conduct a mapping of child care actors and coordination efforts in the region. This will inform how best BCN and regional actors can collaborate to improve child care policies and practices for example through a collaborative mechanism that can inform and guide the regional initiative.
Purpose of the Consultancy and Scope of the Services
The purpose of this consultancy is to map child care organizations and coordination efforts in Eastern and Southern Africa and recommend how best BCN can collaborate with the different actors as well as recommend how a collaborative mechanism can inform and guide the Regional Initiative.
The consultant will be expected to carry out:
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a desk review of relevant documentation on existing regional networks, platforms and organizations with a focus on family strengthening and alternative; and key informant interviews with regional stakeholders.
The desk review and informant interviews will inform the following:
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mapping of child care actors and collaborations in Eastern and Southern Africa region; and
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development of recommendations on how best the BCN regional initiative and regional actors and coordination efforts can collaborate to improve child care policies and practices.
This will include recommendations for a collaboration mechanism, such as a core inter-agency regional group, to inform and guide the BCN regional initiative including:
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Recommended criteria to identify regional actors to join the inter-agency regional mechanism;
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Identify and recommend regional actors involved in child care to join the inter-agency regional mechanism;
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Recommended roles and responsibilities for members of the inter-agency regional mechanism;
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Recommended operational mechanism to ensure the BCN regional initiative builds on and complements efforts already underway within the region.
Deliverables
The consultant or team of consultants will ensure the completion of the following deliverables in accordance with the terms and conditions of the consultancy contract within 15 days in April 2014:
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A mapping of the regional key child care organizations and coordination efforts in Eastern and Southern Africa region;
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Recommendations on collaborations between the BCN regional initiative and regional actors to build on efforts already underway;
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Terms of reference for a collaborative mechanism such as, for example, a core inter-agency regional group on child care to inform and guide the BCN regional initiative. This will include criteria to identify actors to join the collaborative mechanism, recommendations of regional actors that meet these criteria, roles and responsibilities and operating mechanism.
All deliverables should be in English.
Qualifications and Experience Required
The consultant or team of consultants will need to meet the following requirements:
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Master’s degree in social work, social science, social policy or related field
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Extensive experience in working in the Eastern and Southern Africa region on care issues for children with regional experience in advocacy, policy development or research;
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Experience and knowledge in working with child related organizations and technical networks in the region;
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Extensive knowledge of the literature and partners on better care issues relating to children in the region;
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Proven experience in developing and refining technical documents in this field;
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Experience working with UN bodies, governments and/or NGOs;
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High level of understanding of current issues relevant to vulnerable children, including child protection systems, and international development
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Fluency in written and spoken English Excellent report writing skills in English
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Cross-cultural experience, understanding and sensitivity;
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Proven ability to work with policy makers, practitioners and social welfare actors.
Submitting Expressions of Interest
Consultants or team of consultants interested in the consultancy are invited to provide the following documentation:
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A cover letter with CV of the consultant or team of consultants;
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An outline including proposed methodology and timeframe;
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Budget breakdown and cost consideration
Applications with the subject line “BCN Eastern and Southern African Regional Initiative: Mapping of regional actors and identification of collaboration mechanism” should be submitted to Save the Children Regional Office. Email Address: EA.recruitment@savethechildren.org by 8th April 2014.
Save the Children works with children, communities and governments all over the world and we believe in the right person for the job regardless of where you come from and how you identify yourself. We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to ensuring that only those who are suitable to work with children are considered for these posts. All successful applicants will therefore be required to complete a Police Check and must sign onto our Child Safeguarding Policy and organizational Code of Conduct.