International Consultancy on implementation of care reform strategy

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                                                                               TERMS OF REFERENCE

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
To provide Technical Assistance to the State Department of Social Protection in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection on the implementation of the care reform strategy.

Background and Justification
In 2020, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MoLSP), led by one of its agencies, the National Council for Children Services (NCCS), embarked on the process of developing a care reform strategy that will guide the country in implementing a Care Reform Agenda. The strategy is developed through a process of consultation with wide range of stakeholders and has been informed by learnings from other countries that are successfully implementing the care reform. The development of the Kenya National Care Reform Strategy for Children is a result of an over 10-year efforts by the Government of Kenya to put in place laws, policies and regulatory framework that will promote the shift in practice from over-reliance on institutionalized care of children without parental care or at risk of separation to more use of family-based and community-based care for such children.
Kenya’s population is estimated to be 49.6 million with children between 0-18 years accounting for 49 per cent, and adolescent 10-19 years constituting up to 24 per cent. The 2012 Social Protection Sector Review Report indicates that there are 3.2 million orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). The official number of children in private residential care known as Charitable Children Institutions (CCIs) is 45,000 as of 2015 with an estimated 1,500 children in the 29 government statutory institutions (SCIs). The government statutory institutions include remand homes, rehabilitation homes and rescue centres. Important to note is that there is no mechanism in Kenya to capture real-time data of children in these institutions and therefore the official number keep fluctuating and the actual number of children in these institutions is not known. Efforts are currently being made by the government and partners to have these institutions use the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS) to capture real-time data of children in the institutions including when they are admitted and exited.
At the onset of the COVID19 in Kenya in March 2020, a directive from the Ministry saw about 13,000 of these children being released back to their families or alternative families leaving an estimated 26,000 children in both CCIs and SCIs. During this time, a total of 1,351 were estimated to be with some forms of disabilities with 757 (416 girls, 341 girls) being released to families while 594 (303 boys, 291 girls) remained in either CCIs or SCIs. With the opening of schools for some students in November 2020 and all children in January 2021, many of the children that were released back to their families or alternative family care arrangements have returned back to these institutions in order to access education. As such the current number of children in both CCIs and SCI is currently not available.
Over the last years, Kenya has put a lot of efforts and has shown commitment to embracing family-based care for children including orphans and vulnerable children moving away from residential care of children. For instance, in 2004, the Government of Kenya initiated a Cash Transfer programme for OVC (CT-OVC) to support families to cope with the increased burden of caring for OVC as part of efforts to prevent separation of children from their families and communities. As of 2018, the CT-OVC programme was reaching an estimated 1.2 million OVC. In 2005, the Government of Kenya developed Regulations on Adoptions and also for Charitable Children Institutions (CCI). Other recent programmes include the Presidential Bursary programme for children whose families are unable to pay for their school fees, the universal health care services including expansion of National Hospital Insurance Fund coverage, the free/subsidized primary and secondary education, among others. Funds and personnel in government agencies such as Department of Children Services (DCS), National Council of Children Services (NCCS), Child Welfare Society of Kenya (CWSK) and Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund (SFRF) have also been increased for better protection and care of children including those without parental care.
Along with these national level efforts, the government, with support of partners has been implementing care reform in four demonstration counties (Kilifi, Kisumu, Murang’a and Nyamira) with an established learning agenda to demonstrate, document, share and model for other counties as well as to develop additional implementation tools where gaps are identified.
In early 2020, the government with support of UNICEF and a number of Civil Society Organizations (CSO) also started the process of developing a National Care Reform Strategy. The strategy recommends a 3-phased approach running across 10 years. It also recommends a clear national management structure to oversee the implementation of the recommendations in the Strategy which includes (i) a National Steering Committee, (ii) a Technical Advisory Committee, (iii) a Care Reform Coordination Division within the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and (iv) a Children and Young Persons Advisory Group. The Care Reform Strategy is almost finalized and the government is preparing to roll it out.
UNICEF seeks the support of a technical expert to be seconded to the Ministry to support the government to roll out the implementation of the recommendations provided in the Care Reform Strategy.

Scope of Work
The consultancy contributes to UNDAF Strategic Results Area 2, Outcome 2.6. By 2022, marginalized and vulnerable people have increased access to and utilize social protection, and services for prevention and response to gender-based violence and violence against children.
In the UNICEF Country Program Document, the assignment contributes to: Outcome 3 (Child Protection): Children and adolescents are increasingly protected from exposure to HIV and AIDS, violence, abuse, exploitation and harmful cultural practices, and benefit from increased access to prevention, care, treatment, support, justice and other services needed to ensure their physical, mental and social wellbeing. Output 3.3. Output 3.3: Increased number of sites offer birth registration services in target counties
The proposed individual consultant will be seconded in the MoLSP to support the actual roll-out and implementation of the recommendations in the National Care Reform for Children Strategy, focusing on the recommendations outlined for Phase 1 of the implementation of the Strategy.

Goal and Objective
The goal of this consultancy is to support the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to roll out the implementation of the recommendations provided in the Care Reform Strategy, specifically those outlined for phase 1 including the establishment of and operationalization of the recommended management structures.
Specific Objectives:
1. Provide strategic and technical advice to the MoLSP in the roll out and implementation of the Care Reform Strategy, including the establishment and operationalization of the MoLSP management structures for the roll out of the Care Reform Strategy
2. Provide technical support and guidance for development of a multi-year implementation plan and mechanisms and procedures for data collection and analysis for tracking progress of implementation of the care reform
3. Provide technical support and guidance for the development of guidance documents and operational tools, including tools for disability inclusion to support implementation of the Care Reform Strategy
4. Enhance capacity of the MoLSP to implement care reform and support learning initiatives for other key stakeholders and document learning from on-going county level pilots and support dissemination of learning
5. Support and strengthen effective coordination and referral mechanisms for effective implementation of the care reform agenda and identify gaps and bottlenecks in the implementation of the Care Reform Strategy.

Activities and Tasks
1. Provide training/awareness to the relevant Senior level personnel in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection on the content of the Care Reform Strategy
2. Train and create awareness to the staff of the Ministry, including those deployed in the Care Reform Coordination Division on the content of the Strategy, including their different roles and how to enhance coordination and linkages for achievement of the objectives of the Care Reform Strategy
3. Technical support to the MoLSP in the development of job descriptions for the required positions in the Care Reform Coordination Division that will aid the Division to effectively carry its mandate of overseeing and coordinating the implementation of the Care Reform Strategy
4. Support the MoLSP to develop Terms of Reference for the recommended management structures for the implementation of the Care Reform Strategy
5. Technical support to the MoLSP including staff of Care Reform Coordination Division to unpack the recommendations in the Strategy by translating these into an implementable workplan that follow the SMART principles as well as developing accompanying budgets
6. Technical support to the MoLSP including Care Reform Coordination Division to establish and operationalize the coordination and referral mechanism for effective and efficient implementation of the care reform strategy
7. Technical guidance to the process of developing and designing documents, tools and package for support for children with disabilities to ensure they are not left behind in the care reform agenda
8. Technical guidance and advise to the processes developing and designing social protection interventions, including cash plus initiatives, within the objectives of the care reform agenda
9. Technical support to the MoLSP, the Care Reform Coordination Division and relevant government agencies to operationalize the monitoring and evaluation framework of the Care Reform Strategy, including development of M & E tools for tracking progress based on the M & E framework of the strategy
10. Support initiatives to advocate for and disseminate the content of the Care Reform Strategy through meetings, webinars etc.
11. Technical support to MoLSP and the Care Reform Coordination Division to undertake a rapid review on the estimated numbers, locations and other data concerning children in registered and non-registered residential care in the country
12. Support staff at NCCS and Care Reform Coordination Division to generate reports for presentation to the Technical Advisory Committee and the National Steering Committee. The reports will cover progress made, challenges and lessons learnt in the implementation of the strategy and planned activities,
13. Assess the completeness of data captured by CPIMS and any other relevant information management systems as it relates to care reform programme and its indicators. The assessment will among others provide recommendations for improvement where gaps are identified.
14. Support the development of Terms of Reference for engagement of a consultant on communication strategy for the care reform and monitor/review the communication strategy and materials developed to ensure they capture the intentions of the care reform agenda. This will be done in consultation with communication teams in the MoLSP, UNICEF, CTWWC and other partners.
15. Support the ongoing processes of developing the various implementation tools on family strengthening, alternative care, tracing & reintegration and deinstitutionalization and assess the completeness of the tools in facilitating the provision of care services. This will include identification of gaps and recommendations on areas of adjustment/change
16. Support and provide technical guidance to MoLSP including staff of Care Reform Coordination Division and other relevant agencies on meaningful engagement of children and young persons within the care reform processes
17. Technical support to the MoLSP including Care Reform Coordination Division to develop a capacity building plan for local actors (government and non-state actors) at various levels, consolidation of existing training materials and development of any additional training materials that may be required.
18. Support the Care Reform Coordination Division to identify the legislation and policies to be reviewed in order to have the required legislative and policy environments for full support of family and community-based care
19. Support identification of further gaps and bottlenecks to implementation of care reform in Kenya, including areas for further research and where necessary support in developing TORs or strategies to address these gaps.
20. Support the compilation of lessons learnt from the four pilot counties that have been implementing the care reform to inform national scale-up and the compilation of implementation tools/ documents that have been developed during the pilot in the four counties.

Work relationships:
On the UNICEF side, the consultant will work under the direct supervision of Child Protection Specialist with the overall technical guidance of Chief of Child Protection Section. The consultant will have direct technical discussions with C4D Section on the communication component and with Social Policy Section on social protection components required in this assignment
Since the consultant will be seconded to the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection at the Care Reform Coordination Division, the consultant will be guided in his/her day-to-day work by the Head of the Coordination Division. Until such a Coordination Division is established, the day-to-day guidance will be provided by the Chief Executive Officer of NCCS based on a three-month rolling workplan jointly developed and agreed upon by SDSP, NCCS and UNICEF.

Deliverables
The deliverables are:
1) Report on training of senior staff at MoLSP, the NCCS Board and staff at the Care Reform Coordination Division
2) Finalized job descriptions for the various personnel working at the Care Reform Coordination Division
3) Finalized Terms of Reference for the various proposed management and implementation structures on the care reform strategy
4) 2-year workplan with accompanying budget on implementation of prioritized activities. The work plan must adhere to SMART principles
5) Guidance note on coordination and referral mechanism of the different aspects of care reform implemented by the different government agencies and CSOs
6) M & E tools to track implementation of the Care Reform strategy. This will be informed by M & E framework of the Care Reform Strategy.
7) Report of the rapid assessment of children living in residential care
8) Report on assessment of completeness of CPIMS in capturing data for children without parental care, those in institutions, in alternative care and those reintegrated back to families and communities with identified gaps and areas of improvement
9) Report on progress in the development of advocacy and communication strategy
10) Report of the existing implementation tools, highlighting the gaps and recommended actions/activities to address gaps
11) Guidance note on meaningful engagement of children and young persons in the care reform processes, including those of decision making
12) Capacity development plan for local actors (government and non-state actors)
13) List of legislation and policies that require review for promotion of family and community-based care of children, including for children with disabilities and other special needs
14) Report on further gaps and bottlenecks that still exist that hinder full implementation of care reform agenda in Kenya, including areas needing further research
15) Quarterly reports generated for presentation to the Technical Advisory Committee and the National Steering Committee on Care Reform and power-point presentations on the content of care reform
16) Report on lessons learnt from pilot/ demonstration counties, clearly indicating what can be carried forward for scale up and what needs to be improved or dropped.

Payment is on satisfactory completion of deliverables duly certified by the government personnel responsible for day-to-day supervision / management of the consultant and also authorized by the supervisor of contract within UNICEF.
• Specific deliverables of acceptable quality must be submitted at the planned times.
• Performance will be evaluated considering quality of deliverables, consultation with stakeholders, timeliness of deliverables of and comprehensiveness of work as defined in the terms of reference.
The consultant is expected to provide all products/deliverable in accordance with professional communication development standards

Minimum Qualifications required
Masters’ degree in any of these disciplines: Social Sciences (sociology, social work, population studies, demography, anthropology etc), Public Health, Social Development, Human rights, or similar

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

i) Minimum of 10-15 years of experience in child protection or wider social welfare sector, out of which a minimum of 8 years-experience working on care reform agenda in national and international capacities with experience in at least 2 countries one of which should preferably be a middle/low income country and experience in disability inclusion in care reform.
ii) Demonstrated experience in supporting government, UNICEF and CSO to develop and implement care reform successfully; previous UNICEF experience is an advantage.
iii) Excellent competence in managerial skills with understanding on how management structures, systems, and HR issues work within government. Must demonstrate having skills in project management and people management skills.
iv) Experience in conducting capacity building programmes/activities for government and CSO personnel
v) Demonstrated strong analytical, report writing and presentation skills
vi) Proven ability to: (i) handle multiple tasks under pressure with short deadlines; (ii) ability to work independently, seeking guidance on complex issues; and (iii) excellent diplomatic and interpersonal skills and proven team orientation.
vii) Familiarity with child protection/alternative care normative and operational frameworks in Kenya and/or previous child protection work experience in Kenya is an advantage

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply online using the button below.  As part of their application, candidates should provide:

1. A cover letter that specifies how you meet the desired competencies, technical background and experience (no more than 2 pages)
2. A short CV (no more than 4 pages)
3. A fee structure that should include: daily/monthly rate in USD and total fee

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 the organization.