Home-based: Child Protection Case Management Research

Job no: 567033
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: New York
Level: Consultancy
Location: United States (Remote)
Categories: Child Protection

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, LOVE

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Consultant - Child Protection Case Management Research

Section/Division/Duty Station: Child Protection - Programme Group - NYHQ

Duration: 6 November 2023 – 10 April 2024

Home/Office Based: REMOTE

About UNICEF: 

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries. 

BACKGROUND: 

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

Under the umbrella of the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, UNICEF as a key member of the global Case Management Task Force (CMTF) is planning to undertake a desk review of the current evidence base on child protection case management, including in refugee and mixed migration situations. This desk review will help practitioners understand the outcomes of case management programming in different contexts and the profile of children receiving case management.  To achieve this, UNICEF will capitalize on the current data in the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS+) which includes over 200,000 cases in over 35 locations

UNICEF will hire a consultant to:

• Develop a methodology for analysis of specific metadata stored in the CPIMS+;
• Analyse data and provide summaries of key data points and related analysis;
• Provide recommendations on what data is best to capture from the CPIMS+ and what should be collected through other methods.  
• Identify methodologies to collect data that is not or should not be captured in the CPIMS

The consultant will be responsible to ensure that this research is conducted through a participatory approach, which incorporates feedback from key global, regional, and country level staff working on child protection case management inclusive and which is considerate of national and local level organizations. This will be done in close coordination with CMTF, the Primero Team, the CPIMS+ Steering Committee, and CPIMS+ country focal points and system administrators.

Note: Only access to aggregate anonymous/non-personal data will be allowed as per consent given by the child/caregiver to ensure data protection and information sharing standards are respected.

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of UNICEF and in coordination with the interested CMTF members the consultant will:  

• Develop a research protocol detailing the methodology, sampling, data collection tools, ethical considerations and how to address them, and relevant information to collect case management data from the CPIMS+ in countries selected jointly with UNICEF.
• Develop, jointly with UNICEF and the CMTF a plan which outlines what data should be collected based on key indicators, such as, but not limited to: 
• % of children experiencing each protection concern;
• % of cases per risk level (high, medium, low, no risk);
• Disaggregation by age, sex, migration status;
• % of cases requiring a BID with UNHCR and/or IOM and for what reason;
• timeframe between the initiation of case management and closure;
• ration of cases to case workers;
• reasons for case closure;
• Referrals: types and outcomes;
• Analysis of feedback from children and/or caregivers
• # of UASC and proportion out of the total number of children in case management;
• # of UASC and proportion reunified with the primary caregivers; type of alternative care provided.
• # of CAAFAG and proportion out of the total number of children in case management;
• # of CAAFAG and proportion reintegrated into communities; type of support provided.
• Source all aggregate anonymous from a minimum of 8 countries utilizing the CPIMS+ and conduct data cleaning (sample to be determined with consultant).
• Conduct Key Informant Interviews with global and/or country-based colleagues to understand specific contextual nuances regarding the data generated from a specific country/location (sample to be determined with consultant) and produce a report detailing key interview findings.
• Analyze the data and write up findings in the form of a final report which should include both country level analysis as well as global analysis of the data  as well as  dentification of core data gaps and reflections on whether these can indeed be addressed through case management work and the CPIMS+ (and related forms) or whether alternative methods need to be considered.
• Develop a global reporting template with related guidance to support country and regional officers to better regularly  capture case management trends with the CPIMS+

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

• Draft research protocol for the analysis of CPIMS+ case management data developed and submitted
  • By 3 December 2023
• Final research protocol for the analysis of CPIMS+ case management data developed and submitted
  • By 10 December 2023
• List of indicators to be analyzed finalized and submitted
  • By 24 December 2023
• Draft list questions for key Informant Interview /In-depth interviews developed and submitted for UNICEF review
  • By 24 December 2023
• List of final questions for Key Informant Interviews/In-depth interviews finalized and submitted.
  • By 8 January 2024
• Report summarizing data collection done and cleaning process submitted.
  • By 5 February 2024
• Report of key findings of Key Informant Interviews finalized and submitted.
  • By 2 March 2024
• Draft of analytical report, summary brief and factsheet submitted for UNICEF and Alliance review.
  • By 16 March 2024
• Final analytical report, summary brief and factsheet finalized and submitted.
  • By 16 March 2024
• Draft template for reporting case management trends developed and submitted for UNICEF review. 
  • By 16 March 2024
• Final presentation materials developed.
  • By 23 March 2024
• Final template for reporting case management trends developed and submitted.
  • By 23 March 2024
• Presentation delivered to CMTF.
  • By 29 March 2024

Qualifications: 

Education:

• Master’s degree Statistics, economics, data science, social/public policy, and population/demographic studies or another relevant field.

Work Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in evidence generation (data collection, data analysis, interpretation, and reporting) 

Competencies/Knowledge:

• Experience using administrative data for research purposes would be an advantage
• Experience of working with International Development organizations and the UN system will be an added advantage. 
• Well versed with data architecture: all the way form data collection to when value is generated from data through analytics 
• Highly competent in Excel and other statistical tools and applications such as STATA, SPSS etc. 
• Fluency in English language is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language is considered as an asset.
• Demonstrable proficient writing skills.
• Leadership in the coordination and facilitation of processes to gather feedback at both the global, regional, and country level.
• Knowledge of social work programming, key child protection standards, guidelines, and related tools specific to child protection case management a plus.

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and...

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect:
  • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR
• Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
• Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4. 

How to Apply: 

Application Link: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/567033/consultant-child-protection-case-management-research-req567033

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at Here.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment 

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: Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.