Child Protection in Humanitarian Action Competency Framework

The revised CPHA Competency Framework is now available. This new version is more closely aligned with the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS), and reflects our better understanding of the competencies required to work effectively with other sectors. The format and language of the framework has been simplified, and the framework is now available as an interactive pdf. 

The initial purpose of the Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPHA) Competency Framework is to contribute to improved child protection outcomes in humanitarian settings by providing an inter-agency set of technical and behavioural competencies required by CPHA practitioners. 

The Child Protection in Humanitarian Action Competency Framework builds on the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) to articulate a set of recognised competencies for child protection in humanitarian action practitioners. It broadly describes expected standards of performance across a number of competency domains that can be applied to different roles within the sector.

It is a sector-wide guidance to advance the accountability, effectiveness and predictability of child protection prevention, preparedness, response and recovery programming for affected populations.

The CPHA Competency Framework comprises three main sections:

1. CPHA Guiding Principles competencies - which describe expected behaviours that should be employed to role model the guiding principles that are essential to fully implementing child protection in humanitarian action programming. 

2. Technical CPHA competencies - which describe the technical knowledge, skills and attitudes that CPHA practitioners need to demonstrate to be effective in their roles. 

3. Core humanitarian competencies for child protection - which describe the core behaviours that child protection practitioners need to demonstrate to operate effectively in humanitarian settings. These are adapted from the Core Humanitarian Competency Framework and identify child protection specific behaviours. 

In the Competency Framework Tools and Training Package you will find:

• Three tools that have been developed to support CP and HR practitioners to operationalise the competency framework in their staff recruitment, learning and professional development, performance management, planning and organisational design activities. These tools are:
  • Tool 1: Drafting of CPHA competency-based job descriptions
  • Tool 2: Development of CPHA competency-based interviews
  • Tool 3: Evaluation of performance and identification of learning goals against the CPHA competencies, including practitioner and manager assessment.
• Resources to deliver a three-hour session on the purpose, structure and content of the CPHA Competency Framework and the use of the tools listed above. These resources comprise:
  • Session plan, with versions for face-to-face and remotely-facilitated versions
  • Slidedeck, to support delivery of the session.

For support in making use of the Competency Framework, contact the L&D Working Group learning@alliancecpha.org.