Home-based: Alternative Care Workshop Consultancy

PROJECT SUMMARY

• Name of the Project: Alternative Care Workshop Consultancy
• Project Start and End Dates: October - End of December 2022
• Project Locations: Home-based (workshop days planned in Amman)
• Thematic Areas: Child Protection
• Sub Themes:
  • Alternative Care
  • Appropriate Care
  • UASC
• Donor:
  • SC Italy
  • Humanitarian Leadership Academy

Overall Objective of the Project: 

The purpose of this consultancy is to map existing Save the Children and partner approaches to alternative care across child protection programmes in the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe. Based on this mapping and analysis of challenges and opportunities for scale up, the consultant will design and co-facilitate a 3-day workshop bringing together colleagues and experts from across the region to reflect on the mapping exercise as well as discuss SCI’s innovative approaches to alternative care in an attempt to systematize our approach, scale up innovations that work, and generate evidence for the global care community. Finally, the consultant will be asked to support in documenting the workshop to inform learning and future strategy development. 

 
1. BACKGROUND: 

Save the Children’s Child Protection teams across the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe (MENAEE) region are responding directly to a diversity of crises, and a broad range of complexities relating to the needs of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC). This includes - children orphaned overnight due to the Turkiye-Syria earthquake, children living in interim care centres in Syria and Iraq without adequate prospects of long-term solutions, children requiring safe foster care/ Islamic Kafalah and supervised independent living in Egypt and Lebanon, to supporting children living in and leaving institutional care in Ukraine. Save the Children’s programmatic approach to UASC and alternative care requires innovative, nuanced and highly technical approaches.  

2. PURPOSE: 

The purpose of this consultancy is to map existing Save the Children and partner approaches to alternative care across child protection programmes in the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe. Based on this mapping and analysis of challenges and opportunities for scale up, the consultant will design and co-facilitate a 3-day workshop bringing together colleagues and experts from across the region to reflect on the mapping exercise as well as discuss SCI’s innovative approaches to alternative care in an attempt to systematize our approach, scale up innovations that work, and generate evidence for the global care community. Finally, the consultant will be asked to support in documenting the workshop to inform learning and future strategy development. 

3. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES: 

• Internal MENAEE Alternative Care Report consisting of:
  • Desk review, mapping of existing approaches, guidance and SOPs within the region and analysis of challenges and opportunities for scaling up. 
  • 10 key informant interviews with Save the Children and partner staff across the region 
  • Online survey developed, disseminated and results analysed to inform the workshop
  • FGD guide developed for COs to run in-country consultations with SCI and partner staff (ex. case workers, caregivers). 
  • Analysis of current practices in alternative care identifying common and nuanced challenges and opportunities for scale- up.  
• Alternative Care Learning and Strategy Workshop: 
  • Design, organise and co-facilitate a 3-day workshop bringing together colleagues and experts from across the region 
  • Co-facilitate a monthly call with the Alternative Care Learning and Strategy Reference Group
  • Compile tools and document the workshop process to allow for replicability in other regions (ex. KII guides, agenda, group activities)
  • Draft workshop report summarizing findings and key recommendations for an Alternative Care Strategy for the region
• Alternative Care and Learning Webinar:
  • Develop webinar materials to present the key workshop findings and next steps. 
  • Follow up capacity strengthening recommendations

Milestones and Tentative Timeline - Milestones/Timeline (subject to change): 

• Kick off meetings with regional CP advisor and relevant staff members. / Week 3- October 2023
• Mapping and desk review of relevant available resources and development of data collections tools / Week 4- October 2023
• Data collection through online surveys/FGDs with key SC staff members and partners / Week 3- November 2023
• Analysis report of current practices, gaps, strengths and opportunities. / Week 2 December 2023
• Design of workshop agenda and materials / Week 2 January 2024
• Facilitate regional workshop in Amman / Week 2 March 2024
• Draft workshop report summarizing findings and key recommendations for an Alternative Care Strategy for the region / Week 4 March 2024
• Develop webinar materials and present the key workshop findings and next steps. / Week 2 April 2024

*All reports and PowerPoint presentations are to use the Save the Children templates (to be shared).  

All documents are to be produced in MS Word format and provided electronically by email to the SC lead. Copies of all PowerPoint presentations used to facilitate briefings for the project should also be provided to Save the Children in editable digital format.

4. REPORTING AND GOVERNANCE: 

The consultant will report to the Regional Child Protection Advisor. The following regular reporting and quality review processes will also be used:

• Weekly Check-in with Regional CP Advisor to debrief on progress and troubleshoot any evolving issues.
• A bi-weekly written update by email to Save the Children, documenting progress, any emerging issues to be resolved and planned activities until the next update.

5. SELECTION CRITERIA: 

Interested consultants will be required to submit an Expression of Interest in line with the provided template, which should demonstrate adherence to the following requirements.

Understanding of Requirements and Experience: 

To be considered, the consultant must have demonstrated skills, expertise and experience in:

• Leading, implementing and/or consulting for Alternative Care programs in at least one country in the Middle East and Eastern Europe region
• Strong technical knowledge and expertise in different alternative care related areas including (ie. family based alternative care, Kafalah, deinstitutionalization)
• Strong Desk review and mapping skills and expertise 
• Strong workshop design and facilitation skills 
• Excellent written and verbal skills in English language (Arabic language will be an Asset) 
• Submit technical samples as part of your application. These samples should showcase the candidate's proficiency and experience in relevant technical areas mentioned above. 

Financial Proposal: 

• Save the Children seeks value for money in its work. This does not necessarily mean "lowest cost", but quality of the service and reasonableness of the proposed costs.
• Payments will be made to the consultant using an agreed mode of payment, with the schedule based on deliverables.
• Please provide a clear breakdown per activity (including travel costs) to compare applications and accommodate slight sampling size adjustments, if needed. 

Selection Criteria - # / Selection Criteria / Total Score 100: 

• 1 / Technical Criteria / 50%
  • 1.1 / Technical expertise in Alternative Care program design & implementation / 20
  • 1.2   / Proven expertise in program analysis and learning and strategy development / 10
  • 1.3  / Proven expertise in designing workshops using innovative methods / 10
  • 1.4 / Strong written and verbal skills / 10
• 2 / Financial Criteria  /40%
  • 2.1 / Financial (Price) & Price Validity: All prices must be quoted in USD, inclusive of all applicable taxes and duties. / 40
• 3 / Sustainability Criteria / 10%
  • 3.1 / The bidder demonstrates experience and understanding of local context and community. / 10

HOW TO APPLY: 

If interested in applying for this consultancy, please contact Yara.habboub@savethechildren.org  to send your expression of Interest or any inquiries. 

*Any offer sent to the mentioned email will be neglected.

For bid submission, please send your financial and technical proposal to SC.MENAEE@savethechildren.org ONLY (without cc).