Child Protection ConsultancyToR – FINAL
Sense International seeks consultant to review current Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy and practice
Purpose: Sense International (SI) seeks a consultant to carry out a full review of the existing Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy, working with members of the organisation to update this policy and to make recommendations for the improvement of current processes and practice relating to the safeguarding of children and adults with deafblindness and multi-sensory impairments (MSI).
Our Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy was devised in 2012. We recognise that as contexts change and experience is gained, it is necessary to review existing policy and update it as necessary. As an organisation committed to learning, we wish to reflect on the implementation of the policy over the past five years and consider how any identified areas for improvement can be effectively addressed. An external perspective will be invaluable in this process. The review is expected to involve consultation with staff in the UK, as well as in up to eight countries internationally, so as to ensure that our policy and practices are fit for purposeacross our programmes. These countries include Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Nepal, Peru, Romania, Tanzania and Uganda.
Context:SI supports people with deafblindness and multi-sensory impairments - some of the most marginalised and vulnerable members of the community in the eight countries where we work. Ensuring that we have comprehensive policy, practice and procedures in place is vital in order to safeguard the children and adults with whom we have contact.
In recent years we have built partner networks, startednew programmes, and diversified our operational model; we have also experienced changes to the organisational structure and welcomed new staff and volunteers. At the same time, international child safeguarding culture and practice has developed, and we are aware of significant learning within the wider INGO sector.We would like to use this consultancy to explore the implications of these developments, and identify approaches that respond to the reality within which we work.
The current Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy is now five years old and must be reviewed and updated as necessary. For us, the translation of policy and procedures into practice is of utmost importance.As a result, ensuring robust implementation will be a key feature of this piece of work as we strive to enhance safeguarding practice throughout our programmes.
Deliverables: The envisaged deliverables from this consultancy are as follows:
1.An internal report documenting the review process, including key themes arising from consultations conducted as a means of understanding the current experience of implementing the Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy across SI’s programmes. The report should also include a conclusion summarising findings and a set of recommendations detailing areas for improvement.
2.A new policy document, based on the recommendations made. The policy should be designed with practical implementation in mind, and should reflect the breadth of our operational reach. It must be accompanied by updated procedures, a code of conduct and associated guidelines. These will beagreed with the SI Director and presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.
3.An implementation plan to inform roll-out of the new policy and procedures across the organisation. This should also respond to the recommendations made within the review process.
4.A set of webinars, with accompanying offline Q&A session, to introduce the updated policy and procedures to staff and volunteers across the organisation and to tackle specific themes identified within the review process. Further discussion will determine the number of webinars required and exact content, however it is envisaged that a minimum of two should be planned for.
All deliverablesshould be produced in English. The internal report (deliverable 1)should not exceed 20 pages (excluding annexes), using size 12pt Arial font. All written deliverables must be sufficiently checked and proofed so as to be ready for presentation to the Programmes Advisory Committee (PAC) and, later, Board of Trustees, for approval and adoption.
Your skills and experience: SI is looking for a consultant with proven experience in the area of child and vulnerable adult protection in international settings. The successful candidate will have prior experience of policy developmentand work with people with disabilities, as well as a keen awareness of the challenges of designing policy that can be used in different cultural contexts andadapted to different programme implementation models. Experience of developing policy and procedures thatinvolve a range of stakeholders with different roles and responsibilities (such as local partners), would be of great value.
You will need to be comfortable conducting remote interviews with colleagues in different parts of the world, including those for whom English is a second language, on a sensitive topic. You will also need to demonstrate a consultative approach that encourages sharing of experience and reflection, whilst building consensus across the organisation.
In the Expression of Interest, please outline your track-record, including recent projects, and your experience of delivering work similar to this project in scope or focus. Please also share a comparable writing sample.
Methodology:In the Expression of Interest, please describe the method you would use to carry out the review of current policy and practice in order to make recommendations and develop updated policy and procedures. You should demonstrate how you intend to gather information on SI’s current safeguarding practice, as well as relevant evidence from donors and peers in the disability sector. Your methodology should also detail how you intend to include inputs and feedback from SI staff in the UK and in-country programmes, as well as how you might seek to include international implementing partners. You should also mention any existing resources or toolkits that you intend to use or reference as you carry out the review, policy designand roll-out process.
Timeline: We would like to appoint a consultant by Wednesday 20 December. The review would begin in January 2018.
There is a meeting of the Programmes Advisory Committee (PAC) on 6th March 2018. We would like to present the review report at this meeting, in addition to a draft of the updated Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy. This will be an ideal opportunity to invite discussion around the findings of the report, as well as to receive feedback on the draft policy and procedures with a view to shaping the final version to be presented to the Board.
The final version of the updated policy and accompanying implementation plan (approved by the SI Director) must be received by Monday 30 April 2018 in order to be submitted to the SI Board in early June.Webinars introducing the new policy and procedures will be scheduled in May and June 2018.
In your Expression of Interest, please propose a timeline for delivering this work, showing the start date, various stages of consultation, drafting, further consultation and feedback, finalisation and delivery.
Budget:In your Expression of Interest, please provide an indicative budget for the project, including day rates for you and anyone working with you. Please clarify whether VAT will be additional and how you would like to be paid. We will pay percentages of the agreed fee according to satisfactory completion of specific stages in the process:
On approval of methodology: 10%
On delivery of completed review report for PAC meeting: 40%
On delivery of final policy for Board approval & implementation plan: 40%
On delivery of a minimum of two webinars: 10%
Contract: We would sign a standard contract agreement outlining deliverables, timelines, payments, and stating that the intellectual property will belong to SI.
Expression of Interest: Please respond with your Expression of Interest to Isabel Gammie, Programme Officer: by 9am (GMT) on Monday 11th December 2017.
In summary, the Expression of Interest should include:
- Your track-record, including recent projects, and your experience of delivering work similar to this project in scope or focus
- A comparable writing sample
- Your proposed methodology
- A timeline for delivering this work
- An indicative budget for the project
If you have any queries, please contact IsabelGammie using the address above.