UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND
REQUIRES
International Consultancy
For the provision of technical assistance to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare for the development of the National Strategy on Fostering
(The Social Welfare and Child Care System Reform Project IPA 2010)
Minimum Requirements:
· Advanced university degree in law, social policy, child rights or a related field;
· At least 7 years of experience and expertise in the area of child care system reform and deinstitutionalisation, especially in relation to fostering;
· Knowledge of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and relevant international standards in the area of alternative care;
· Familiarity with the local context in Montenegro in particular with respect to the social protection and child care reform will be considered as an advantage;
· Previous work experience with UNICEF will be considered as an advantage;
· Excellent command of English language, both spoken and written;
· Knowledge of Montenegrin language will be will be considered as an advantage;
· Strong communication and writing skills.
Terms of Reference for the position and P11 form can be found on the website www.unicef.org/montenegro or picked up at UNICEF Montenegro office.
If you are a dynamic person who would like to contribute to delivering of long-lasting, positive changes for Montenegro’s children, please apply with a CV, P11 form and cover letter by email, mail or fax quoting the position “Fostering Strategy” to the following address by August 17, 2011 C.O.B. (17.00h):
UNICEF, Vladike Danila 28, 81 000 Podgorica
Fax: +382 20 224 278
Email:
U N I C E F I S A S M O K E F R E E E N V I R O N M E N TClosing date for applications is 17th August 2011.
Only short listed candidates will be contacted for interview.
-Terms of Reference-
Provision of technical assistance to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare
for the development of the National Strategy on Fostering
(The Social Welfare and Child Care System Reform Project IPA 2010)
1. Background and Context
The Government of Montenegro (the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare - MoLSW), is in the process of implementing the comprehensive Child Care System Reform Project (henceforth the Project) with technical assistance of UNICEF Montenegro. The Project is an integral part (3rd component) of a broader initiative -- the “Social Welfare and Child Care System Reform – Enhancing Social Inclusion” Project which is being implemented through a partnership between the Government of Montenegro (MoLSW and the Ministry of Education) and UN agencies in Montenegro (UNICEF and UNDP) with the financial assistance from the European Union (IPA 2010). Other partners of the overall the Social Inclusion Project include the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance and other line ministries, institutions, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), the Statistical Office of Montenegro (MONSTAT), international organizations and partners, communities, children themselves and their families.
The Child Care System Reform Project facilitates the continuation of the reform process in the area of child and social protection building on already achieved results but with a clearer picture of the system gaps and issues that need to be addressed. Long lasting efforts are to be made by key project partners to transform the social and child protection system and build institutional capacities in Montenegro to support vulnerable children and families, strengthen biological family and establish a range of alternative family and community based services for children in need. Consequently, the main project activities focus on the areas of law reform; development of child protection standards and monitoring mechanisms; capacity building of the social welfare, education and health sectors to prevent institutionalization; deinstitutionalization and transformation of existing child residential institutions; the development of family and community based alternatives for children in need; and awareness raising.
At present, alternative family-based care services for children without parental care are by and large undeveloped in Montenegro. The child protection system relies heavily on six child care residential institutions with approximately 350 children; however, additional 30 children from Montenegro reside in child care institutions in neighbouring Serbia. This number of children in institutional care may not be as high as in other countries in the region, but the fact that there are still limited alternative settings and almost no gate keeping mechanisms for admission to the institutions explains why deinstitutionalization is at “the heart” of child care reform in the country.
De-institutionalization and the transformation of existing child care institutions are closely linked to the development of fostering. As fostering develops, the burden on child care institutions will decrease and contribute to eventual closure of institutions or their transformation into resource centres providing professional support and alternative care services. However, to this day only a few cases of professional fostering have been recorded in Montenegro. The MoLSW has made several attempts to develop professional fostering but without any tangible impact. On the other hand, according to the MoLSW statistics, around 250 children are cared for in extended families, in so-called kinship care.
The legal basis for fostering partially exists in Montenegro. Fostering is specifically mentioned in the Family Law (2007) and in the Law on Social and Child Protection (2005). However, the Law on Child and Social Protection is not harmonized with international standards, and the MoLSW has already initiated the process of its revision through this Project. The revised law will inter alia regulate fostering in accordance with international standards and it will include provisions that guarantee stable financing of fostering, as one of the preconditions for the successful implementation fostering. Minimum Standards on Fostering will be also drafted as part of this project.
However, in order to harmonize the efforts to create the preconditions for fostering and to ensure its successful implementation, one of the project activities is to engage an international consultant to support the MoLSW in drafting the National Strategy on Fostering. The Strategy, which should include an Action Plan for its implementation, will facilitate the development of the service by defining the activities, responsible actors, timeline and financial resources required for its development. Notably, the Consultant will be expected to identify shortcomings in the MoLSW’s previous attempts to develop fostering and to foresee and address any obstacles that threaten to hinder the development of fostering under this Project. The document should also outline a training programme for entities managing the service as well as for the prospective foster families. Finally, the document should provide an overview of a communications strategy to promote fostering at the national level as well as in local communities.
Special attention should be paid to ensuring equal access to foster service for all children, which includes the development of different types of fostering including specialized fostering for children with disabilities and emergency fostering for the prevention of institutionalization.
In addition to professional fostering, the expert will also propose concrete steps for the institutionalization and upgrading of kinship care in current legislation, policies and practice, given that positive experiences in kinship care demonstrate and promote the advantages of family-based care.
A high level international expertise is required for this assignment.
2. Purpose and Objective
The purpose of the consultancy is to support the process of development of fostering and thus contribute to the prevention of further institutionalization of children in Montenegro and acceleration of the process of deinstitutionalization of children currently residing in child care institutions.
The objective of the assignment is the development of the National Strategy on Fostering in order to facilitate the development of fostering, including specialized and emergency fostering, and to promote kinship care.
3. Methodology and Technical Approach
The Consultant/s is/are expected to use the following methodology: desk review of relevant legislation and available documentation on the development of fostering and alternative care in Montenegro, development of a working draft of the National Strategy on Fostering, consultations with the MoLSW and relevant institutions and stakeholders, active coordination and facilitation of working group meetings, presentation of the Strategy, and writing of report.
The Consultant/s is/are expected to work both in the field and from home.
Further details related to methodology are outlined in the following section “Activities and Tasks”.
4. Activities and Tasks
The tasks that need to be accomplished are as follows:
· To review, within the preparatory phase, the current Law on Social and Child Protection (2005) as well as the working draft of the new Law, the Family Law (2006), the Strategy on the Development of the Social and Child Protection System (2008-2012), and the draft Master Plan of Transformation of Child Protection Services;
· To make reference to international standards in the area of child protection, notably the UNCRC and UN Guidelines on the Alternative Care of Children; as well as to the Commission Opinion on Montenegro’s application for membership and the CRC Concluding Observations for Montenegro;
· To communicate with officials from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, relevant institutions (e.g. Children’s Home “Mladost”, Bijela) and other stakeholders in order to receive in-depth guidance. Notably, the consultant/s will be expected to identify shortcomings in the MoLSW’s previous attempts to develop fostering and to foresee and address any obstacles that threaten to hinder the development of fostering under this Project;
· To communicate with members of the working group who are developing the new Law on Social and Child Protection concerning the provisions on fostering;
· To provide guidelines to MoLSW’s WG for the development of the first working draft of the National Strategy on Fostering in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other relevant international standards, and realities of the national context;
· To work directly with the WG on development of the Strategy including an Action Plan (preferably in a workshop-style format). The document should include an estimate of the required infrastructure to support the implementation of the Strategy such as the creation of support centres and staffing levels required to support the future foster families and contain an outline of a training programme for entities managing the service as well as for the prospective foster families. Finally, the document should provide an overview of a communications strategy to promote fostering at the national level as well as in local communities. The Strategy should ensure equal access to foster service for all children by making a reference to specialized fostering for children with disabilities and emergency fostering for the prevention of institutionalization. In addition to professional fostering, the Strategy should make reference to further development of kinship care;
· To support the work of the WG through provision of relevant feedback;
· To provide comments and recommendations to the WG’s official drafts of the Strategy;
· To take part in the presentation of the Strategy to the national stakeholders and assist in the development of the final draft on the basis of their feedback;
· To write a final consultancy report outlining the process of development of the Strategy with recommendations to MoLSW concerning the process of its implementation, identifying the possible challenges and ways to overcome them;
· To provide inputs to the development of the Operational Plan of Transformation of the Children’s Home “Mladost” in Bijela;
· To provide other related assistance as required.
5. Key Deliverables and Timeframe
The Consultant/s will be engaged for maximum 30 days in total over a period of six months.
The Consultant/s is/are expected to produce the following deliverables by the following tentative deadlines:
1) Guidelines for the development of the first working draft of the National Strategy on Fostering for members of the MoLSW’s working group, by 23rd September 2011;
2) First working draft of the National Strategy on Fostering developed in cooperation with MoLSW’s working group, by 4th November 2011;
3) Inputs to Operational Plan of Transformation of the Children’s Home “Mladost” in Bijela, by 2nd December, 2011;
4) A final draft of the National Strategy on Fostering developed in cooperation with MoLSW’s working group, by 27th January 2012;
5) Presentation of the final draft of the Strategy to national stakeholders, by 15th February 2012;
6) Final consultancy report outlining the process of development of the Strategy with recommendations to MoLSW concerning the process of its implementation, identifying the possible challenges and ways to overcome them, by 24th February, 2012.
6. Management and Organisation
Management: The Consultant/s will be supervised by the UNICEF Child Protection Officer (Child Care System Reform).
Organization: International Consultant, at P-4 level, is required for this consultancy. The consultant will be entitled to arrival/departure costs to/from Montenegro (including terminal expenses) and DSA while in Montenegro.
While in Montenegro, the Consultant/s will be entitled to transportation with UNICEF vehicle when available for field trips and relevant meetings with counterparts.
The consultant’s fee may be reduced if the assignments/deliverables are not fulfilled to the required standard. In a case of serious dissatisfaction with the consultant’s performance the contract may be terminated in line with UNICEF procedure in such matters and as spelled out in SSA.
Schedule: This assignment will commence on 5th September 2011.
P.11 (2-74) - EINSTRUCTIONS
Please answer each question clearly and completely. Type or print in ink. Read carefully and follow all directions. / UNITED NATIONS
PERSONAL HISTORY / Do Not Write in This Space
1. Family name / First name / Middle name / Maiden name, if any
2. Date
of
Birth / Day / Mo. / Yr. / 3. Place of birth / 4. Nationality (ies) at birth / 5. Present nationality (ies) / 6. Sex
7. Height / 8. Weight / 9. Marital status:
Single / Married / Separated / Widow(er) / Divorced
10. / Entry into United Nations service might require assignment and travel to any area of the world in which the United Nations might have responsibilities. Have you any disabilities which might limit your prospective field of work or your ability to engage in air travel? YES NO If “yes”, please describe.