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Qualifications

 1.       Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the Early Childhood Development (ECD)/Parenting programme managed by WCO Jordan through mapping the available parenting services, guidelines, stakeholders, and training packages ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the needs and national priorities.

2.       Background

Parenting is a process that aims to ensure children’s health and safety, prepare them for productive life when they become adults, and transmit cultural values to them that help shape their future. The world has witnessed an enormous amount of change in the social, economic, cultural, and technological aspects of life in the past few decades. As a result, the growth and development of children today require high-quality parenting to ensure healthy development and a smooth transition from childhood to adulthood.

As part of the Global Initiative to Support Parenting and with funding from the LEGO Foundation, the WHO Jordan seeks to support evidence-based parenting interventions in Jordan to foster early learning and responsive caregiving through integration within existing services to strengthen nurturing care for child development. Additionally, emphasizes the importance of nurturing healthy relationships between caregivers and children aged 0-17. Building upon WHO’s guidelines released in February 2023, which underscored the significance of fostering positive parent-child interactions while mitigating the risk of maltreatment, this project aims to empower national governments to scale up existing interventions and lay the groundwork for comprehensive strategies aimed at supporting parents in navigating the complexities of modern parenthood.

The aforementioned project is aligned with the Ministry of Health Strategy 2023-2025, the  National Strategy for Human Resource Development 2016 – 2025, the WHO guidelines on parenting interventions to prevent maltreatment and enhance parent–child relationships with children aged 0–17 years, and with Strategic Development Goals (SDG) targets 4.2 (all children have access to quality early childhood development) & 16.2 (ending all forms of violence against children).

WHO Jordan is seeking to contract an expert consultant in Early Child Development/Parenting to gather information and mapping of the available services, evidence-based training packages, and stakeholders, guide the development of standard guidelines for parenting implementation in Jordan, and work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and focal points including the Ministry of Health (MOH) Directorate of Women and Child, National council for family affairs (NCFA), WHO Jordan national health systems officer and parenting officer, WHO/EMRO Regional Advisor for Child and Adolescent Health, and WHO/HQ Child Health and Development unit.

3.       Work to be performed.

Output 1: Conduct a formative assessment guided by the 4Ws mapping tool (Who, What, Where, When) to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the existing services, training packages, guidelines, resources, and relevant stakeholders related to parenting (0-19 years old) interventions in Jordan.

Output 1.1: (15 days)

To conduct a Mapping of existing parenting services, stakeholders, training packages, and initiatives to provide an overall picture of the scope and nature of parenting support and best practices in Jordan and identify the gaps in service provision, geographic, availability, and accessibility of services, target group, human resources, and technical expertise to enhance coordination. Including consultation in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, the NCFA (ECD taskforce), and other stakeholders. Conducting key informant interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders from the health, protection, and education sectors and UN agencies (including children, parents, parenting practitioners, and persons with disabilities) ensuring variety in stakeholders to determine parents’ needs from various socio-economic backgrounds.

Output 1.2: (5 days)

To conduct a desk review of relevant documents including academic studies, technical and evaluation reports, and policies on parenting and child development, particularly in the areas of child health and protection, parenting strategy, and parenting support initiatives based on international best practices and guidelines and national policies.

Output 1.3: (1 day)

To Design English and Arabic versions of an Excel sheet tool, that contains all information  mentioned in output 1.1 such as information about the organization, details of activities, target groups ..etc, and aligned with the previously conducted mappings (using 4Ws mapping tool)

Deliverable 1.1:

An inception report outlining the framework, methodology, work-plan which indicates phases of evaluation, consultation meetings, data collection tools, key deliverables, timeline, and milestones.

Deliverable 1.2:

A detailed report illustrating a full description and summarizing the analysis of the available parenting interventions in Jordan including services, stakeholders, and training packages with a comparison of each package, identifying the gaps and needs in the implementation of services, background/ literature review, barriers for parents to access services and lessons learned, methodology, findings, challenges, and recommendations. (based on output 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3)

Output 2: Develop a vision, scope, and minimal standards for parenting interventions in Jordan consistent with the diverse needs of parents and international best practices.

The standards should be aligned with:

·         The development of child-focused, gender-sensitive, country-specific, health-focused, holistic parenting intervention coverage for the age of (0-19) years old.

·         The inclusion of children with disabilities, children and young people without parental care, and children from various socio-economic backgrounds.

·         Support modern, culturally relevant, and fit-for-purpose parenting programs in Jordan.

·         Identify the main topics to be covered and pillars to be included in any parenting intervention in Jordan.

·         The available curricula of parenting interventions, enable unfettered access and sustainable use by the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders.

·         A parenting support based on international best practices that will provide an overview of policies, tools, and interventions that should be in place to achieve the scale-up of parenting interventions across the life course of children in Jordan.

Output 2.1: (6 days)

To develop a collaborative document outlining a clear vision, scope, and minimal standards for parenting interventions in Jordan in coordination with WHO Jordan, NCFA (ECD taskforce), MOH, and stakeholders. (based on deliverable 1.2).

Output 2.2: (5 days)

To Plan, present, and facilitate a three-day national workshop to complement and validate the minimal Standards guidelines for parenting interventions in Jordan, engaging key stakeholders for comprehensive feedback, and approval.

Output 2.3: (3 days)

To plan and facilitate a one-day high-level Workshop for minimal Standards guidelines dissemination involving all relevant decisions makers.

Deliverable 2.1:

A document outlining the vision, scope, and minimal standards for parenting interventions in Jordan.

Deliverable 2.2:

A National Workshop on finalized Minimal Standards guidelines for parenting interventions in Jordan.

Deliverable 2.3:

A High-Level Workshop for Dissemination of finalized minimal standards guidelines for parenting interventions in Jordan.

Output 3. Development of a national cohort of trainers to enhance the role of grandparents in providing care for young children.

Output 3.1 (5 days)

To tailor the Care for Child Development (CCD)training package, developed by the WHO and UNICEF, to be used for the TOT training on “Grandparents’ Role in Caring for Grandchildren”.

Output 3.2 (10 days)

To Conduct a TOT training of trainers on “Grandparents’ Role in Caring for Grandchildren” over (5 days) to 12 trainees, and a roll-out of training for selected potential facilitators to train 20 participants over (3 days).

Deliverable 3.1:

Training material on “Grandparents’ Role in Caring for Grandchildren” tailored from the WHO-UNICEF Care for Child Development (CCD) training package.

Deliverable 3.2:

A cohort of 12 ToT trained on enhancing the role of grandparents in care provision in Jordan and a rollout of 1 workshop guided by the support of the consultant for selected potential facilitators to train 20 participants over (3 days).

4.       Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Master’s degree in public or community health, social science, social care discipline (community health, child health/development, disabilities, and rehabilitation, special education), or relevant health field.

Experience:

At least 7 years’ experience in the area of early child development or health and social service management and planning and research.

Skills/Technical skills and knowledge:

·      Good experience in health systems, stakeholder analysis, research, program planning and implementation.

·      Good knowledge of and experience working with the Jordanian public health and social care system.

·      Good report writing and presentation skills.

·      Experience with the UN system or other international organizations is an advantage.

Languages and level required:

Expert level in English and Arabic

5.       Location

Amman – Jordan

6.       Planned timelines (Subject to confirmation)

(50 working days)

Start date: 19 May 2024

End date: 30 November 2024

7.       Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

8.       Travel

Travel is not needed.

Additional Information

·         This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted. 
• A written test may be used as a form of screening. 
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