ToRse ref. no. 2021-012 Date 16 March 2021
Project “Advancing Child Protection and Care in Albania 2019 -2021” Terms of Reference
Consultancy to develop a case based study on the status of Alternative Care services in the Municipality of Shkodra
Background on Save the Children
Save the Children in Albania is a long term development programme and has established a high profile and sound reputation in child rights issues, particularly in the three thematic priority areas: Education, Child Protection and Child Rights Governance. Save the Children focuses its work on capacity building and strengthening of services for children and the creation of a policy and legislative environment which responds to key child rights issues in the country. To achieve our tasks, we primarily work with and through partners like non-governmental organizations (local and international), UN and the Government. This ensures that the rights: of the greatest number of children are met in the best possible way. We constantly monitor and evaluate all projects to ensure quality in our work. Save the Children in Albania is establishing and strengthening structures and mechanisms which monitor and advocate for children’s rights, promote ways to protect children from all forms of exploitation and violence and also empower and support children to meaningfully increase their participation and be advocate of their rights and influence decisions that bring about changes in their future lives.
Our vision: A world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation.
Our mission: To inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.
Our values: Accountability, ambition, collaboration, creativity and integrity.
We are committed to ensuring our resources are used as efficiently as possible, in order to focus them on achieving maximum impact for children.
Background information/context
The project “Advancing Child Protection and Care in Albania” builds on the choices made by Save the Children Albania CO in its Country Strategic Plan 2019 – 2021. The intervention contributes to reach to the Strategic Choice “Children without appropriate care have access to quality protection services”. Child Protection work, focus on Alternative Care and System Strengthening through partnering with and providing technical support to Central and Local Authorities to strengthen protection mechanisms, integrating both formal and informal ones to prevent, identify, respond child protection issues through a multi-sectoral approach. Work with communities to challenges their attitudes, empowering adults and children to request and access quality protection services is also part of the intended work in the frame of the Country Strategy Plan. The Advocacy work aim to ensure proper implementation of laws and policies at both central and local level.
The Project will support the De-Institutionalization of children from all public residential care facilities, though re-enforcement of family support and re-unification opportunities, as well as
alternative care options for children, such as kinship, foster care and small family type group homes.
Objective
Save the Children Albania CO, is seeking to contract a consultant that displays the human, ethical and technical capacities to conduct a process of case based Impact assessment of interventions targeting the development and strengthening of Alternative Care services with focus in the Municipality of Shkodra.
The study should aim to bring:
- analysis on the existing status of the AC services,
- identify positive practices as well gaps and challenges facing children at risk or deprived of appropriate parental care.
- Provide recommendations for future programming and advocacy in order to ensure the right of children to live and thrive in a family.
Location and official travel involved
The consultant will carry out the assignment home based and traveling to Shkodra might as well be required and will be pre-approved by SC appointed staff in accordance with SCI’s Travel Policy.
Services the Supplier will provide
Some mixed methods will be used to carry out the assignment which will be divided in 2 components:
1. Desk review and analysis of intervention’s documents
2. Assessment of coordinated actions undertaken at local level to identify, assess and respond to specific needs of children at risk and or deprived of parental care, including family strengthening interventions and related re-integration outcomes.
Regarding the second component, the focus will be on the qualitative aspect: a case based assessment of the capacities of the local structures to plan and develop alternative care services; to prevent the institutionalization (family strengthening activities), to identify, recruit and train Foster Care families and to support the gatekeeping. Desk review of the intervention design, approaches implemented, existing reports; assessments and plans, from program staff being Save the Children, implementing partner or Municipality staff as well of public and non-public service providers, together with in depth interviews with the same key actors, children and families, beneficiaries of the interventions with be the main methodological approaches to be used.
Experience and skill set required
• Extensive Knowledge on Child Protection and Alternative Care field; • Expertise in research, evaluation and documentation;
• Proven record of similar tasks performed in the past;
• Good knowledge and practical experience in project design and project cycle management;
• Excellent writing skills; • Good communication skills
Expected Deliverables
SC expects the following deliverables to be provided: Deliverable
number
Deliverable title Description Format and style 1 Inception report this should be preliminary
document outlining the structure of the document, methodology, key elements and annexes.
Presentation delivered to PI staff
2 Final Study Document (Up to 30 pages’
maximum with annexes as more concise
document is preferred).
Document should be written in high quality manner, including observing following qualities and characteristics: reader-friendly, clear and simple language, organized and well structured, result-focused, accurate in terms of both punctuations and English language. Annexes provided should be reviewed and brought to the same format
Completed on the format template agreed with PI staff
Timeline
The timeline for this consultancy is to be completed by the consultant during the period 1st April – 30 May 2021 which includes preparatory work, traveling to the site; thematic sessions; evaluation and report writing
Estimated Commencement Date: 5th April 2021 Estimated End Date: 30 May 2021
Deliverable number
Deliverable title Submit to Delivery date
1 Inception Report Project staff 12 April 2021 2 Draft report Project staff 22 May 2021
3 Final report PI Manager 30th May 2021
Deliverable 1 – to be accepted by Project staff within 2 days of delivery date Deliverable 3 – to be accepted by Project staff within 2 days of delivery date
General assumptions and dependencies
Save the Children appointed staff will ensure the following: Provide all necessary program documents
• Coordinate the actions between local informants and external expert • Provide timely feedback and guidance on the draft documents submitted
• Provide logistic support and daily allowances as per the SCI policies for the fulfilment of the consultancy.
Supervisor:
Elidjana Metani – Project Officer/ Save the Children Save the Children Child Safeguarding Policy:
As a condition of entering into a consultancy agreement the expert must sign Save the Children
International Child Safeguarding Policy and abide by the terms and conditions thereof.
Selection Criteria:
Submissions will be evaluated in consideration of the Selection Criteria as stated below: The offer will be evaluated by using the Best value for money approach (combined scoring method). Technical background and methodology proposal will be evaluated with 75% whereas the timeline proposal for completion of the assignment with 25% of the weight.
Below is the breakdown of the proposal evaluation on 100%.
Criteria
Weight
Max.
Point
Technical
Background and Experience to undertake this task
35 %
35
Overall Concept Note Approach, including project plan and timeline
40%
40
Time frame proposal
25%
25
The deadline for responses is: 26 March 2021
How to apply for the services
Interested candidates should present the followings to [email protected] by close of business day, 26 March 2021
• Personal CV (whenever the applicant is a team of Consultants, the information of Lead Consultant should be presented), indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Applicant and at least three (3) professional references; Key Qualifications required should be embedded in CV.
performed. In the concept note please provide information evidencing your experience of having provided services similar to those required or expertise that would allow you to carry out the services required.
• Proposal of the amount of days needed to fulfil the assignment • A copy of work completed for previous similar Consultancy.
