Alternative Care and Deinstitutionalization Technical Advisor

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

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CP system strengthening

Maintain a strategic overview of care related issues affecting children, monitoring trends and inputting to country level strategy and planning processes in coordination with national authorities. Ensure planning and subsequent cooperation and programme structures are done in partnership with key stakeholders, in particular governmental authorities, and that they aim to establish/strengthen processes and mechanisms at hramada, rayon, oblast, national (and broader) level which supports identification, monitoring and response to the care, protection concerns of children and support to national social service systems.  Maintain working relationships with relevant governmental authorities with the aim of improving coordination and develop harmonized approaches to care transformation and DI, together with other child protection actors. In particular, strengthen partnership and programme coordination with the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ukraine Coordination Centre for Family Upbringing and Child Care Development.  Contribute to the development of policy relating to the care of children and ensure this is consistent with SC’s overall approach. Establish, review, and adapt standard tools and approaches to CP system strengthening programming (stronger family and community-based systems, preventative and response services for children and families at risk, stronger social service workforce, etc) on a regular basis, and support CP (including CM and MHPSS) programme teams and partners during design, implementation and evaluation of programming.  Develop guidance and tools, as needed, in line with SC and sector wide best practices and adapt relevant field-friendly guidelines to the context in coordination with other technical advisors. Ensure cooperation, collaboration and integration with other sectors and cross-cutting themes with an emphasis on MHPSS, gender and programming for adolescents and youth.

Alternative Care programming

Stay abreast of state-of-the-art developments in quality and innovations related to alternative care programming (with a focus on children in residential and institutional care and the transition to family care) and share relevant information and learning as appropriate. Develop SCI framework on care issues in line with SC’s child rights programming approach, and processes to monitor adherence, to ensure high quality, innovative operations and advocacy. Identify and contextualize alternative care programming approaches and technical information, tools, resources and training materials for the field; maintain a directory of these resources. Provide expertise and build capacity of local social services and SCI’s partners implementing different forms of prevention and alternative care programmes including family-based care options, child-centred case management and family strengthening.  In coordination with CM TAs, support the design of alternative care and family reunification interventions to support the process of deinstitutionalization and care transformation in Ukraine, making sure that interventions are in line with SC’s standards and coordinated with governmental authorities and other child protection actors.  Design and initiate effective programme and advocacy interventions to address the risks and violations of children’s rights in the context of family-based care in close collaboration with SCI Senior Child Rights Advocacy Advisor. This is to increase standards of quality in alternative care while taking into account short term/long term interventions within the framework of overall long-term programme goals as well as a systems approach.  Advocate, plan and programme for longer term community-based care options for children in need of care. Ensure that care interventions are informed by and integrated with other core sectors of education, health, nutrition, food security and livelihoods (both internally and externally to SCI programmes in Ukraine).  Produce, or support the production of funding proposals looking particularly at the longer term funding needs for community based care and contribute to advocacy with governmental authorities and donors. 

Deinstitutionalization programming and care reform support

Promote Save the Children’s growth in programming in Ukraine focused on vulnerable children living in residential and institutional care or at risk of entering residential and institutional care, learning from SCI experience and other international best practices and standards. In coordination with government authorities and partners, design SCI programming to support vulnerable children who are living in residential care to return to safe, nurturing families and to support children at risk of institutionalization by expanding family-based care options, strengthen community-based services and crises support. Liaise and provide technical support and guidance to governmental authorities on care transformation. Engage donors on DI and alternative care to advocate for adequate allocation of funding and technical capacity Lead on development of concept notes, proposals and budgeting on care transformation and DI, making sure that they are in line with SCI and international standards as well as the GoU national DI strategy and Action Plan.  Ensure quality technical review and adjustments of ongoing DI programming in coordination with partners and governmental authorities.  Provide technical support with ongoing assessments of institutional and residential care facilities by developing adequate tools and guidance based on international and European guidelines standards and Save the Children’s principles and practice. Support the monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) and operational research efforts of the DI programme in collaboration with MEAL staff. Ensure integration of DI and alternative care programming. 

Staff management and capacity development

Line-manage the AC & DI Manager, in adherence to SC’s HR processes.  Ensure support to the professional growth and development of the AC & DI Manager.  Support CP managers to develop staff structures, initiate recruitment of staff and identify capacity building requirements for implementing DI and alternative are programming. Co-design with technical advisors capacity-building need assessments of key international and national staff and partners and develop adequate capacity development plans.  In close collaboration with technical advisors, lead on the desing of capacity building programmes for staff and partners involved in alternative care and deinstitutionalization.  Systematically build the capacity of CP (including CM and MHPSS) programme teams to ensure that good practices and guidance are adhered to and minimum standards are met in their daily work. In coordination with government authorities, identify areas of capacity improvement of local social and child rights services in the areas targeted by SCI and partners with DI and alternative care programming and design and provide adequate institutional capacity development with a focus on supporting the social service workforce. 

External relations and coordination 

Play a leading role in external coordination on DI and alternative care in partnership with governmental authorities, local civil society organizations, UNICEF, the child protection AoR and any other relevant stakeholder. Initiate and lead an inter-agency working group on DI and alternative care setting objectives, technical outputs, capacity development, workplans and involvement and coordination with governmental authorities with a participatory approach.  Facilitate coordination among all relevant actors, including child protection actors, who have a role in the provision of alternative care and care reform.  Contribute to identifying and agreeing within and between agencies, governmental authorities and other stakeholders the roles, responsibilities and accountability for planned actions and decision-making around care issues.  Support teams to establish and maintain effective coordination with humanitarian actors, authorities, and community at local level in SCI’s and partners’ areas of implementation of alternative care programming and DI. Promote a commonly agreed, harmonized approach, practices and tools for alternative care and DI among all relevant stakeholders.

Other

Ensure strict adherence to the principles of child protection and child safeguarding at all times, including respect for confidentiality and always acting in the best interests of the child. Comply with Save the Children policies and practices with respect to safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures. In agreement with line manager, perform other required duties within reason (in line with skills and experience).

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential 

Degree level in Social Work, Human rights Law, International Relations, Development Studies or similar, or equivalent field experience. 10 years’ experience in child protection or child rights programming with a focus on children without parental care and support of relevant actors on improvement of child protection systems.  Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands-on implementation capacity. Strong familiarity with European and international standards and best practices on DI and alternative care with experience in upholding standards in emergency and/or development contexts. Previous experience and strong skills on child protection system strengthening, deinstitutionalization, working with government authorities, and alternative care programming. Experience in capacity building and in strengthening various duty bearers understanding of and response to CP system strengthening and care reform.  Experience of working with partners and a participatory approach. Experience of and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability. Experience in monitoring and evaluating child protection programmes in emergency, transition and development contexts. Experience in capacity building and in strengthening various duty bearers’ understanding of alternative care programming, deinstitutionalization and care transformation. Experience in inter-agency CP work and coordination. Experience of representation and ability to represent SC effectively in external forums. Excellent communication skills, politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy. High level of written and spoken English.  Capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances. Commitment to and understanding of child rights, the aims and principles of SC, and humanitarian standards such as the Sphere Charter and the Code of Conduct. In particular, a good understanding of SC’s mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support.

Desirable

Experience in child protection and social protection in development context and experience in working across the humanitarian-development-peace Nexus. Experience in Ukraine.  Previous experience of working with Save the Children.  Spoken Ukrainian and/or Russian language. 

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