Closing date: 30 Oct 2008 -- (CLOSED)
Location: Georgia - Kvemo Kartli Region, Georgia
UNICEF Georgia
Technical Support to Promote Child Protection Municipal Action Plan Development and Implementation in Kvemo Kartli Region
Background
Child Welfare Reform
The ongoing Child Welfare Reform focuses on the development of improved policies and institutional structures for child protection at the National and sub national levels. It intends to establish systems to prevent the institutionalization of children, provide alternative care models and establish linkages between child welfare system and cash assistance programs. The reform process is documented in the Government’s five year Inter-ministerial Plan of Action for De-institutionalization (2003-2007) and the Child Action Plan (CAP) 2008-2011. CAP 2008-2011 distinct from the earlier plans has expanded beyond de-institutionalization, recognising that protection of children is broader than those currently in state care. The plan includes three main problematic areas: poverty, use of large scale residential institutions, and child abuse and neglect. The CAP will also include a corresponding log frame with the relevant activities based on the results and recommendations of the recent research and assessments. The CAP will also include a corresponding log frame with the relevant activities based on the results and recommendations of the recent research and assessments. Georgia Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2005 and the National Study on Violence (2008), both commissioned by UNICEF were among the assessments drawn on in CAP 2008-2011 revealing that physical and psychological violence against and between youth and children are seen as acceptable behavior.
The importance of providing quality child care services in residential and community based services has been widely acknowledged by the Government. This is illustrated by the ongoing testing of the family support and family substitute standards of child care developed by the Technical Secretariat of the Governmental Commission on Child Protection and De-institutionalization (GCCPD). Standards have already been approved by the Ministry of Justice and are expected to be enacted in 2008. It is important that support is further provided to local service providers to ensure their implementation. In addition, the Social Work Regulation Working Group supported by UNICEF has developed Social Work Regulation Concept to be agreed with MoLHSA.
As policies are developing nationally it is important to facilitate their implementation at a sub-national level. This would illustrate practical application of the policies at the sub-national levels. Operational linkages between the National and Regional levels would support the development of the child protection strategies based on the local needs and available resources integrating other related programs (health, early childhood development, education).
Institutional Structures
Georgia predominantly has a centralized system of governance. The state has primary responsibility in health, education and social protection areas with some de-concentration to the municipal level. That said, it has devolved responsibilities in some areas such as preschool. Administratively, the country is divided into the capital, 10 regions, and 2 autonomous republics. The regions, while having no monetary or legislative responsibilities, are headed by an appointee of the president. The region is tasked to facilitate communication between the municipalities and the state. There are 69 local self-governing units (64 Municipalities and 5 self-governing cities) which have a mayors appointed by an elected council (Sakrebulo). With some of its own revenues (e.g. from property tax) and a recent equalization formula (in place less than 2 years) the municipality has scope to implement its own programmes.
The military conflict of early August 2008 in Georgia severely affected several municipalities in Shida Kartli Region and surrounding areas. Autonomic Republic of South Osetia and neighbouring municipalities in Shida Kartli and Mstkheta Mtianeti have been occupied by the separatist forces and Russian Military. Many regions of Georgia including Kvemo Kartli are hosting thousands of the internally displaced persons from the affected and occupied locations.
Kvemo Kartli
For the purpose of this assignment UNICEF had identified one pilot region where it supports municipalities in the implementation of national policy, and identification and response to its own needs served with the local resources. Kvemo Kartli was selected considering the diverse composition of the population (e.g. Georgian and minority population, old and new IDPs), existing statutory and alternative services, previous UNICEF experience in the region, as well as a joint UN approach to support development in the region.
Kvemo Kartli Region has its administrative unit located in the City of Rustavi, bordering Tbilisi and is located in eastern Georgia. Geographically the Region it is diverse with its urban area closely linked to Tbilisi and extensive rural and mountainous regions, with poor communication networks. The Region consists of six municipalities (Bolnisi, Gardabani, Dmanisi, Tetri Tskaro, Marneuli, Tsalka) and is populated with over half a million inhabitants, about 140,000 of which are children.
In the year 2008 UNICEF had supported a series of activities in the Kvemo Kartli pilot region to facilitate implementation of the Child Welfare Reform at the local level. Child Protection Regional Coordinator based in Rustavi was hired to coordinate, guide, monitor, follow-up the progress of the implementation of the Reform in the Region. During May-September period UNICEF International Consultant provided input on a) the child protection component of the Regional Development Strategy, b) needs assessment in seven municipalities, c) municipality specific local action plans, etc. The reports and other documents developed during the previous stages of the work will serve as bases for the next assignments.
The needs assessment conducted in Kvemo Kartli municipalities was conducted using the common tool. Detailed information about the situation of children in each Municipality is available and has served as bases for the draft local action plans available for 7 locations. Situation analyses reveal the following main trends and findings:
- Statutory child care services in the Region, namely in Rustavi are better developed then in most of the other Regions of Georgia, though still do not meet existing needs.
- The Ministry of Education and Science social workers work is Rustavi (team of 8), and each municipality (one social worker) of the Region.
- The region has the following state funded services - 2 orphanages, one day care, one small group home and about 20 foster placements. Together, all the forms of state care serve approximately 400 children.
- Considerable number of children from Kvemo Kartli Municipalities are placed in the institutions outside the region (e.g. 11 children in Tbilisi Infant House, etc.)
- Total number of children in the Region is over 100,000 with the largest number residing in Marneuli (33.306)
- Social sector budget has significantly grown during the last years (from 23% to 90%). Though, in some municipalities like Dmanisi, it is as small as 1.5% of to the total.
- Children with disabilities are one of the biggest groups in need of protection. Over 1100 are registered and many more are unregistered in all municipalities. These children face stigmatization, discrimination, social exclusion, lack of access to education and rehabilitation.
- Children deprived of parental care or being at risk of separation form another large vulnerable group in all municipalities. There are about 400 children in public care majority of whom are social orphans. Young people from this group face major problems after 18 years of age as they lack any employment and accommodation opportunities.
- Street children, majority of who have families mostly reside in Rustavi (over 50 children).
- Early marriages mostly in Azeri girls are closely linked with the early drop out from the schools in Azeri populated villages.
In addition, other exiting sources of information suggest that:
- Kvemo Kartli has the lowest birth registration rate through the country (87 %, MICS)
- Over 3,000 internally displaces persons from South Osetia reside in the kindergartens, schools, and other state and private settings in the Region.
- National Study on Violence against Children shows that over the half of the children in Georgia experience physical, psychological and/or sexual victimisation.
The situation of child protection in Georgia has been studied and documented in a number of assessments, namely:
- The National Study on Violence against Children (UNICEF/Public Health and Medicine Development Fund 2008);
- Evidence-Based Assessment of Social Work Practice in Georgia (UNICEF 2008);
- Survey Results on the First Phase of Piloting Child Care Standards (GCCPD Technical Secretariat/ACT Research 2007);
- Baseline Data Analysis of Referrals to Residential Care and Social Services for Children (EU Support to Child Welfare Reform Project 2006);
- Assessment of Social Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Families Kvemo Kartli and Institutions Countrywide (UNICEF/Children of Georgia 2007);
- Mapping of Child Care Services in Georgia (EU Support to Child Welfare Reform Project 2006) and other available materials will provide some input into the development of a baseline for the Strategy;
- Institutional Baseline Mapping Report (UNDP 2008);
- Situation Assessment of Kvemo Kartli Municipalities (UNICEF 2008), etc.
Initial steps in the development of a referral system from the police, healthcare settings, schools and kindergartens to the child welfare service, were made in 2006. Professionals were trained in referral and response mechanisms set forth by the draft Statutory Standards of Child Care (the same standards as mentioned earlier). Mandatory reporting and case conferences were introduced as key areas of child protection, to serve as instruments in an inter-agency work model in Rustavi. The basic system of providing referrals is in place though the MoES social work team has limited response capacity.
Currently, in collaboration with the state and non-state partners UNICEF supports piloting of the Mandatory Referral Procedures jointly developed by these stakeholders and approved by the MoES. Piloting takes place in 8 locations through the country, three of which are located in Kvemo Kartli region (Rustavi, Marneuli, Bolnisi). Training of the selected ToTs and the professionals to be involved in the piloting is underway and will be carried out in 2 phases (ending in November 2008).
It other areas of child protection, UNICEF supports: a) the development of the rehabilitative scheme within the Rustavi probation department for juveniles in conflict with the law; b) Civil Registry Agency as it strives to increase birth registration particularly of ethnic minorities and eco-migrants; and c) Early Childhood Development and strengthening of the pre-school system.
The UN agencies are active in the Region implementing projects in the areas of Social and Child Protection, Juvenile Justice, Regional and Local Governance, Health and Reproductive Health, Economic Development, etc. UNDP in partnership with the Kvemo Kartli authorities, EC and OSCE has drafted the Regional Development Strategy Framework. As a result of the work supported by UNICEF in summer 2008, the framework now contains child protection as a priority area. Due to the fact, that regions have no monetary and implementation authority, the regional framework does not include an action plan and a budget. UNDP works to facilitate development of the local strategies and action plans for each municipality with UNICEF assistance on defining and addressing child protection needs.
Purpose of the consultancy
The purpose of the consultancy is to support the implementation of the most appropriate mechanism for Child Welfare in Kvemo Kartli through finalization and operationalization of the local action plans. Circumstances related to the shift of the child welfare system from the Ministry of Education and Science to the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs planned from January 2009 should be taken into the account. Recommendations on the addressing the need to close large residential institutions, expand alternative care and introduce effective and efficient mechanisms of child protection through a referral mechanism in the Region should be incorporated in the work.
More specifically, the consultancy aims:
Local Action Plans
- Review individual Municipal Assessments and draft Local Action Plans developed with the assistance of the UNDP and the UNICEF
- Work with the local working groups to finalize Action Plans
- Advise on the ways of linking the local action plans, regional strategies and the national priorities
- Develop a workplan including the timetable and mechanisms for operationalising the action plans
- Develop any related ToRs for the proposed implementing groups and/or partners recommended to be involved at the next stages
- Provide suggestions for fundraising to meet existing financial gaps in the action plan implementation
- Provide suggestions on critical areas where the capacity of local service providers needs to be strengthened in order to implement action plan objectives
Service Development
- Identify basic services needed for deinstitutionalization of Kvemo Kartli institutions’ residents
- Identify needs and available human/financial resources essential for establishing community based services in the municipalities
- Provide technical assistance in planning of the community based services development
- Provide suggestions on critical areas where the capacity of local service providers needs to be strengthened to provide quality services
- Provide suggestions for fundraising to meet financial gaps for service development
Other Tasks
- Provide suggestions on improving ongoing piloting and its expected results in three locations in Kvemo Kartli Region
- Provide comments regarding the sub national system of child care proposed to be implemented in the Region after the shift and suggestions for the best possible arrangements for the each municipality.
Deliverables:
The consultancy report will include:
- Final version of the local action plans, workplans and implementation timetables for their operationalization
- ToRs for the suggested working groups/partner organizations
- Suggestions of the critical areas where capacity of local services/service providers need to be strengthened in order to implement Action Plans
- Suggestions for fundraising to meet existing financial gaps in the action plan implementation
Time/duration and breakdown:
Total 25 days of consultancy during the month of November-December including:
- 3 day off-site consultancy
- 15 day on-site consultancy
- 7 day off-site consultancy during 2 month period to provide ongoing support in the action plan implementation process through on-line communication with UNICEF local consultant and CP section (till the end of December 2008)
If proven necessary a third stage of the on-site consultancy will be commissioned during the period of February-June 2009.
Qualifications
- Advanced university degree in social science, social policy or other relevant fields
- At least 10 years progressive work experience in developing child protection systems
- Successfully worked in a middle income countries. Experience in CEE/CIS countries would be an asset
- Excellent written and spoken English;
- Excellent report writing and human relation skills
Supervision:
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Child Protection Officer and overall supervision of the Child Protection Specialist.
Liaison Requirements:
The consultant will work closely with the Ministry of Education and Science Child Care Department, Kvemo Kartli regional and Municipal authorities, and UNDP. Daily work will be carried out in close collaboration with the UNICEF Kvemo Kartli Child Protection Regional Coordinator based in Rustavi
Contract arrangements:
The assignment is expected to begin in November 2008. The contract will cover the following costs transfer to the consultant’s bank account in US Dollars:
- Consultant’s fee paid upon approval of submitted deliverables
- Travel (return economy class air ticket) and terminal expenses
- Daily subsistence allowance according to UNICEF standard paid upon arrival
UNICEF will provide office space and office support in Rustavi and Tbilisi throughout the assignment, in-country travel support and translation services. UNICEF will support the consultant in establishing contact with the necessary partners, both government and non-government.
Reference Code: RW_7KH8MF-53
