Terms of Reference for Consultancy Services to Facilitate Responsive and Protective Parenting (RPP) Program Model Activities

About ChildFund

ChildFund is a child-focused international development organization that works throughout Asia, Africa, and the Americas to connect children with what they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe, no matter where they are. ChildFund International currently works with more than 21.1 million children and their family members in 23 countries throughout Asia, Africa, and the Americas. ChildFund’s Mission is to

• Help children who experience deprivation, exclusion, and vulnerability to build the capacity to improve their lives and become young adults, parents and leaders who bring lasting and positive change in their communities.
• Promote societies whose individuals and institutions participate in valuing, protecting, and advancing the worth and rights of children.
• Enrich the lives of donors through their connections with us.

ChildFund Kenya works through 11 Local Implementing Partners (LIPs) across 27 counties and does direct implementation in 2 program regions in Nairobi and Kisumu, reaching over 1.3m children and families experiencing various forms of deprivation, exclusion, and vulnerabilities. As per our Country’s strategic plan (2022-2026) our programming and advocacy priorities include: Child Protection, Strengthening Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Education, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, Youth Engagement and Participation, Gender and Social Inclusion and Advocacy

ChildFund Kenya Early Childhood Development Program

ChildFund Kenya work in close collaboration with parents and other primary caregivers, communities, national and county governments to support improved health, safety, and well-being of infants and young children (IYC) through provision of integrated ECD interventions. Through a strength-based approach we support/ build on locally led initiatives that strengthen families and communities, helping them to break the cycle of poverty and protect the rights of children. We aim to strengthen partnerships for nurturing care to promote nurturing care and supportive structures for early childhood development. Thus, ChildFund’s ECD program is aligned to the Nurturing Care Framework for ECD. ChildFund ECD program promotes early childhood development by ensuring that:
a) Infants and young children have empowered and responsive caregivers.
b) Infants and young children have safe and caring environments.
c) Expectant mothers and young children are healthy and well-nourished.
d) Infants and young children can access stimulating and high-quality early-learning environments.
ChildFund lays special emphasis in Child protection and safeguarding and ensures it is mainstreamed in all our program interventions.

Overview of Responsive and Protective Parenting Program Model

ChildFund International’s Responsive and Protective Parenting (RPP) Global Program is promoting community-based group parenting sessions utilizing contextualized training manuals. The program covers the five components of nurturing care namely good health, adequate nutrition, opportunities for early learning, safety and security, and responsive caregiving, and caregiver well-being. The target group is vulnerable caregivers, and the impact group is infants and young children (IYC) aged 0-5. RPP program aims to:

1. Strengthen multi-sectoral sub-national government and Implementing Partners’ (IP) capacity to support community stakeholders in ensuring protective and nurturing home and community environments for infants and young children.
2. Strengthen community stakeholders’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices on the components of nurturing care, caregiver well-being, and community-based child protection to support caregivers in group and home parenting sessions.
3. Enhance parents/caregiver’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices across the components of nurturing care, caregiver well-being; and community-based child protection.

The long-term goal of RPP program model is for infants and young children to have improved age-appropriate development and early learning outcomes, and to be protected at home and in their communities. To achieve this goal, the model has a three-pronged approach – capacity strengthening of implementing partner and county government relevant departments staff, community stakeholders, and caregivers. The model uses a cascading approach to support capacity strengthening of various stakeholders by enhancing their knowledge and skills.

Currently seven of our LIPs are implementing the model. These are:

1. Eastern Community Development Programme (ECDP) working in Machakos and Kitui counties.
2. Lake Region Development Program (LRDP) working in Migori, Homabay, and Kisii counties.
3. Emali Dedicated Children’s Agency- (EDCA) working in Makueni and Kajiado counties.
4. Pioneer Child Development Program working in Meru, Laikipia, and Nyeri counties.
5. Nawiri Child Development Programme working in Isiolo, Samburu, Marsabit and Meru counties.
6. Samburu Childrens Program (SCP) working in Samburu County.
7. Childrise Development Programme working in Tharaka Nithi and Embu counties.

The LIPs are at different implementation levels depending on when each started implementing the model. For our current financial year, we are scaling up to one other LIP – Mt. Kilimanjaro Child Development Program working in Kajiado county.

This ToR, therefore, is to solicit for an individual to support in facilitation of RPP related activities being undertaken by the LIPs over a period of one year.

The Assignment
The purpose of the assignment is to support in facilitation of various RPP related activities being undertaken by the LIPs in their respective counties over a period of one year.

Scope of Work
5.1. Key Tasks
The scope of the assignment shall entail the following key tasks:

• Facilitation of various training courses namely:
  • Training on Core Concepts of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Group Parenting Education. This is a 5-day training.
  • Training on Reflective Supervision for LIP staff and mentors. This is a 3-day training.
• Post-training supportive follow-up visits/ check-in with the LIPs
• Facilitation of reflection sessions with the LIPs. This is a one-day workshop held once every quarter.

Note:

• The exact training dates for each training will be communicated three weeks in advance to enable the facilitator plan adequately.
• There is probability of the communicated dates changing based on other ongoing/emerging activities that the participants may be engaged in.
• ChildFund will provide transport to and from the training venues.

Key Deliverables
Upon completion of each key tasks, the facilitator will deliver the following:
a) A detailed report of activity undertaken in soft and hard copy.
b) The presentations, tools, handouts, and any other materials used for the activity.
c) Participants workplans

Management and Coordination
The consultant will work closely with and report to ChildFund’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) Specialist and will work closely with the Program Coordinators (PCs) from the eight LIPs. The management of the day-to-day activities in the field will be supported by the PCs at the implementing partner’s level.

Payment Schedule

• The payment will be made in Kenyan shillings at the determined daily rate for lead and support facilitators exclusive of accommodation and meals.
• The Payment will be done through direct bank transfer upon receipt of a duly supported invoice and submission of a detailed report for each activity undertaken.
• The payment shall be subjected to 5% withholding tax as required by the Law at the time of payment.

Qualifications for the Assignment
The successful individual will have the following competencies:

1. A master’s degree in either early childhood studies, education, developmental psychology, or any other relevant social sciences with a minimum of 7+ years of relevant professional.
2. Demonstrated proficiency to conduct high-quality interactive training in-person and remotely (virtual) for adult learners preferably in the early childhood studies/childcare/caregiver wellbeing sectors.
3. Expertise in designing/ developing training content and tools such as training manuals, resource handbooks, and facilitators guides relevant to early childhood development and caregiver wellbeing.
4. A successful track record of carrying out similar assignments (references should be provided that ChildFund can contact to confirm this track record).
5. Effective communication skills and ability to explain complex concepts using simple language.
6. Exemplary skills in documentation and report writing.
7. A good understanding and basic skills in project design and implementation, participatory planning, and monitoring.
8. Proven abilities in documentation and preparation of quality activity reports in concise, user-friendly formats that can be easily understood.

Application Procedure
Interested individuals should submit expression of interest (EOI) comprising these sections:
i) Capability Statement – State the individual’s experience delivering similar services in similar organizational and geographic settings. Detail the skills and experiences of key support staff related to the responsibilities of the assignment. The consultant’s CVs should be provided as an attachment.
ii)Technical Proposal – provide an interpretation of the assignment and detail the proposed approach based on these Terms of Reference.
iii)Financial proposal – should provide itemized daily consultancy rates for the lead facilitator and for other assistants who will support the lead facilitator to deliver on the assignment. The financial proposal should exclude travel, accommodation, and supplies.