Post:Consultancy: Technical Support to DBE
Job
from UN Children's Fund
Career categories: Monitoring and Evaluation
Country: South Africa
City: Pretoria
Organisation: UN Children's Fund
Theme: Protection and Human Rights
Job years of experience: 5-10 years
Job type: Consultancy
Assignment
Individual Consultant to provide Technical Support to DBE to conduct an Assessment of a sample of birth to four children with disabilities and their families in order to determine the mechanisms for accessing disability services, align and integrate young children’s screening instruments to the National Strategy on Screening , Identification , Assessment and Support,(SIAS).
Location: South Africa
Duration: 6 months
Estimate number of working days: 120 days
Reporting to: Submission deadline
Department of Education and UNICEF
1. Background
Children with physical, sensory, intellectual or mental health disabilities are among the most excluded of all the world’s children and they face serious barriers to the full enjoyment of their human rights. Discrimination, the tendencies and behaviours towards exclusion start at birth and the rest of the early years at whatever stage when disabilities have been identified. It is therefore very appropriate that internationally issues of disabilities have attracted the human rights international bodies and has lead for example, to the development of critical international instruments such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Other instruments such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child have included the rights of children with disabilities (Article 23).
2. Justification
In line with international trends on disabilities, South Africa has also taken disabilities issues very seriously and has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The government has put in place various policies to ensure that children and people with disabilities have access to all their rights and privileges as citizens of this nation. However gaps still exist on the implementation of disabilities policies and also in the development of policies and strategies that address the needs of all people with disabilities. Children with disabilities in the early years birth to four are a target group that still has to have their rights and privileges understood, specifically articulated in policies and guidelines for all adults who care for them. The early years are also crucial for early identification and intervention. Most disabilities can be prevented or eliminated altogether through proper diagnosis and treatment at birth and the early years of a child’s life. The Department of Basic Education developed a White Paper Six on Special Education to guide the inclusion of children with disabilities in the school system and later on it developed the National Strategy on Screening Identification Assessment and Support (SIAS). These two strategies are designed to ensure that children with disabilities are mainstreamed into the schooling system with the relevant resources including human capabilities required. The major gap has been in the disabilities intervention to young children before the school going age particularly in the implementation of SIAS.
3. Objective of the assignment
3.1 This assignment will assist in developing guidelines for parents, practitioners and caregivers on accessing services for children from birth to four with disabilities. It will also contribute to strengthening and integrating screening instruments while aligning them with SIAS.
3.2 It will enhance and ensure early identification and intervention which will assist in preparation of children with disabilities for formal schooling, creating a seamless support system from birth to the schooling years.
4. Scope of the Work
4.1. The scope of the work will involve:
Interviews and observations of a sample of birth to four children with disabilities and their families from socially and economically disadvantaged settings to understand:
• The children’s disabilities and the effect on their life and that of the family
• The child and families access to services
4.2. Interviews with officials working on disabilities issues and programmes in government, non-government agencies and institutions.
4.3. Alignment and integration of the screening instruments to SIAS.
4.4. Developing guidelines for parent’s, practitioners and care givers on caring for and stimulating young children with disabilities as well as accessing disability services. 4.5. Presentation of the draft assessment report, the guidelines and screening instruments to the Project steering Committee and the Reference group.
5. Expected Deliverables
The expected deliverables are:
5.1. An inception report detailing study methodology, sampling, data collection and analysis approaches.
5.2. A report on the study of birth to four children with disabilities and their families with clear findings and recommendations.
5.3. Birth to four screening instruments that are integrated and aligned to SIAS. They must be usable for parents practitioners and caregivers for assessing young children
5.4. Guidelines for parents on practitioners and caregivers on caring for and stimulating young children with disabilities and accessing services.
5.5. Submission of final report, guidelines and screening instruments
6. Desired Background and Experience
Post graduate qualifications relevant to the task
6.2 At least 5 years or more of professional experience in disability related work
6.3 Excellent written communicationskills in English
6.4 Keen interest in and personal dedication to the development of young children with disabilities and their families.
6.5 Good knowledge of and experience with working in a human rights context
6.6 Familiarity with South Africa’s ECD and disabilities landscape an advantage
6.7 Familiarity with the UNCRC and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other international and national disabilities policies.
6.8 Outstanding teamwork and team leadership skills, a self-starter who can work independently.
6.9 Experience in conducting interviews and analysing results.
6.10 Skilled in leading and guiding meetings and workshops
6.11 Experience with working in an intersectoral context
6.12 Good computer skills including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Internet searches.
7. Call for proposals
7.1. Proposals will be called from potential candidates who will be able to complete the assignment successfully.
7.2. The selection of the service provider will be done jointly between UNICEF and the Departments of Basic Education.
7.3. The proposal called for to include the following:
• How the assignment will be accomplished
• Information collection methods
• Consultation approaches and methodology
• Information Analysis approach
• A detailed cover letter, indicating the service provider/consultant, relevant experience and ability to execute the assignment.
• A detailed Curriculum Vitae of the service provider/consultant , indicating all experience and in particular experience related to the specific work assignment.
7.4. In addition to the proposal the following is required from:
• individual Service Providers
• Curriculum Vitae
• Person Details form (available from UNICEF)
• Three references
• Health statement (available from UNICEF)
• Bank Details
7.5. All proposals shall be submitted electronically to safpretoriavacancy@unicef.org before or on the deadline 04 June 2013. No late submissions will be accepted. It will be required from the successful candidate to submit signed copies of the proposal at the request of UNICEF.
8. Evaluation weighting
____60_% technical
____40_% financial
100% total
(Usually, 60% technical / 40% financial is recommended)
9. The payment schedule will be as follows:
• 30% upon submission of work plan and inception report
• 40% on submission of draft report
• 30% on submission of final report
10. Conditions
11.1 The technical assistant will report directly to the DBE Inclusive and ECD Directorates and the UNICEF Education Specialist responsible for ECD.
11.2 The Technical Assistant will work in their own office space and equipment
11.3 Local travel (outside Gauteng) and airport transfers (where applicable) will be covered in accordance with UNICEF’s rules and tariffs.
11.4 Flight costs will be covered at economy class rate as per UNICEF policies.
11.5 Any air tickets for travel, will be authorized by and paid for by UNICEF directly, and will be for the attendance of meetings and workshops (if contractor is from outside Gauteng)
11.6 Please also see UNICEF’s Standard Terms and Conditions attached.
How to apply:
Please direct any enquiries to: safpretoriavacancy@unicef.org
Applications/Proposals with all supporting documents (application letter, CV, P-11 form) should be addressed to: safpretoriavacancy@unicef.org with the subject line “a sample of birth to four children with disabilities and their families” deadline for submission: 04 June 2013.
South African Nationals/candidates who have permanent residence/temporary residence and/or valid work permit for the duration of the contract will be considered.
If you have not been contacted within one month of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.
Only short listed candidates will be contacted and regret emails will only be sent to interviewed candidates.
Job ID: #577756
Closing date: 04 Jun 2013
http://reliefweb.int/job/577756/consultancy-technical-support-dbehttp://reliefweb.int/job/577756/consultancy-technical-support-dbe
