Job Description

TOR FOR CONSULTANCY CONDUCT SERVICE MAPPING EXERCISES OF SERVICE PROVIDERS AND REFERRAL PATHWAYS, INCLUDING SERVICES FOR CHILDREN OUTSIDE FAMILY.

GAASHAAN PROJECT – Sustainable Humanitarian Response and Prevention to Protection and GBV risks in Somalia.

Background.

The GAASHAN Programme (Somali word for shield or protect) aims to provide sustainable and comprehensive humanitarian response and prevention to protection and GBV risks for marginalized and hard to reach communities in humanitarian hotspot areas in South Central Somalia.

The project will reach 43,756 direct beneficiaries (10,528 men, 21,533 women, 2,850 boys and 8,845 girls of whom 5% people with disabilities) in 18 districts across 9 regions in South Central Somalia. We will also reach an estimated 117,200 indirect beneficiaries (46,452 men, 59,748 women, 5,000 boys, and 6,000 girls).

The target districts have been prioritized as they experience consistently high levels of humanitarian needs and face the compounding effects of conflict and climate-related shocks and stressors, making populations vulnerable to gender based violence (GBV) and abuse. These districts are among the priority locations in the 2023 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) due to the magnitude and severity of needs following the five-season drought. In addition, El Nino is projected during the October to December Deyr rainfall season, resulting in excess rainfall and flooding. There are increased risks of flooding along the main rivers of Juba and Shabelle, leading to displacement, loss of lives, livelihoods and infrastructure, and heightening the risk of disease outbreaks. This threatens to worsen the humanitarian situation in these hotspot areas.

The project will also target locations in newly liberated areas which lack/have low humanitarian service provision, especially for protection and GBV services. The Programme will build on the consortium’s programming experience in delivery of prevention and response services in humanitarian contexts. We will continue targeting the most vulnerable communities who have been impacted by displacement due to conflict and climate-induced shocks, especially in hard to reach or newly accessible areas.

The GAASHAAN Programme will embed learnings from Phases I and II of the CHANGES project and adapt the approaches for a humanitarian response. The consortium will make use of several key approaches that have been proven efficient and effective in the Somali context:

• Centrality of Protection (CoP) will ensure the individual and collective responsibility to focus on protecting the vulnerable from harm caused by human rights violations on children as a central purpose of humanitarian action.
• Accountability to Affected People (AAP) will consider the needs of the targeted communities, with a focus on minorities and marginalized groups. This will be done by ensuring community-based feedback/complaint mechanisms which are inclusive, gender- and age-friendly.
• Adaptive management approach considering the diverse needs and complexity of the context to be agile and adapt to the ever-changing context and situation in Somalia

Project Locations

The multi-year programme is targeting 18 districts across nine regions in Somalia, this service mapping will be focus on Gedo (Belet Hawo and Dolow districts) and Lower Juba (Kismayo, Afmadhow and Dhobley districts)

Objectives of the Consultancy

• Conduct comprehensive service mapping exercises to identify and document service providers and referral pathways, with a specific focus on services for children outside family care.
• Analyze the availability, accessibility, and quality of services provided by different stakeholders in the target areas.
• Identify gaps and challenges in service provision and referral systems.

Methodology:

• Define the scope of the mapping exercise by specifying the geographic area, types of services for children, and any specific criteria or age groups to be included.
• Identify key stakeholders such as service providers, government agencies, NGOs, community organizations, and parents or guardians of children.
• Conduct a literature review to gather existing information and data on services for children outside family use, including relevant reports, studies, and official documents related to child welfare and social services.
• Create data collection tools, such as surveys, interview guides, or questionnaires, to gather information from stakeholders. Include questions about service types, availability, accessibility, quality, and coordination.
• Engage with stakeholders and collect primary data through surveys, interviews, focus groups, or workshops, ensuring representation from a diverse range of service providers and individuals involved in referral pathways.
• Analyze the collected data using qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques to identify key service providers, referral pathways, gaps or bottlenecks, and areas for improvement.
• Develop visual representations of the service providers and referral pathways using mapping tools to visualize relationships and identify any gaps or overlaps in service provision.
• Validate the findings with stakeholders, incorporating their feedback and suggestions for improvement, to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the service maps.
• Based on the analysis and stakeholder input, identify recommendations for improving servicecoordination, addressing gaps, and enhancing overall service quality for children outside family use.
• Prepare a comprehensive report summarizing the findings, service maps, and recommendations, and share it with relevant stakeholders, policymakers, and organizations involved in child welfare or social service provision.
• Regularly monitor and evaluate the implementation of the recommendations to measure their impact and make necessary adjustments, aiming for continuous improvement in service provision for children.

Scope

The consultancy will focus on the following areas:

1. Service Providers Mapping:

• Identify and map all relevant service providers within the target area or community.
• Include government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations, and private service providers in the mapping exercise.
• Document the services offered by each provider, their target beneficiaries, and geographical coverage.

2. Referral Pathways Mapping:

• Understand and document the existing referral pathways for children outside family use.
• Map the process of referral from one service provider to another, including any criteria, procedures, and decision-making mechanisms involved.
• Identify any bottlenecks or challenges in the referral process.

3. Services for Children Mapping:

• Identify and document the range of services available for children outside family use.
• Include general services such as education, healthcare, and social support, as well as specialized services for specific needs (e.g., child protection, mental health, disability support).
• Assess the availability, accessibility, and quality of these services.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The consultancy will involve the following tasks and responsibilities:

4. Desk Review:

• Conduct a comprehensive desk review of existing reports, studies, and relevant documents related to the target area, service providers, and referral pathways.
• Identify gaps in existing knowledge and gather preliminary information to guide the mapping exercises.

5. Stakeholder Engagement:

• Identify and engage key stakeholders, including government authorities, NGOs, service providers, and community representatives, to ensure their participation and collaboration throughout the mapping exercises.
• Conduct meetings, interviews, and workshops to gather insights and ensure a comprehensive understanding of the local context.

6. Data Collection:

• Develop appropriate data collection tools, such as surveys, questionnaires, and interview guides, to collect comprehensive and detailed information about service providers, referral pathways, and services for children.
• Conduct interviews, focus group discussions, and site visits to collect primary data from the identified stakeholders.
• Ensure ethical data collection practices are followed, with respect for privacy and confidentiality.

7. Data Analysis:

• Analyze the collected data to identify patterns, gaps, and overlaps in the services provided.
• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the existing referral pathways and services.
• Use appropriate analytical methods and tools to generate meaningful insights.
• 8. Reporting:
• Prepare a comprehensive report documenting the findings of the service mapping exercises.
• Include detailed information about service providers, referral pathways, and services for children, highlighting areas of improvement and potential interventions.
• Present the findings in a clear and concise manner, using visual aids and data visualization techniques if necessary.

9. Recommendations:

• Provide actionable recommendations to improve the service delivery and referral system for children outside family use.
• Consider the identified gaps, challenges, and opportunities for enhancing service provision and coordination.
• Suggest strategies for strengthening the referral process and increasing access to necessary services.

Deliverables

The consultancy is expected to produce the following deliverables:

• Desk review report summarizing the existing information about the target area, service providers, and referral pathways.
• Utilize data collection tools, including surveys, questionnaires, and interview guides used during the mapping exercises shared by the organization or developed with approval from IRC members.
• Comprehensive report presenting the findings, analysis, and recommendations from the service mapping exercises.
• Presentation slides summarizing the key findings and recommendations for dissemination and stakeholder engagement.
• Dissemination plan outlining strategies for sharing the final report with relevant stakeholders and wider audiences.

Expected duration of the assignment

The consultancy shall be executed within a maximum of 17 days commencing after signing the contract. The proposal should include a detailed schedule.

Budget
The budget prepared by the consultant should cover all the activities outlined above, including design, data collection, cleaning, analysis, and reporting. This budget is inclusive of all costs covering team member costs, travel, Enumerator training research costs and any other costs associated with the completion of the work including where required costs for reasonable adjustment. The selected consultant is required to organize and fund their own duty of care arrangements as required.

The consultant/s is required to provide a costed proposal in the form of a price schedule that as a minimum should include:

Sub-total of fees for the delivery of any task or deliverable.

Expenses and overheads broken down by deliverables.

Reasonable adjustment costs.

Proposals should include the following:

Technical proposal –approach to the study; work plan with milestones; how meet qualifications.

Financial proposal

CVs of all involved persons

Experiences and Qualifications

Professional Skills and Qualifications

Qualifications: The selected consultant/s is required to clearly identify and provide CVs for all those proposed in the team, clearly stating their roles and responsibilities for the study. The Master’s Degree in an area relevant to the assignment, such as gender equality.

The proposed person or team should include the technical expertise and practical experience required to deliver the scope of work and outputs, in particular, concerning:

• Design: the team should include skills and expertise required to design, plan and conduct electronic data collection in fragile contexts, including developing qualitative and quantitative tools.
• Experience with studies and research on gender, social inclusion, and conflict in Somalia
• Relevant subject matter knowledge and experience: at least 5 years of experience required on conducting research with women and girls in conflict areas, gender and social inclusion, socio cultural practices and beliefs, to ensure that the design and methods are as relevant and meaningful as possible given the aims and objectives of the project and the context in which it is being delivered.
• Data collection management: manage a data collection process from end-to-end.
• Country experience: it is particularly important that the team has the appropriate country knowledge /experience and ability to interpret findings from a contextual perspective, as required to conduct the research.
• Data management and data cleaning. Ability to supervise the collection, entry (if required), cleaning and management of large data sets.
• Safety and ethical considerations: Ensuring the whole process adheres to best practice for research with children including the implementation of child protection policy and procedures to ensure safety of participants.

Skills Required

Attachment

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