Positive and Playful Parenting Program Consultant

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For every child, Learning

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UNICEF Afghanistan carried out several studies in 2023 to explore the ECD landscape and to find suitable platforms to deliver integrated services to young children and families. The studies assessed the key components of the Nurturing Care Framework, such as good health, adequate nutrition, opportunities for early learning, security and safety, and responsive caregiving. The findings show that health, nutrition, security and safety components are widely implemented across the country. The service delivery gaps within the nurturing care framework for ECD are insufficient responsive caregiving, limited opportunities for early learning, and inadequate support for the mental well-being of caregivers. These three components are essential for ensuring good health, proper nutrition, and security and safety. Moreover, there is a lack of early stimulation for children aged 0-6, culturally relevant play and communication between adults and young children at home, and assessment and monitoring of child developmental milestones. Fathers are also not sufficiently involved in early child interactions. The lack of a national Early Childhood Development (ECD) policy and formal Early Childhood Education (ECE) is evident. Similarly, very low early stimulation and responsive care rates (14.4 Mothers; 6.8 Fathers) and low access rate of less than 1% for Early Childhood Education (ECE) services nationwide is concerning. There is also a significant shortfall in national level foundational reading and numeracy skills, estimated at 14% and 17% respectively. There are a few existing ECE centers mainly operational in urban areas, usually within the private sector or supported by NGOs and UNICEF. Very few children attend early childhood education programs, and many do not have access to books or play materials. Girls’ secondary and tertiary education is prohibited, and women face restrictions on their participation in society, which will affect education. Many children experience physical violence as violent discipline is common, and positive discipline is rare.

Currently, UNICEF’s ECE program operates in four provinces in the eastern region, serving 5,500 children across 224 classes. This initiative reaches out to communities and public schools, using various spaces for classroom setups, with each class accommodating an average of 25 children aged 5 and 6. The program runs for nine months, aligning with the academic year in both warm and cold climates, providing instruction for 3.5 hours, six days a week. UNICEF has partnered with a private university for development of essential educational resources in key subjects and has trained teachers to use these materials effectively. On a similar vein, UNICEF child protection team has also established Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) across multiple geographies. These CFSs provide safe and supportive environments where children can learn, play, and heal from the effects of conflict and displacement in Afghanistan.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF Afghanistan aims to design and pilot a positive and playful parenting program in five districts across eastern, northern, and western regions. The parenting program will provide evidence-based parenting approaches and practices based on the Nurturing Care Framework, focusing on responsive caregiving, early learning opportunities, and caregivers’ mental well-being. The parenting program will help parents to enhance their relationships with their children and foster positive development. It will also assist parents to establish a caring and responsive relationship with their child, become aware of their child’s behaviour and respond in a positive, consistent, and non-violent manner, and support the child to develop social and emotional skills. To achieve this goal, a team of existing UNICEF national master trainers (12 master trainers) and frontline workers (60 frontline workers) from education and child protection sections will be trained on culturally appropriate and context-specific parenting approaches and practices.

The overall parenting program goals and outcomes are provided below:

Goal:

• By September 30, 2024, the parenting program will provide evidence-based training and support to 1,000 caregivers in selected provinces, to enhance their parenting skills, knowledge, and confidence.

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Parents report increased satisfaction and self-efficacy in their parenting role as measured by pre- and post-intervention surveys.
• A total of 70 UNICEF work force capacitated on delivery of evidence-based parenting approaches and practices.

UNICEF Afghanistan invites applications from qualified international consultants to develop training syllabi and modules for the parenting program and train UNICEF master trainers and frontline workers on parenting approaches and practices.

Scope of Work:

The incumbent is responsible for developing a comprehensive Positive and Playful Parenting Program, aiming to improve caregivers’ parenting skills, knowledge, and confidence in creating nurturing and stimulating environments for children.  The scope of work is detailed below:

Development of an inception report with detailed work plan:

• Review all available resources related to ECE/ECD policy, previous UNICEF work/plans related to ECE/ECD, discuss with focal points from Child Protection and Education.
• Perform a rapid review of existing global and national syllabi and content related to positive and playful parenting programs. This review covers the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF), Care for Child Development (C4CD), caring for caregivers (CfC), and other relevant guides and modules.
• Develop a plan for parenting needs assessment including required site visits, FGDs, and surveys.
• Develop a capacity building plan to train existing UNICEF master trainers (12 master trainers) and front-line workers (60 front line workers) through training of trainers and cascading approaches.
• These existing UNICEF master trainers and front-line workers are in charge of conducting parenting group sessions and home visits with 1,000 caregivers.

Development of parenting program syllabi, modules, and lesson plans and capacity building of UNICEF master trainers and front-line workers:

• Develop detailed syllabi, modules and lesson plans for the parenting program using the existing global and national resources. Ensure alignment with international standards and contextual relevance to the target population. Modules and topics should focus on suggested areas and topics recommended in 2023 UNICEF studies.
• Develop an easy-to-administer tool to be used in pre- and post- surveys to measure caregiver’s satisfaction and self-efficacy in their parenting role.
• Prepare a list of suggested reading resources and play materials to support positive and playful parenting practices and integrate them into the developed syllabi, modules and lesson plans with caregivers being the receivers of these resources providing clear references and instructions on their usage during group sessions and home visits.
• Conduct training of trainers (ToTs) sessions for existing UNICEF master trainers (12 master trainers) and front-line workers (60 front line workers). The ToT sessions should equip the participants with practical learner-centred approaches suitable for illiterate/low literate caregivers in low resourced contexts.

Field testing and finalization of parenting program syllabi and lesson plans:

• Develop a plan for field testing of the parenting program syllabi and lesson plans through master trainers and frontline workers Consider strategies for parallel field testing to expedite the process.
• Conduct regular weekly/monthly meetings with master trainers to monitor master trainers’ performance and provide support as and when needed.
• Revise and finalize parenting program syllabi and lesson plans based on the feedback from field testing exercise.
• Share final parenting program syllabi and lesson plans with UNICEF for the rollout of the parenting groups sessions and home visits.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in in Education, Development Studies, or Social Sciences or its equivalent, with a focus on Early Childhood Development, Parenting Education, or related fields.  
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in humanitarian and development sector, with a track record of designing and implementing high-quality and evidence-based programs on Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Development, parental and community engagement, parenting education, and psychosocial and mental health support for caregivers and children.
• Research and evaluation skills: Proven expertise in conducting rigorous research, evaluation, and impact assessments in the social sector, using various quantitative and qualitative tools and methods to collect, analyze, and report data on the outcomes and impacts of training programs, as well as the challenges and lessons learned.
• Communication and leadership skills: Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, with the ability to deliver clear and concise messages, facilitate interactive and participatory learning sessions, and manage complex and diverse teams. A commitment to ethical and professional standards, as well as a respect for diversity and inclusion.
• Stakeholder engagement skills: The consultant should also have the ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders, such as donors, policymakers, service providers, parents and community members, and to foster strong partnerships and networks to support the implementation and sustainability of the parenting program. 
• Ability to conduct both quantitative surveys and qualitative research, needs assessment of early childhood development programs and strong analytical skills.
• Strong skills in conducting participatory consultations with diverse groups of people, mothers/parents/caregivers, especially on issues related to early childhood development, pre-primary education, nutrition/health for young children.
• Strong interpersonal, presentation and writing skills.
• Knowledge of early childhood development and early education and gender issues in Afghanistan regions and familiarity with UNICEF policies, practices, plans, and approaches is an added advantage.
• Excellent English, writing and verbal communication skills – required. Persian and Pashto language skills will be an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Interested consultants are required to apply online, indicating availability and all-inclusive lump sum fee to undertake the terms of reference.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.