Program Evaluation Of The Child Protection Case Management Coaching Program

Terms of Reference: To deliver a comprehensive evaluation of the Lebanon CP Case Management Coaching Program from its onset in October 2013 to date, including lesson learnt and strategic recommendations on how to replicate such an intervention in future emergencies. . BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee is an international organization specializing in Emergency and humanitarian programming existing since 1933 and working in more than 40 countries. In response to the influx of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, the IRC began intervening with a Women’s Protection and Empowerment program in 2012 and has since added programs for Economic Recovery and Development, Education, Protection and Child Protection.  In late 2013, IRC, in cooperation with UNHCR and the Child Protection Working Group, also began an inter-agency child protection coaching (capacity building) program on child protection case management. Since its launch, the Case Management Coaching Project has trained more than 600 caseworkers, managers and frontline workers to improve their ability to care for vulnerable children and link them to appropriate services. SCOPE OF WORK: The evaluation will assess the Interagency Coaching Program’s success in sustainably increasing the capacity of individual humanitarian actors and the Child Protection (CP) system in five of Lebanon’s governorates to respond and prevent abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence against children through individual case management. Position objectives: To analyze the Coaching Program’s impact on Child Protection case management actors, including caseworkers, managers and supervisors To analyze the impact on the CP referral system and the identification of children at-risk by Frontliners and Refugee Outreach Volunteers To analyze tools developed through the programme To identify lessons learned and best practice recommendations in order to help guide and inform future child protection capacity building initiatives in Lebanon and in other humanitarian settings. Methodology The methodology of the evaluation will include a review of relevant documentation and data (see list below), field travel, key informant interviews, focus group discussions with key external stakeholders such as MOSA government representatives (if possible), other international NGOs and UN agencies. The IRC Lebanon Country Team will provide management support to the evaluation and will also ensure that the logistical arrangements related to the evaluation are taken care of. A briefing meeting is foreseen in order to discuss the program evaluation beforehand. The consultant will receive all relevant documents from International Rescue Committee for desk study. IRC will provide the following documents: Situation reports, scoping reports Tools developed through the coaching programme Full project proposals including logframe, workplan and budget of projects, Internal project monitoring databases including: Indicator tracker Training and Coaching participant trackers from 2014 and 2015 Pre and post test scores for participants in 2014 and 2015 Training evaluation feedback Interviews with Frontliners Mid-year survey of caseworkers and ROVs in 2014 and 2015 Quarterly and final reports of project, The evaluator will ensure confidentiality of information, in that all documents and data collected from interviews and focus group meetings will be treated as confidential and used solely to facilitate analysis. Interviewees will not be quoted in the reports without their permission. The evaluator will interview key personnel, beneficiaries of the project activities and direct target groups and other stakeholders such as: Child Protection staff, and senior leadership of IRC, Caseworkers from (I)NGOs, as well as MOSA Managers and Supervisors from (I)NGOs Frontline Workers that participated in Frontliner’s Trainings Refugee Outreach Volunteers Representatives of relevant (I)NGOs UNHCR and UNICEF MOSA Saint Joseph University - Ecole libanaise de formation sociale For the communication of results, an official report of the evaluation will be prepared and presented.  This concise report with focused practical recommendations will provide lessons to International Rescue Committee Child Protection staff and HQ and external stakeholders. This report will also be informed by a Debriefing workshop with IRC and other stakeholders to validate preliminary findings. I.        EXPECTED OUTPUTS The final evaluation report will contain the following: Executive Summary (a clear and concise stand-alone document that gives readers the essential contents of the evaluation report) Methodology (schedule of activities, constraints and limitations of the evaluation process and rigor, and detailed description of data collection techniques used throughout the evaluation). Findings (organized as per the evaluation objectives; other relevant headings may emerge during the evaluation) Synthesis, Recommendations and Lessons Learned (concrete and practical recommendations for future programming in the Lebanese context, organization lessons learned and recommendations that could be applicable to other capacity building programmes in humanitarian settings.  ACTIVITIES AND TIMEFRAME The following preliminary timeframe is foreseen:   Activity Number of Days / Hours Desk review, refinement of methodology, development of consultation tools (guiding questions), analysis of existing monitoring data 5 days Consultations with key stakeholders (approximately 21 persons at 1 hour each maximum). 9 days Writing of evaluation 5 days Presentation to IRC CP team and other stakeholders 1 days Incorporation of feedback, finalization and formatting of strategy document 4 days Final presentation 1 day Total 25 days The evaluation time period will be between 28th September and 30th October 2015. The field work will take place between 28th September and 23rd October 2011. It is expected that a final draft report will be available by 30th November 2015. A detailed itinerary for the in-country work will be provided to the evaluator on the signing of their service contract. Administrative support, transportation and accommodation within Lebanon will be provided by International Rescue Committee. Interviews and group discussions will be organised in cooperation with the relevant institutions and target groups II.      Required expertise University degree in  social work or related field Five years working experience minimum in CPiE programs Significant experience working with CPiE programs and specifically with case management programs Strong understanding of Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Emergencies and other CPiE tools and guidelines Experience conducting evaluations Excellent written and verbal communication skills Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills Fluency in English mandatory , Arabic a plus Travel and other requirements: The evaluator will be based in Beirut with frequent travel required between the governorates and the main IRC office in Beirut.