READVERTISEMENT: National Consultancy for Quality Improvement on Child Wasting in the Eastern Cape province, Pretoria, South Africa, 4 months (Work from home)

READVERTISEMENT. Those who have already applied, need not re-apply.
Under the supervision of the Nutrition Manager, the consultant will facilitate quality improvement initiatives in two districts in the Eastern Cape Province to scale-up interventions aimed at strengthening early identification of undernutrition and screening of children at household level by caregivers, using MUAC screening as an entry point. A package of services will be anchored on the five pillars of the Road to Health Booklet which are nutrition, love, protection, health care and extra care.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, Nutrition.

UNICEF South Africa

READVERTISEMENT. Those who have already applied, need not re-apply.

We work to promote the rights of every child.

UNICEF supported the National Department of Health to pilot the Family Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) approach, also known as MUAC for mothers or Mother-MUAC, which capacitate mothers and other caregivers to identify early signs of malnutrition in their children using a simple to use MUAC tape. The Family MUAC Project was anchored in the Side-by-Side campaign that aims to ensure that all children receive the nurturing care they need to reach their full potential and is based on five pillars of the Road to Health Booklet which are nutrition, love, protection, health care and extra care.

The main aim of the Family MUAC project was to empower mothers and caregivers of children under 5 years of age to detect early signs of wasting and general danger signs at community/household level to improve health seeking behaviours, and to empower mother and caregivers on prevention and causes of malnutrition including breastfeeding, complementary feeding and the importance of hand washing to protect their children and prevent diseases.

One of the key findings from the project was that mothers trained on MUAC and supported by CHWs were able to perform MUAC correctly, were competent in interpreting MUAC results and knew what action to take for a low MUAC. This finding demonstrated the potential benefits and challenges of a household-based approach to identification of undernutrition, with mothers and child carers screening their own children using MUAC. Although mothers and primary caregivers who had received training were able to measure the MUAC accurately, and Family MUAC has the potential to address the need to improve active case findings, identification and raise awareness about malnutrition in high-risk communities; poor coverage and lack of sustainability threatened the success of the approach.

Empowering mothers to take responsibility for the health of their children will have ongoing benefits for the child, the family and the community. Solutions should be context-specific, flexible, community based, and aimed at the poorest and most vulnerable communities, and focus on giving responsibility to mothers and family members.

It is against this background that the National Department of Health wish to scale-up interventions to strengthen early identification of undernutrition and screening of children at household level by caregivers, using MUAC screening as an entry point. A package of services will be anchored on the five pillars of the Road to Health Booklet which are nutrition, love, protection, health care and extra care.

For every child, Quality Nutrition.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the supervision of the Nutrition Manager, the consultant will facilitate quality improvement initiatives in two districts in the Eastern Cape Province to scale-up interventions aimed at strengthening early identification of undernutrition and screening of children at household level by caregivers, using MUAC screening as an entry point. A package of services will be anchored on the five pillars of the Road to Health Booklet which are nutrition, love, protection, health care and extra care.

Objectives

• Train the trainers on the package of service based on the 5 pillars of the Road to Health Booklet, using nutrition assessment and counselling as an entry point.
• Building capacity of supervisors and mentors to quality improvement approach in supervising and mentoring community health workers (CHWs) and other frontline workers on nutrition assessment and counselling who are providing supportive supervision, mentoring and monitoring roles in their catchment areas.

Proposed approach

The primary target groups for the quality improvement initiatives are Outreach Team Leaders (OTLs for Ward-based Primary Health Care Outreach Teams), Community development practitioners and Early Childhood Development (ECD) coordinators. It is proposed that a cascade model be adopted for building capacity and creating an enabling environment for Community health workers and other frontline community workers.

This will include building capacity of train the trainers at the district level on the technical aspects of the programme, as well as on supportive supervision and mentoring on Infant and Young Child Feeding and nutrition assessment. It is expected that supervisors will cascade the training to frontline workers (i.e. community health workers, ECD practitioners and other cadres) within their catchment areas or districts. Community health workers and other frontline workers will then cascade the training to mothers and other caregivers in their catchment areas. It is anticipated the capacity building of supervisors will take place over a period of 1 day.

Supportive supervision and mentoring

This component should be designed as an orientation training for supervisors and mentors to prepare them to supportively supervise and mentor community health workers (CHWs), ECD Practitioners and other frontline workers who are providing nutrition assessment and IYCF services, including the counselling of mothers and other caregivers.

This training also aims to build the skills of supervisors and mentors to monitor the quality and coverage of nutrition assessment and IYCF services and to support improvements in the delivery of community-based nutrition screening and assessment and IYCF activities. It is expected that a one-day orientation training in supportive supervision, mentorship and monitoring will be conducted. Evidence clearly indicates that the capacity of CHWs to deliver quality nutrition counselling is improved by introducing or strengthening health care systems that provide them with supportive supervision and mentorship.

This orientation training distinguishes between traditional supervision and supportive supervision and mentoring, and it encourages the combination of supportive supervision and mentorship roles. It is anticipated that the orientation session for supervisors and mentors will take place over a period of one day.

Capacity building of Community health workers and other frontline workers at community level through applying quality improvement approach

1. Supervisors and mentors are sometimes the actual trainers of CHWs and other frontline workers and may or may not be attached to a health facility in the area to which the CHW/frontline worker is assigned. Other individuals who have completed the nutrition assessment and IYCF Counselling Package training and are themselves skilled counsellors may also be trained to provide supportive supervision and mentoring. In either case, a supervisor or mentor is expected to complete the technical training on nutrition screening and assessment and IYCF Counselling Package training.

Outputs

• Adapted Supporting Infant and Young Child Feeding: Orientation for Supervisors and Mentors manual.
• Adapted Family MUAC Training manual for Community Health Workers manual (2021).
• Adapted IYCF Counselling cards Facilitators Guide.
• Adapted recording forms, data collection tools, etc.
• 130 OTLs capacitated in OR Tambo and Nelson Mandela Bay districts.
• 40 Community Development Practitioners capacitated in the Eastern Cape.
• 10 ECD Practitioners capacitated in the Eastern Cape.

Tasks and Deliverables

1. Adapt the existing orientation manual for supervisors and mentors on IYCF to the South African context (15 days)
   • Adapted Supporting Infant and Young Child Feeding: Orientation for Supervisors and Mentors manual.
2. Ensure that the existing Family MUAC training manual is comprehensive and pitched at the level of the supervisors and mentors (10 days)
   • Adapted Family MUAC Training manual for Community Health Workers manual (2021).
3. Adapt the existing Facilitators Guide on IYCF Counselling Cards to the South African contexts (10 days)
   • Adapted IYCF Counselling cards Facilitators Guide.
4. Adapt the existing tools in line with the data collection systems at facility and community level (2 days)
   • Adapted recording forms, data collection tools, etc.
5. Conduct 2-day technical capacity and mentoring skills sessions for OTLs, community development practitioners and ECD coordinators on Child nutrition, with specific reference on nutrition assessment and IYCF in two districts (15 days)
   • 130 OTLs capacitated in OR Tambo and Nelson Mandela Bay districts.
   • 40 Community Development Practitioners capacitated in the Eastern Cape.
   • 10 ECD Practitioners capacitated in the Eastern Cape.
6. Print manuals and tools for the participants for capacity building sessions (2 days)
   • Printed manuals for participants on developed tools and materials.
7. Write a close-out report on the project (5 days)
   • Close-out report submitted.

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

• A minimum of first University Degree in Public health, Nutrition, Medicine or other related disciplines
• A minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in health and nutrition
• Proven technical expertise in child nutrition
• Technical skills in quality improvement initiatives on pediatrics and child health/nutrition
• Proven experience in capacity building of the train the trainers
• Proven experience in the development of capacity building materials (i.e. Manuals, job aids, tools, etc.)
• Excellent English writing skills
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset
• Knowledge of another local language is an asset
• READVERTISEMENT. Those who have already applied, need not re-apply.

Please indicate your ability and availability; and attach a technical proposal and a financial proposal in ZAR to undertake the terms of reference above (including admin cost if applicable). Applications submitted without the detailed financial proposal aligned to the assignment will not be considered.

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:  

READVERTISEMENT. Those who have already applied, need not re-apply.

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.