Impact assessment of the “Child Sensitive Social Protection” intervention in Somaliland

ANNEX 1 : Consultancy Terms of Reference

Terms of reference for Impact Assessment of the “Child Sensitive Social Protection” intervention in Somaliland

1. Introduction

Save the Children International (SCI) is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to fight for children’s rights and deliver immediate and lasting improvement to children’s lives worldwide. SCI has been operational in Greater Somalia for over 40 years. Current programs straddle relief and development in various sectors including Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Child Rights Governance, Vocational and Skills Training, Education and Food Security & Livelihoods (FSL) working in Somaliland, Puntland and Central South Somalia to help communities cope with drought, conflict, displacement and flooding.

SCI has been implementing a child sensitive social protection[1] project targeting poor and vulnerable children of internally displaced persons’ (IDP) households in Hargeisa. The main component of the project is regular monthly cash transfers in the form of “child grants” complemented by activities to enhance child sensitivity among parents, caregivers and communities for improved child nutrition, education and protection outcomes. The project targets 1,300 households with two children who are aged five years and below. It is estimated that the project will work directly with approximately 9,809 children and indirectly with 7,828 other members of the 1,300-targeted households. An estimated 445,058 people will benefit indirectly. The child grant @ $20 per household is being provided to the 300 HHs for a period of 48 months. The project recognizes that cash transfer on its own is not necessarily sufficient to ensure that targeted children have positive outcomes around nutrition, education and protection issues, which is why the project focuses on the “child sensitivity” component in addition to the cash transfer. The child sensitivity component comprises a parenting intervention with the child grant beneficiary parents and caregivers and a child resilience intervention with girls and boys of the child grant beneficiary households. The parenting intervention is focused on behaviour change communication interventions to improve knowledge, attitude and practices on parenting behaviour, child nutrition, education and protection. Additionally, there is a component on establishing mechanisms to promote transparency and accountability, using social accountability tools, in the delivery of basic services relevant and critical to such as education and health.

Globally, there is evidence emerging that cash transfers when coupled with plus elements such as parenting programs result in enhanced positive development outcomes for children. More such evidence needs to be generated globally and even more so in the context of Somaliland where there is very little such evidence available. This research, therefore, hopes to contribute to the current literature. The findings from the assessments will help to create robust evidence of the value of SC’s “child sensitive social protection approach”, which would be useful for global consumption but also more specifically inform the social protection policy, programme development and implementation landscape in Somaliland/ Somalia.

2. Overall objective of the study

To assess the effectiveness of the child sensitive social protection approach (cash transfer and plus components, viz, parenting program, child resilience programme and the transparency and accountability promotion component) in improving i) parenting practices and increased investment on children’s needs and rights; ii) improved development outcomes for children.

Specific objectives are

• To assess the impact and effectiveness of cash plus good parenting activities among beneficiaries
• To assess improved parenting practices among caregivers of beneficiary households
• To assess child development outcomes: i) enrollment, retention (reduction in drop out), regularity rate of boys and girls among the target IDP households; ii) nutritional levels of boys and girls among the target IDP households; iii) boys and girls in paid work in the target IDP households.
• To evaluate level/role of women in household decision making and understanding of how to promote gender equity among children
• To establish Community’s access to basic and social services linked to child grant in the target IDPs

3. Methodology

The study design will be quasi-experimental study approach, which has two arms (intervention and control groups) to assess effects cash of transfer and good parenting programme session groups (focusing on improved care, gender equality, disability inclusion, nutrition, education, child labour and family budgeting) on child development outcomes. The intervention groups are household’s beneficiaries who are living in same IDP camp and access to the same elements of the CSSP project in Somaliland. The control group will be beneficiaries of the same CSSP programmer who were given Cash; however, they have not yet received the good parenting.

4. Data collection

To conduct impact the project SCI Somaliland office will be providing the initial household lists of the beneficiaries who interviewed during the baseline evaluation. The same beneficiaries who interviewed at baseline will also interviewed at end-line evaluation. The same questionnaire that was used during the baseline evaluation will also be used at end-line evaluation to obtain the trend of the core indicators of the object. However, a portion qualitative questionnaire will also be used to in-depth analyses the impact of the project among beneficiaries.

The Quantitative data will be collected using android mobile phones with Open Data Kit software. In order to ensure the quality of the data collected, daily field supervision, meetings with the study coordinator will be conducted.

The consultant will collect Antropometric data from Children of appropriate age with in surveyed households using WHO standards of analysis and presentation.), comparative analysis includes comparing health, nutrition, food consumption, and well-being indicators between the intervention and control groups. Empirical impact assessment will employ in conducting quesi-experimental impact evaluation models. The consultant will be required to detailed appropriate statistical method to assess the impact of project. STATa softwere will be used to carry out the analysis with provide do-files and data sets.

6. Expected Tasks and Deliverables

The consultant is expected to carry out the tasks and provide the deliverables listed in the table below.

Phase

Major Deliverables

Timeframe

Proposed data

Phase-1

Desk Review Inception Report

TORs developed, reviewed and finalized

4 days

Proposal Submission Deadline – A technical and financial proposal to demonstrate the consultant’s independent interpretation of the TOR.

Contract Awarded

kick-off meeting – Preliminary meetings with SCI team to establish common understanding on the scope of the assignment

4

Submit inception report including detailed study

3

Design of assessment methodology and tools for data collection

5

Phase-II

Field data Collection

Recruit and train data collectors in the study locations

2 days

Pre- testing of the tool before actual data collection

1 days

Actual data collection including spot-checking on a regular basis, providing updates to SCI MEAL focal point.

5 days

Phase-III

Data Analysis and Report writing

Data analysis and Draft preliminary report with recommendations

10 days

Submit draft report based on the findings

2 days

Inputs and review from all relevant stakeholders of the study

5 days

Finalize and submit the final report, incorporating suggestions and recommendations from the validation workshop and reference group. A second round of revision may be required before the final version of the Final Report can be produced

The report should be presented in an agreed format outlined in the consultant’s proposal with all due tables, graphs and accompanying photographs and/or notes.

A final report (one electronic copy in PDF Format and one in DOC format)

Submit an electronic copy of all data collection tools, do files and data set of the assessment.

5 days

10. CODE OF CONDUCT:

Save the Children’s work is based on deeply held values and principles of child safeguarding, and it is essential that our commitment to children’s rights and humanitarian principles is supported and demonstrated by all members of staff and other people working for and with Save the Children. Save the Children’s Code of Conduct sets out the standards which all staff members must adhere to and the consultant is bound to sign and abide by the Save the Children’s Code of Conduct.

A contract will be signed by the consultant before commencement of the action. The contract will detail terms and conditions of service, aspects on inputs and deliverables. The Consultant will be expected to treat as private and confidential any information disclosed to her/him or with which she/he may come into contact during her/his service. The Consultant will not therefore disclose the same or any particulars thereof to any third party or publish it in any paper without the prior written consent of Save the Children. Any sensitive information (particularly concerning individual children) should be treated as confidential.

An agreement with a consultant will be rendered void if Save the Children discovers any corrupt activities have taken place either during the sourcing, preparation and implementation of the consultancy agreement.

11. MANDATORY SECURITY TRAINING:

The consultant shall be expected to go through mandatory on-line security training and submit the certificate of completion to SC before the commencement of the task. Failure to deliver this will lead to an automatic disqualification. SC will advise on the security plan on appointment.

[1] Save the Children defines CSSP as: Public policies, programmes and systems that address the specific patterns of children’s poverty and vulnerability, are rights-based in approach, and recognise the long- term developmental benefits of investing in children. Save the Children’s vision for CSSP is that: All children, especially the most deprived and marginalised girls and boys, have access to, and benefit from, government social protection programmes that address their specific needs and vulnerabilities throughout their life cycle. .