Position: Safeguarding and Child Protection Officer

Location (base): Field Office Bara & Rautahat

Reports to: Project Manager, LNGB

Department or Program: Aarambha, Leave No Girl Behind (LNGB) Project

Contract Starting date: as soon as possible

Probation Period: 6 months

Contract End Date: July 31, 2021 with possible extension

No of opening: 1 

Scope of work

Under the direct supervision of Project Manager, SCPO will play a leading role in designing, planning, implementing, monitoring and assessing project activities through child development and protection framework, while ensuring compliance with SODCC/LNGB’s safeguarding and child protection policies. S/he will lead interventions to record, report and redress any cases of violations of children’s and vulnerable people’s (including people with disabilities) rights to protection from abuse, exploitation, violence and neglect. SCPO is responsible for ensuring that quality programmes are initiated and capacities developed to provide protection to children and vulnerable adults. SCPO will be expected to lead on sectoral assessment, planning, coordination, and support recruitment at a provincial, district, Rural-municipality and community level. In most circumstances, the post holder will be expected to mentor and/or build capacity of existing programme staff and targeted community as well with close coordination with PIN. 

Main Responsibility

• Train and support staff and suppliers on GEC’s 14 safeguarding minimum standards and monitor their adherence and compliance to GEC’s and SODCC policies and internal procedures, protocols, code of conduct, with special attention to safeguarding standards and procedure including  case handling, child protection and do no harm policies; immediate reporting and respond  complaints and issues based on its severity.
• Promote and harmonize national legislation and GEC’s minimum safeguarding standards that enhances the protection of children and vulnerable people, across all project activities.
• Record and timely respond to grave violation of child rights and dignity by reporting through established channels and make referrals for response, including advocacy where deemed appropriate. Ensure referral of beneficiary with disability to available services, if required.
• Strengthen capacity in field operations on child protection programming and support the implementation of child protection responses, with particular focus on strengthening the child protection capacities of the project staff with close coordination with PIN. 
• Develop and disseminate overall protection mainstreaming tools including checklists, messages and guidelines for project and local authorities in consultation with PIN. 
• Ensure protection of data and confidentiality when dealing with cases related to child protection and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
• Ensure adherence to survivor cantered approach and prioritize best interest of the child when dealing with cases related to child protection and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
• Coordinate with national/district/local authorities and stakeholders on protection needs. 
• Timely identify risks and gaps related to child protection and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, timely reporting to PIN and mitigate them in accordance with existing policies and procedures. Regularly maintain risk register. 
• Ensure program staffs are familiar with child protection and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, policies and protocols, and follow/monitor them. 
• Ensure safe recruitment process within the project recruitment.
• Develop and maintain a referral framework for SODCC, provide training to project staff on the referral framework, maintain a database of referrals including follow-ups on each referral.
• Build referral and supportsystem for the physical and psychosocial (mental, social, emotional) wellbeing of children and their families. 
• Develop mitigating measures to prevention and response to exploitation, violence and abuse of any kind.
• Support in development of community-project context IEC/BCC materials and ensure its appropriate dissemination among beneficiaries and community including its monitoring in coordination with M&E team.
• Regular and timely reporting to and coordination with PIN. 

Coordination, collaboration and networking

• Coordinate with PIN and relevant government agencies particularly District Child Welfare Board, Women and Children Office, District Police Office, District Education Office, District Coordination Committee, local government authorities including civil society organizations for effective implementation of the project. 
• Participate in different networks, working groups and forums and coordinate at the district/community level likeminded organizations for resource collaboration and synergy.

Review & monitoring

• Conduct regular field visits with appropriate tools and checklists, including interacting meaningfully with beneficiaries to identify issues related to child protection and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and learn about program effectiveness and needs of the beneficiaries and support project team to prepare action plan.
• Coordinate and assist in the monitoring and analysis of available data and indicators from child protection and safeguarding lens  in a monthly basis. 
• Support the management of reports and other resources for child protection and their accessibility for field operations

Reporting and documentation

• Support, review and compile quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports on child protection and safeguarding issues, as per the donor requirement.

• Ability to identify the main gaps in child safeguarding in the given context to inform a holistic response for children and vulnerable population.
• Knowledge of established inter-agency standards and guidelines in child safeguarding.
• Experience in training and capacity building, particularly in strengthening various duty bearers’ response to child safeguarding and on child safeguarding issues.
• Experience of and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability. 
• Good knowledge and understanding of child protection, GESI and holistic child development, participation and rights. 
• Strong cultural sensitivity, adaptability and flexibility.
• Ability to work in an additional local language from province 2.

• Masters’ degree in relevant discipline(s), preferably law background or social science with  1 year of relevant experience or Bachelor degree with 3 years of relevant experience.