TERMS OF REFERENCE – CONSULTANCY TO DEVELOP CONTENT ON DISABILITY FOR EARLY CHILDCARE WORK

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a leading Africa-based, African-led, international research institution headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and engaged in multidisciplinary, evidence-based policy research. Our researchers address important issues and challenges facing Africa in areas such as education, health, population, aging, urbanization and well-being. We engage with policy makers in the region to disseminate our research findings to influence policy decisions and improve the quality of life in Africa.

Overview of project

Globally, there is a rapidly increasing number of childcare centres in response to the increased demand, resulting from the increasing proportion of women engaging in formal and informal employment. However, many childcare centres in low-income settings do not meet the minimum standards of care, including national standards in Kenya. Therefore, many children are at risk of receiving inadequate care and nurturing during this critical period of their development, which will in turn negatively impact on their future learning and wellbeing. Within informal settlements in Nairobi, community health, child protection and education workers and volunteers are a valuable resource to ensure that the health, development and safety of the children in these childcare centres is promoted and protected.

The Community of Practise (CoP) intervention manual provides a guide to implementing a programme to enable community volunteers and workers to support those running and working in childcare centres (centre providers), particularly informal centres in urban poor neighbourhoods. The manual includes an outline of a 4.5 day training programme for community volunteers, a guide to support community volunteers to run regular ‘CoP’ group sessions with childcare centre providers and simple resources that can be copied and shared with the centre providers to support them improve practices in their centres.

Purpose of the consultancy

A draft version of the CoP intervention manual has been developed and shared with key stakeholders in Nairobi. We would like to include additional content that addresses issues of disability in the content and delivery. The purpose of this consultancy is to develop content for inclusion within the manual on childhood disability (both physical and learning disabilities) and how it relates to each of the modules within the manual.

Specific requirements of the consultancy

To develop content on child disability as it relates to the following modules within the manual:

• Learning through play
• Child protection, child abuse, positive discipline and child safety
• Health, WASH and Nutrition

The content needs to match the level of detail and style as other training materials within the manual and be of an appropriate level for training community health volunteers and centre providers. The material on disability will be included within the training manual.

Confidentiality of information

APHRC expects that the content of the manual should not be shared or reproduced in part or in whole.

Required qualifications

• A professional in the field of disability with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development, Early Childhood Education or related field.
• Proven work experience in early childhood development or early childhood education.
• Experience working with external stakeholders such as counties and sub-counties.
• Availability to work on the assignment for the period of the assignment.

Deliverable

• An edited manual with content on disability described above included in the three modules.

Consultancy period

• The performance period for this scope of work is five (5) working days.
• The final deliverable and report is subject to review and authorization by APHRC’s Community of Practice Principal Investigator.

Bid requirements

Consultants who meet the requirements of this assignment should submit the below by email to consultancies@aphrc.org and copy procurement@aphrc.org not later than May 27, 2022:

• Suitability statement that expresses commitment to availability for the entire assignment period.
• Cover letter of no more than one page – Attached separately.
• Curriculum Vitae – Attached separately.
• Contact details of at least two referees
• Preliminary proposed process, including work structure and timeline informed by this ToR.
• An indicative consultancy fees.

APHRC is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to the protection of vulnerable persons.