Consultancy to develop a social behavior change communication strategy and related implementation tool kits and materials on positive parenting – Kenya

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Consultancy service to develop a social behavior change communication strategy and related implementation tool kits and materials on positive parenting

About Investing in Children and their Societies

We work towards a better future for children. Together with families, communities, and other stakeholders, we initiate programmes that create safe and nurturing environments for them. Visit www.icsafrica-sp.org to see organizational projects and their impact. ICS SP Africa is currently providing technical support in the pilot implementation of the national parenting training programme (NPTP) in Kilifi and Garissa Counties

Background and purpose of the consultancy

NPTP Overview

The National Parenting Training Programme (NPTP) Pilot is a one-year (May 2022 – April 2023) project funded by UNICEF and implemented by the Department of Social Development in collaboration with the Department of Children’s Services, county Ministry of Health and ICS-SP in Kilifi and Garissa Counties. The NPTP contributes to Kenya’s National Parenting Programme through a multispectral approach, grounded in a commitment to nurturing care. National Parenting Programme (NPP) envisions Children in Kenya growing up in violence-free, nurturing, and supportive family environments that promote their well-being and development.

The National Parenting Programme focuses specifically on improving how parents’ approach and execute their role as parents, specifically their parenting knowledge, attitudes, skills, behaviours, and practices. The National Parenting Programme provides parenting education and support within a broader range of family support services, all of which are necessary to enable families to remain stable and safe places where children thrive. To guide the delivery of the programme, a national parenting manual was developed to guide in-person trainings for parents and caregivers. This manual is currently being piloted in Kilifi and Garissa. However, there are no standardized SBCC strategies and materials to guide population-level outreach campaigns, awareness, and sensitization

Purpose of the consultancy

ICS SP has embarked on a consultative process of developing a Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) plan to not only increase awareness of positive parenting but also improve knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of parents and caregivers on parenting.

Against this background, ICS SP is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified professionals/organizations to work with the project stakeholders to develop the SBCC strategy on positive parenting and develop related activities and materials that align with the goal of the positive parenting programme. Specifically, the consultant will develop:

1. Social Behavior Change Communication strategy that will include a comprehensive set of interventions to encourage and support positive parenting behaviors and enhance demand for and access to parenting interventions and services as envisioned in the National Parenting Programme. The SBCC strategy will include clear communication objectives and provide standard guidance for parenting campaigns, outreach & sensitization activities, and interventions that will reach the targeted population at scale. It will spell out the essential messages for all SBCC materials and activities. This strategy will facilitate the harmonization of approaches and messages among and across relevant delivery agents and stakeholders identified in the parenting programme. The strategy should include metrics for measuring success
2. Develop and package outreach IEC materials with essential messages and training packages that will be used by the various delivery agents in the programme

Although the SBCC strategy and the related materials are directed at the pilot stage of the parenting programme, they are expected to be taken to the national level, and therefore this should be taken into consideration for the final strategy.

Scope of the assignment

Guided by the National Parenting Programme’s vision and the national parenting training manual, pilot programme activities, and outcomes, the consultant will;

1. Follow a systematic process to analyze the local problem/s, define critical barriers and motivators to change, and design and implement comprehensive interventions to support and encourage positive parenting behaviors. and review already developed positive parenting materials. The process will follow a participatory approach where all stakeholders and targeted parents and caregivers are engaged from the design stage to implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Participants will be drawn widely across different stakeholder groups in Kilifi, Garissa, and at the national level
2. In consultation with internal and external stakeholders, develop the positive parenting SBCC strategy with well-defined objectives and related target audience-specific outreach IEC materials and training packages
3. Pretest the strategy and related IEC materials based on a scope agreed upon by the project team and make the required adaptations based on pre-test results
4. Strengthen the capacity of ICS SP and other stakeholders to implement the developed SBCC strategy and related SBCC IEC materials
5. Deliver the final consultancy report and the deliverables – The SBCC strategy and related IEC materials in English in soft and hard copies

The consultant(s) will work closely with and report to the NPTP Programme Coordinator. The consultant(s) and the relevant project teams and stakeholders will meet as per the agreed timings at various stages of the consultancy period.

Copyright

All materials and products arising out of this assignment will be copyrighted to ICS SP and the relevant stakeholders.

The SBCC Package

The SBCC strategy and package will be developed/adapted in close consultation with government stakeholders and ICS Program staff for the programs in both counties. The package will consist of;

• Integrated SBCC strategy based on parenting and the life cycle approach: The SBCC strategy should cover: Positive Parenting, Child Protection, Family strengthening, and Gender equity messages. This strategy should build on the already developed National Parenting Training Manual. The strategy should Identify the barriers, objectives, target audiences, channels of communication, and monitoring framework.
• Integrated messaging on parenting and the life cycle approach: Adapted and harmonized priority messages and tools for integrated outreach under each of the NPTP Pilot programs including a lens on disability and gender. The overarching guide for the messages should be based on positive parenting and a life cycle approach adapted to different stakeholders as identified like frontline workers, caregivers (mother/father, grandparents), children, adolescents, service providers, counties, etc. The package should include specific messages for parents of children with disabilities.
• Integrated outreach toolbox: build on the parenting toolbox for child protection, and add tools to integrate, Positive Parenting, Child Protection, Family strengthening, and Gender equity messages for frontline workers and service providers to use during community engagement and interaction with clients.
• A simplified communication and sharing information tool: As part of the outreach and based on the existing information on referrals adapt/develop a simple tool to ensure gathering or updated service information to support referrals during outreach. The tool will be used by frontline workers, service providers, and municipalities to make referrals.

Deliverables

Following the successful delivery of the assignment, the consultant will avail the following, which will be the basis for payments:

1. An inception report at the onset of the engagement, outlining how the task will be executed, the proposed methodology, timelines, etc;
2. Detailed desk review report, detailing existing frameworks and insights that will guide the design of a contextually relevant positive parenting SBCC strategy
3. SBCC strategy for the positive Parenting Programme
4. IEC materials and related training and outreach packages (with key messages and activities) that will be used by frontline delivery agents and project stakeholders
5. Pre-test report and tools
6. Final products (mentioned in C and D above after pretesting) in soft and hard copies of the strategy, and tools in English

Detailed Deliverable 1: Integrated strategy

1. Conduct interactive reviews and validation meetings/workshops with NPTP Pilot programs, key stakeholders (DSD, DCS, MOH, and NPTP Facilitators/supervisors, etc.), and relevant community audience on the existing strategies, messages, and tools.
2. Develop integrated SBCC strategy with the participation of stakeholders across all programs building on the draft SBCC strategy, the concept of parenting, and the life skills approach
3. Develop a Monitoring framework, monitoring, and Evaluation checklist to check on the effectiveness of the integrated messages designated for various target audiences.
4. Develop/adapt referral information tool that can easily be updated for use by both frontline workers and service providers and information hubs (DSD, DCS & MOHs, etc.).

Detailed Deliverable 2: Develop messages and tools:

1. Based on the creative ideas developed for the draft existing SBCC draft, plan and branding for responsive parenting, develop/adapt the concept of tools for messages related to health, nutrition, hygiene, and nurturing care that can be executed across all audiences, channels, and platforms.
2. Based on the agreed concept and messages conduct a pre-test across different channels for advocacy, increased awareness, demand creation, and community engagement among the different audiences. These channels could include: print, electronic, outdoor, frontline, and service provider job aids, etc. as deemed appropriate
3. Develop a guide that can allow for a quick understanding of how to use the tools
4. Submit all documents, in English or Swahili
5. Develop/adapt monitoring and evaluation checklist to check on the effectiveness of the integrated package designated for various target audiences in the mediums of print, electronic and online media
6. Final submission must include;
   1. 1. Each of the final materials/tools should be submitted in hard and soft copy
      2. Final electronic materials should be on audio and visual flash disks as appropriate
7. Provide final integrated messages, training guide, monitoring tool, and materials soft and printed copies.

ICS SP will be responsible for:

1. Covering the costs of consultant and logistics associated with the assignment.
2. Actively engaging with the consultant during the consultancy period
3. Reviewing the draft documents and providing stakeholder feedback.
4. Providing linkages and organizing meetings with all project stakeholders as required.

Timelines

The consultancy shall be for a maximum of 25 days consultancy days, spreading between March 15th and April 15th 2023. The final products should be delivered to the Organization’s point person not later than the agreed date after the completion of the assignment.

Background qualification, experience and competencies;

For Individual/Company/Institution Education;

• Extensive experience in developing C4D/SBCC strategies (provide an example of Social behavioral Change strategy developed and applied)
• Level of experience required for this is a minimum of five years of extensive experience developing training guides, media, advertising, social and behavior change strategies, supporting the development, pre-test, and production of Information, Education Communication and Behavior and Social Change integrated messages across different channel and platforms.
• Demonstrated experience in developing integrated Social and Behaviour Change Strategies capacity building especially at the community level (provide an example of previous work at the community level)
• Demonstrated experience in capacity building and developing messages and materials, especially for service providers and community level
• Demonstrated experience in monitoring Communication for Development C4D/SBCC
• Experience working in consultation with government line ministries, civil society, and UNICEF implementing partners, cultural institutions, and other community pillars.
• Demonstrated experience in managing gender, violence, child rights, and education for vulnerable children (children with disabilities and girl-child) content development.
• Experience working in hard-to-reach (Kilifi and Garissa Counties) will be an added advantage

Payment schedule

How to apply

ICS SP’s absolute priority is protecting children, vulnerable communities, and our own staff. We have zero tolerance for incidents of violence or abuse against children and other people in the communities we serve, either committed by our staff or others connected to our work. Successful applicants will be required to sign and adhere to our safeguarding, child protection, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) code of conduct and policies.

If you are a professional or an organization with a passion to make a difference in children, parents, and caregivers, send your expression of interest to icsro@icsafrica.org. The deadline for submitting applications is 13th March 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only shortlisted professionals will be contacted. Please indicate the title of the consultancy as the subject of your email.

Applicants are required to submit the following:

1. A technical proposal detailing your understanding of the assignment, methodology, and work plan.
2. Individual/Firm/company profile on handling related assignments
3. Personal CVs for individual consultants highlighting qualifications and experienced Contact details of referees which shall be organizations for whom you have worked with.
4. Links to examples and/or samples of similar work previously conducted.
5. All-inclusive financial proposal indicating consultancy fee and a breakdown of expenses related to the assignment.
6. Both technical and financial proposals shall not exceed five pages and should be submitted as a single document.