Consultant to Support the Transition and Reintegration of Children in Contact with the Law Back to the Community

Posting Title: Consultant to Support the Transition and Reintegration of Children in Contact with the Law Back to the Community

Department/Office: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Duty Station: NAIROBI

Posting Period: 23 August 2021 – 01 September 2021

Result of Service

Expected tangible and measurable output(s)/deliverable (s):

 Monthly output-oriented reports detailing the results of the support provided to the implementation of the ongoing project on Preventing Violent Extremism through Rehabilitation, Vocational Training and Social Reintegration in Children’s Statutory Institutions in Kenya.
 A final, comprehensive and output-oriented report submitted not later than three working days prior to the end of the consultancy.

Work Location

Home-based, with travels within the Eastern Africa Region

Expected duration

70 Working Days between September and December 2021

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Background of the assignment:
   Every jurisdiction in the world is grappling with the problem of juvenile delinquency. The arrangements which are employed to address the problem depend either on the pre-existing structures or have been variedly modified and influenced by public policy or research. Such arrangements may also lean on other social-cultural support systems that link with the structural arrangements and acclaimed practices. However, these arrangements have a universal appreciation that a child must not be handled as an adult offender, much as age and social orientation of children are variedly defined by statutes and conventions. In spite of age definition and variance across jurisdictions, the principle of the ‘Best Interest of the Child’ has had much influence in addressing juvenile justice matters since the Convention on the Right of the Child was promulgated universally. Delinquency is a deviant phenomenon that may manifest any time in a child’s growth and development period; and failure to rehabilitate and effectively reintegrate child offenders predisposes them to criminality in adulthood and undermines the possibility of them leading productive lives.
   There are many root social, economic and other causes that may bring children into contact with the law, including poverty, a lack of education and employment opportunities, drug or substance abuse, violence and crime.
   National systems vary in their approach to responding to children in contact with the law, who may be dealt with through the formal justice or courts system, by the welfare system, or by an administrative system. International law in the area of justice for children is substantial and detailed. The primary child rights instruments include the “Convention on the Rights of the Child”, the “UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice”, the “UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty”, the “UN Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency”, and the “UN Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System”. In line with the 2008 Guidance Note of the UN Secretary-General on the Approach to Justice for Children, UNODC’s work in this area seeks to ensure that children are better served and protected by justice systems, and security and social welfare sectors. The relevant provisions of the Convention and other international legal instruments related to justice for children have yet to be systematically reflected in broader policy reform, programmes as well as other efforts to strengthen the rule of law at the national level.
   Within the framework of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Pillar’s project on Preventing Violent Extremism through Rehabilitation, Vocational Training and Social Reintegration in Statutory Children’s Institutions in Kenya (phase 2), UNODC plans to support the Department of Children Services (DCS) in Kenya to promote the rehabilitation and reintegration of children and young people in contact with the law. This support will include collaboration with government agencies, community-based organization, private sector and academic institutions. UNODC will therefore engage a consultant to support the transition and reintegration of children in contact with the law back to the community.
   This support responds to some of the findings of the Assessment Report on Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration Programmes Services and Practices for Children in Conflict with the Law in Kenya published in January 2021 that revealed recidivism remained an issue of concern. During the research, some children in the Borstal institutions, both boys and girls, admitted having previously served terms in the rehabilitation schools. It also revealed how partners play a significant role in the rehabilitation and reintegration of children and the need to explore more community-based interventions aimed at addressing the gaps in the rehabilitation and reintegration process to reduce recidivism rates.
2. Purpose of the assignment:
   The purpose of the assignment is to support the transition and reintegration of children in contact with the law back to the community.
3. Specific tasks to be performed by the consultant:
   Under the overall supervision of the Regional Representative in the UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa (ROEA) and the direct supervision of the UNODC ROEA Head of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, and in close cooperation and consultation with DCS and relevant child justice stakeholders, the consultant will perform the following substantive duties and responsibilities in supporting the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Pillar:
   a) Support the implementation of the on-going project on Preventing Violent Extremism through Rehabilitation, Vocational Training and Social Reintegration in Children’s Statutory Institutions in Kenya
   • To provide assistance and guidance in all activities that will facilitate the successful transition and reintegration processes of the children, within the institutions as well as in the home environment. Specific actions will include but not limited to:
    Identification of at-risk children in need of tracing and home visits prior to the reintegration process
    Identify partnerships with academic institutions and sponsors that can support the children exiting rehabilitation schools continue with their education
    Facilitating life skills training for the children within the institutions
    Organization and facilitation of family conferencing (or family group discussions) where applicable
    Facilitating and conducting family tracing for separated children as part of multi-agency team to foster family cohesion and encourage recovery
    Collaborating with the focal point of the selected institutions, facilitate the annual parent’s day where parents will receive some parenting skills training
    Collaborating with the children officers, participate in the gathering of full information on the circumstances surrounding the Child’s delinquency and prepare a realistic individual treatment plan (ITP) for successful rehabilitation
    Collaborating with the children officers, participate in the assessment of home environment in preparation for child’s eventual and unconditional reintegration
   • To create and maintain an updated child status database of project trainees and beneficiaries during the transition and reintegration processes, and post-reintegration which includes but is not limited to location, biodata, education/employment, equipment status, family cohesion status. Specific actions will include but not limited to:
    Updating the asset register per institution periodically for the equipment procured by UNODC
    Monitoring status of the equipment given to beneficiary children as an empowerment tool for the equipment procured by UNODC
    Keeping an updated child status log of project trainees and beneficiaries
    Monitor the educational progress of project beneficiaries by follow-up visits to formal education schools, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and attachment environment
   • To coordinate psychosocial support activity during the transition and reintegration process with the multi-agency team to foster family cohesion and encourage recovery. Specific actions will include but not limited to:
    Collaborating with the focal point of the selected institutions, identify partners who can offer pro-bono services in mental and physical health of the children
    Participating in the selection of motivational speakers to encourage children to overcome obstacles in life.
    Participating in organization of the annual interschool sports, exhibition and talent show
    Organizing and facilitating holiday mentorship for girls and boys who have exited from the rehabilitation schools and joined other educational institutions.
   b) Reporting and other requirements
   • Complete a final, comprehensive and output-oriented report, submitted not later than three working days prior to the end of the consultancy.

Qualifications/special skills

Academic Qualifications: An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, social sciences, criminology, sociology, psychology or other relevant discipline is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
• A minimum of seven (7) years relevant work experience in juvenile justice, juvenile/youth offender supervision and rehabilitation including management of the youth programmes/projects is required.
• Work experience in managing and implementing projects on children matters is required.
• Work experience of working with grassroot organizations or local organizations is desirable.
• Work experience with the criminal justice sector in Kenya/Eastern Africa is desirable.
Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations Secretariat language, is an advantage.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.