National Consultant To Provide Expertise On Inclusive Childcare Services And Redistribution Of Unpaid Care

Consultancy To Support Inclusive Childcare Services In Moldova

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The work of UN Women in Moldova is guided by its Country Strategic Note 2023-2027, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Moldova (2023-2027), UN Women Global Strategic Plan, National Programs and Strategies and aims to contribute to the gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Strategic Note focuses on four main areas: 1) Ending Violence against Women; 2) Women's Leadership and Governance; 3) Women's Economic Empowerment; and 4) Humanitarian and Peace development nexus and UN Coordination on gender equality and women empowerment.

To ensure that women and girls, including those at greatest risk of being left behind, have improved access to resources, equal opportunities, and rights to enjoy a life without discrimination and violence, UN Women is implementing the project "Ending Violence, Expanding Livelihood Opportunities for Women and Accelerating Gender Governance in Moldova (EVOLVE4GE)" with financial support of European Union. The project addresses the key challenges women and girls face in the country, such as a) gender-blind policies and budgets that enable the persistence and perpetuation of gender inequalities; b) uneven participation, contribution, and benefit of women and men from the national economy; c) high prevalence of gender-based violence and limited access to specialist services and capacities for integrated service provision.

One of the project objectives is to address unpaid care work which remains undervalued, unrecognized and disproportionally carried by women. Globally, women provide nearly three times as much unpaid care work as men, limiting their time, choice and opportunities for education, decent paid work, and political participation, a reality that is especially true for women and girls in low-income and rural households, migrant women and those who are racially marginalized.

This initiative aims to transform the undervaluing and gendered division of care and improve the lives of women and girls across the country– especially those caring for children with disabilities. In line with Moldova's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the project will advance inclusive and accessible early childhood services that respond to the diverse needs of all families. As of January 1, 2024, according to the data from the National Office of Social Insurance, approximately 2.2% of all children are registered as having disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The country is working on improving data collection and support systems for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

There's also a growing focus on inclusive education, with adaptations in curricula and infrastructure, based on the increasing number of children with disabilities, including those with autism, attending mainstream childcare services.

In line with the EU accession agenda, strengthening of childcare services is one of the priorities set in the Moldova Growth Plan and the Reform Agenda, with a specific target to create new 5,000 childcare places by December 2027.

To achieve this goal, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP) has circulated a memo supporting the scaling up of nursery group expansion projects, with the objective of creating 3,000 new nursery places over the next three years through a strategic and multisectoral approach that addresses the growing need for early childcare services. According to the MLSP memo, the expansion of early education and childcare services will involve both the extension of existing infrastructure and the rehabilitation and adaptation of available spaces. The initiative also aims to respond to local needs and generate positive impacts on socio-economic development and women's employment, by creating new nursery places for children under three years old and enabling women to return to work earlier after childbirth.

Under the envisaged consultancy, UN Women aims to complement these efforts by providing technical support to integrate disability inclusion into childcare services, with a dual focus on making the childcare services more accessible and responsive to the needs of children with disabilities. The intervention will focus on two main areas:

1. Strengthening inclusive childcare service delivery. The consultant will conduct the assessment and identify the needs for adaptation and improvement of public childcare services — to ensure they are accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of children with disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This includes developing a set of general guidance and minimum quality standards on infrastructure, service design, and inclusive practices that ensure all children can access safe, appropriate and nurturing early education and care, regardless of ability or background.
2. Enhancing the capacity of caregivers and professionals. Practical educational tools and training materials will be developed and delivered to support caregivers in providing inclusive and friendly childcare services. This will target women caregivers of children with disabilities, as well as professionals such as psychologists, educators, therapists, and early childhood specialists. This will enable the women with children with disabilities to rely on available and needs responsive childcare services thereby advancing the redistribution of unpaid care.

The consultant will report to the Project Officer on women's economic empowerment, who will be the contact point on contract and payment issues, under overall coordination of the Project Management Specialist. Regular progress reports will be required in accordance with the reported progress (based on w.d.) according to the initial workplan outlined.

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

1. Assess the general conditions and available educational and didactic tools and materials (in at least 5 public kindergartens outside Chisinau municipality), develop a set of general guidance and minimum quality standards for inclusive childcare services.
2. Develop and deliver at least 10 basic training sessions for caregivers and professionals, aiming to enhance the understanding of specific needs and requirements, promote autonomy and inclusive childcare services.
3. Provide practical recommendations on inclusive educational tools and training materials for caregivers and professionals to ensure their services are accessible, gender sensitive and aligned with the CRPD principles of dignity, non-discrimination, and participation.
4. Coordinate with local and national stakeholders in these 5 regions (including social assistance services, education and health institutions) to inform and ensure integrated approach in provision of inclusive services for children with disabilities.
5. Submit a final report summarizing the activities delivered, good practices identified, key recommendations for inclusive childcare services and capacity-building needs of both caregivers and professionals.

The assignment should be carried out within a period of 10 months (with possibility of extension following satisfactory performance and needs for support expressed by national counterparts).

Consultant's Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. As part of this assignment, there will be a maximum of 5 trips outside of Chisinau. UN Women will ensure transportation outside Chisinau. All travel shall be coordinated with UN Women.

Financial Arrangements

Payment will be disbursed every month upon submission and approval of deliverables and timesheets with actual days worked. The payment shall be made upon certification by UN Women that the services have been satisfactorily performed. The number of days worked is to be determined solely by UN Women.

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Functional Competencies:

1. Technical expertise: Proven ability to apply clinical and developmental psychology principles to assess, counsel, and support children with special needs, including those with ASD, CP, and ADHD.
2. Inclusive early childhood education and care: Demonstrated knowledge of inclusive education principles and ability to advise on adapting childcare infrastructure, methodologies, and environments to meet the diverse needs of children.
3. Training and capacity building: Experience in designing and delivering structured training programs for parents, caregivers, educators, and specialists on early intervention, behavioral support, and inclusive practices.
4. Communication and stakeholder engagement: Strong interpersonal and communication skills to collaborate with a range of stakeholders, including parents, service providers, local authorities, and partner organizations.

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Master's degree in social sciences, psychology/clinical psychology, psycho pedagogy or educational sciences, or other related fields is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Additional training or certification in working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Cerebral