Terms of Reference for Midline Report Writing for “Family Strengthening and Community Based Support for Care of Children with Disabilities in Families” Project
Terms of Reference
MIDLINE REPORT WRITING for “Family Strengthening and Community Based Support for Care of Children with Disabilities in Families” Project
Report to: Senior Programs Manager & Disability Inclusion Advisor
Geographical Location of the Project: Huye & Bugesera Districts
October 2022

About Chance for Childhood
Chance for Childhood is an award-winning charity working in Africa to support the most vulnerable children, such as street children, disabled children, children affected by conflict and kids behind bars. Our vision is to fight for every child.
We work with African visionary community leaders to implement locally relevant yet far-reaching projects that create lasting change within the justice, education, and social protection sectors. This enables us to focus on ‘hard to reach’ children, both in terms of their complex needs (e.g., street children with learning difficulties) and location (e.g., urban violent slums or remote rural areas). Together we make ideas and impact both sustainable and scalable to protect, educate and empower even more of the world’s most disadvantaged children. Our interventions in Africa are in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Background of the project
Tubarere Mu Muryango is the implementation strategy for the National Childcare Reform that was implemented since 2013 with the goal of reintegrating children living in institutions and transform Rwanda’s childcare and protection system into a family-based system of care. In 2016, a national assessment showed that over 4,000 children with disabilities were still residing in the institutions. In 2018, a baseline assessment showed that some parents were in need for additional support to care for their children with disabilities.
To help parents find solutions to that problem, UNICEF in partnership with Chance for Childhood have started implementing “Family strengthening and Community based support for care of children with disabilities in families Programme” since July 2021.

This programme has three main objectives, such as to support those children and their families to access mainstream and disability-related services (education, healthcare, rehabilitation and social protection, child protection…). It also intends to facilitate parents/caregivers to access self-help groups and other community-based initiatives to respond to immediate special needs and build resilience for sustainable family-based care of their children with disabilities. The current programme will also ensure that community-based structures have necessary knowledge/capacity to provide and support children with disabilities and their families.
The programme has so far mapped 6689 children with disabilities and/or developmental delays in Huye and Bugesera Districts; has trained 6689 parents of children with disabilities and grouped them in 146 Parents Support Groups which helps them to provide psychosocial support to one another. In this programme, 7858 referrals were made to hospitals, rehabilitation centres, Education (Early childhood, primary, special school and TEVT), social and child protection. Out of the referrals made, about 30.34 % got the services whilst the remainder 69.66 % are still facing different challenges.
To respond to the issue concerning large group of children with multiple impairments who could not make it to the hospitals and rehabilitation centres, the programme created 138 rehabilitation sites whereby each site has about ten (10) children with disabilities attending the rehabilitation services twice a week.

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Our monitoring assessments also showed that about 1310 children with disabilities need different assistive devices out of which, 220 devices were recently provided by Chance for Childhood in close collaboration with CECHE Foundation and UNICEF Rwanda.
Purpose of the Midline survey
Rationale
The midline study and subsequent report is needed to assess the extent to which targets have been achieved thus far in the project, understand the determinants enabling and/or disabling achievement of targets, the extent of ownership built among the target groups, capture key learning from the implementation experience and recommend doable actions for the remaining project period.
Objectives
The objective of this midline survey is to see whether the project is on the right path to achieving what it is supposed to achieve, examine the possible enablers and disablers of the project achievements. This survey will also show the alternative ways to achieving sustainability and ownership by the government institutions.

Stakeholders and Users
Several stakeholders both internal and outside of CfC have interest in the data collection and results of the Midline survey of these will be asked to play a role in the report. Table 1 below provides a preliminary stakeholder analysis, which should be deepened by the consultant during the inception and data collection phases.
Accountability to targeted populations, is tied to CfC commitments to include beneficiaries as key stakeholders in their work. As such, CfC is committed to ensuring the involvement of children with disabilities, their guardians and parents and members of the support system including families of CwDs and respective communities.
Table 1: Preliminary Stakeholders’ analysis
Stakeholders Interest in the Midline survey and uses of Midline report to these stakeholders

Internal Stakeholders
Chance for Childhood (Rwanda & UK offices) Responsible for planning and operations implementation of the project. It has a direct stake in the Midline survey and interest in learning from the report to inform decision-making, programme (re)-design and advocacy for adequate investment in supporting children with disabilities in their families and communities.

UNICEF RWANDA UNICEF (as a donor) has an interest in the findings that emerge from Midline survey, particularly as they relate to UNICEF strategies, policies, thematic areas, or delivery modality with wider relevance to the programming.
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS
Beneficiaries As the ultimate recipients of the Family Strengthening and Community Based Support for Care of Children with Disabilities in Families interventions, beneficiaries have a stake in Chance for Childhood determining whether its assistance is appropriate and effective. As such, the level of participation in the Midline survey for children, parents and guardians will be determined and their respective perspectives will be sought.

Government (NCD & NCPD) The Government has a direct interest in knowing whether Family Strengthening and Community Based Support for Care of Children with Disabilities in Families’ activities in the country are still on track aligned with its priorities, harmonized with the action of other partners, and meet the expected results. Issues related to capacity development/strengthening of government institutions, handover and sustainability will be of interest.
The primary uses of this Midline report will be:
CfC will use the findings to enhance the implementation of the programme and/or re-design the programme, advocacy, and partnerships. It will also be used to decide on changes in the programme’s design and implementation of the Family Strengthening and Community Based Support for Care of Children with Disabilities in Families approach to inform the scale-up.
Midline survey approach

Scope
The Midline survey shall focus on the 18-month project that has been implemented in 29 sectors of two districts (Bugesera & Huye) between July2021- December 2022.
Midline survey Criteria
For the programme to achieve expected result, interventions must be effective to complement and enhance the current context. Midline survey will tell whether the programme will reach its objectives and sustainability. The survey will also recommend for the programme to be re-adjusted and/or re-designed. Therefore, the following questions must be answered:
1. How is the project helping children with disabilities and their families to participate in their community and realize their rights
2. To what extent does the current project help children with disabilities access mainstream services on an equitable basis with others
3. To what extent does the current project help CwDs access specialist services to meet their individual support needs in their local community
4. To what extent children who experience disability, and their families, live (in general) because of the current project implementation.
5. To what extent are the parents of CwDs benefiting from the Parents Support Groups created?
6. To what extent do the community volunteers (IZUs, CHWs and NCPD coordinators) support and/or advocate for families of CwDs.
7. To what extent do the service providers provide inclusive services to all including families of CwDs.

Data Availability
The consultant will use the Midline survey data collected by the project team to analyse and write up the report.
The consultant will also carry out different interviews with different stakeholders to triangulate with the data collected by the CfC team.
Concerning the quality of data and information, the consultant should:
1. a. Assess data availability and reliability as part of the inception phase expanding on the information provided above.
2. Systematically check accuracy, consistency, and validity of collected data and information and acknowledge any limitations/caveats in drawing conclusions using the data.

Methodology
In order to respond to the above survey questions, the consultant shall use data from interviews with families, community-based service providers, and community/ local leaders, which will contribute to an understanding of the experiences of the key stakeholders. This will provide a comprehensive understanding of the current situation of children with impairment(s) who experience disability, and their families, in the two target districts. The resultant data will be analysed thematically and/or quantitative technics.
Cultural Sensitivity of the Midline survey
The consultant should have a wide and being familiar with local traditions and particularities.
Further details can be discussed during the inception phase.

Quality Assurance
This quality assurance process shall not interfere with the views and independence of the consultant but ensures the report provides the necessary evidence in a clear and convincing way and draws its conclusions on that basis.
The consultant will be required to ensure the quality of data (validity, consistency, and accuracy) throughout the analytical and reporting phases. The consultant should be assured of the accessibility of all relevant documentation within the provisions of the acceptance disclosure of information procedures.

Ethical Clearance:
The consultant does not need to look for Ethical clearance since CfC has obtained it at the very beginning of this intervention.
Phases and Deliverables
The Midline data analysis and report writing will proceed through the following phases (please note the timeframes are not indicative of the no. of days needed throughout each stated period):
Desk Review and elaboration of an analysis plan (up to 1 week):
This will look at the following:
• Situation analysis, baseline, mapping and monitoring reports produced by CfC .
Discussion of the plan with CfC. Incorporation of adjustments if needed (2 days)
1-2 days (Kigali): Debriefings in Kigali and clarification of some questions
Field visit (discussion with NCPD, NCDA and the staff of Huye and Bugesera districts.
2-3 days to visit different institutions and stakeholders

Data analysis (1 week)
• CfC staff will do the data entry and share the dataset with the consultant.
Elaboration of a draft Midline report (2 weeks)
CfC shall review the draft Midline report to ensure that it meets the required quality criteria and planned objectives.
Elaboration of the final Midline report and presentation of the report (1week).
Participation in at least 1 knowledge sharing event.
Communication and budget

Communication
The consultant team shall provide weekly email updates to CfC to inform about the state of the activity. Emails and inquiries from consultant shall be responded to in a turnaround of two working days.
Budget and application guidelines
The total budget for this consultancy is RwF 4,500,000 which includes all costs related to consultancy including 15% withholding tax.
Qualifications and Competence requirements
• At least 5 to 10 years of experience in conducting qualitative and/or quantitative research and impact evaluations in the areas of social sciences, international development, or any related discipline.
• A demonstrated strong awareness and understanding of Inclusive development concepts both in Rwanda and Globally, is strongly preferred.
• An excellent command of English (Speaking and Writing)
• Adherence to Chance for Childhood’s Values
• Adherence to Chance for Childhood’s safeguarding Policy.
The consultant will be selected based on their relevant experience and expertise, rigor of their design, availability, and value for money

Submission Procedure
Applicants are requested to provide a proposal outlining the following in line with the details provided in the tender above:
1. CV
2. Cover letter with an expression of interest
3. Technical proposal
4. Financial proposal with detailed budget breakdown
Please submit your application to apply@chanceforchildhood.org with subject line “Family Strengthening and Community Based Support for Care of Children with Disabilities in Families.” The deadline is midnight GMT on Monday 14th November 2022. Only strongest candidates will be contacted due to anticipated high volume of applications. The successful applicant will be required to start on 21st November 2022.
Safeguarding
Chance for Childhood promotes and upholds the principles of equal opportunities and its policies. Chance for Childhood has a zero-tolerance approach to any harm to, or exploitation of, a vulnerable adult or a child by any of our staff, representatives, or partners. Recruitment to all jobs at Chance for Childhood includes criminal record checks/police background check and the collection of relevant references. Safeguarding our beneficiaries is our top priority in everything we do.
The successful candidate will therefore need to review, agree, and sign Chance for Childhood’s Child Protection Policy (CPP) prior to starting the post
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