TERMS OF REFERENCES (TOR) for conducting baseline study of Woliso Educare project.

Description of programme location

SOS Children’s Villages Jimma is one of seven programs under SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia and has been operating various interventions primarily focusing on children, young people, families, and communities in the towns of Jimma, Agaro, Bedelle, Nekemte and Woliso towns in Oromia regional state. SOS Children’s Village Jimma currently operates alternative childcare programs (SOS Family-like Care, Kinship Care and Foster Family Care), Family and community development programs (Grow Equal and EduCare projects), humanitarian emergencies, advocacy, and the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools and kindergarten.The programme location has been providing Alternative childcare for the children’s who already lost their parental care and under, Family strengthening program also supports children who already lost their parental care.

Rationale and overall objective of the baseline study

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia has planned to conduct a baseline assessment for its Woliso Educare project. The study/assessment is intended to get an analysis of the situation on the ground, against which progress can be compared at the end of the project’s intervention. The baseline study establishes the starting indicator value (the baseline) for indicators included in the results framework and tests the source of verification to ensure that it is reliable, and data can be accessed and collected. It is crucial to have accurate baselines from which changes can be measured and reliable sources of verification that can be used during monitoring and evaluations. Baseline studies are essential to demonstrate that change has taken place, as they provide a point of comparison.

Objectives of the baseline study:

General objective

The overall objective of the baseline study is to measure the baseline information of the indicators of the result framework at the outcome and output level before the start of the project in the intervention. The baseline survey result will help us to set the targets to be attained at outcome and output indicators for the Educare Project.

Specific Objective

The specific objectives of the baseline study are:

To establish baseline indicator values for all indicators in the result framework (RF) of the project and propose possible improvements where needed.

To assess the situations of the communities, families, and their children in the target locations and recommend the appropriate support based on their needs.

To provide information and statistical data on caregivers, children, and young people’s situation indicators prior to the interventions.

To detect existing challenges faced by children in the targeted kebeles, services available to them and appropriate interventions/solutions to address.

To set achievable and realistic targets for the expected results that have been defined in the results chain.

Project outcomes and outputs:

The project has the following goal, outcomes and outputs.

Goal: To contribute to the realization of inclusive, quality education and well-being for vulnerable children in Woliso town, Southwest Shoa zone, Oromia regional state in Ethiopia.

Project Outcome & Output

Outcome 1: The right to participate in inclusive and quality education for girls, boys, and children with disabilities in the most vulnerable situations is enhanced.

Output 1.1. Targeted girls & boys in all their diversity have access to quality education.

Output 1.2: Targeted girls & boys in all their diversity have access to curative health care services.

Output 1.3. Targeted girls & boys residing in dilapidated houses have access to safe and satisfactory accommodation per local standards.

Output 1.4. Targeted girls & boys in all their diversity (age 10 and above) have improved knowledge and skills on their rights, SRH and life skills.

Outcome 2: Targeted women in all their diversities have improved socio economic and parenting capacities to care for and to protect their children.

Output 2.1. Caregivers, in all their diversity, are engaged in environmentally friendly income generating activities.

Output 2.2. Caregivers, in all their diversity have access to saving and credit services.

Output 2.3. Caregivers, in all their diversity, have received training on parenting to support their children’s development and wellbeing.

Output 2.4. Women, men, in all their diversity have the necessary knowledge on child right, GBV, SRH, disability and social protection services.

Outcome 3: Public primary schools have improved capacity to enhance learning outcomes and prevent GBV and Violence Against Children (VAC) among most vulnerable children (including people with disability)

Output 3.1: Teachers, School administrators and education experts are aware of inclusive and child-friendly quality education.

Output 3.2: School based clubs established /strengthened to promote SRH and the prevention of GBV/VAC.

Output 3.3: Partner schools supported with need-based inputs.

Outcome 4: CSOs/KIPs strengthened to advance the right of women, children and people living with Disabilities.

Output 4.1. The governance, leadership and financial capacities of CSOs/KIP strengthened.

Output 4.2. Women and disability focused CSOs have strengthened capacity to respond to human rights, gender equality, women/youth empowerment and SRHR services.

Output 4.3. Relevant Local government offices are strengthened to provide social support services.

Major baseline study questions

The commissioned consultant should list relevant and possible baseline study questions by referring to the project document and the project result framework and show the baseline study questions during inception report presentation.

Scope of the baseline study

Geographically, the baseline study is limited to the project participant children, youth, families, the communities and key implementation partners (CBOs) in Woliso town in Oromia reginal state under SOS children’s Village Jimma programme location. The baseline study will take place in Woliso town. The Project has the following direct and indirect participants/beneficiaries.

Project direct Beneficiaries		Project indirect Beneficiaries
Female Male Boys Girls Total	250 50 550 650 1600	Female Male Total	4535 4665 9200

Baseline study Methodology

The consultant is expected to develop appropriate and standard quantitative and qualitative methodologies that can generate the highest quality and most credible evidence. The commissioned consultant should use a mixed method approaches (quantitative and qualitative methods) to answer the baseline study questions. As far as possible, the consultant should disaggregate data by sex, age, disability while collecting and analysing data. The consultant should also clearly explain which questions will be answered using which methods. Data collection methods proposed by the consultant should be linked to the specific target group question(s). In addition to the data collection methodology, the consultant should refer relevant desk review of the project agreement documents. Moreover, the consultant is expected to explain the design and process of data collection tools, data collection plans and data analysis instrument. The consultant is also expected to use tools like SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats) analysis while facilitating meetings with partners and stakeholders.

The Consultant should also ensure that the survey and qualitative methods (such as focus group discussion (FGD), key informant interview (KII) and group discussion) with participants are representative of the project’s target groups and key stakeholders (Community members, Children, youth, care givers (men & women), CBOs.)

Sampling

The Commissioned consultant is expected to use appropriate sampling techniques and set a representative sample size for both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Based on the project objectives, results, the baseline study equations and the Woliso Educare project result framework. The consultant should produce appropriate sampling methods and ensure representativeness of the sampled households or respondents, and the sampling frame is from target children, youth, care givers, schools, CBOs and community structures.

Work plan and expected deliverables

Work plan/timetable

The baseline study task is expected to be finalized within 30 days after the contractual agreement is signed.

The consultant is expected to develop her/his detailed work plan based on the following table.

Activities	Dates	Time frame	Location

 

DeliverablesThe commissioned external consultant must deliver the baseline study findings within 30 days of the contract signing. Based on the work plan, SOS Children’s Villages of Jimma programme location, Programme MEAL and the national office MEAL and FS teams expect the following deliverables:

An inception report of 8 pages on the baseline study design, methodology, sampling frame, sampling technique, sample size, assessment tools and work plan

Draft baseline study report of maximum 20 pages.

The consultant is expected to present findings of Woliso Educare project (for both draft and final findings) by intervention areas.

Final baseline study report – The findings of baseline study report including an executive summary and data collection tools in both electronic and hardcopy formats should be submitted.

Raw data, which has been cleaned (both qualitative and quantitative, including original field notes for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and recorded audio material), should be submitted with the report. SOS CVE will have sole ownership of all final data, and any findings shall only be shared or reproduced with the permission of SOS Children’s Village Ethiopia.

Report criteria

Thef reporting criteria for Woliso Eudcare project baseline study shall be in line with the SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia result based management (RBM) toolkit and should be shared with the winner consultant along with the data review process and/or for the preparation of the inception report.

Child Safeguarding and ethical issues.

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to ensuring that all research, evaluation and data collection processes (i.e. evidence-generating activities) undertaken by SOS Children’s Villages and its partners are ethical and respect child safeguarding policy and procedure.

The consultant must respect the rights, dignity and protection of children and other vulnerable population groups and should ensure special protection for children and other vulnerable groups during any data-generating activities to minimize any potential risks. Any research, evaluation and data collection SOS Children’s Villages is directly carrying out or is involved in as a partner.

Ethical practices need to be ensured in the following circumstances:

• Any research, baseline, midterm or final evaluations and data collection SOS Children’s Villages has commissioned for ethical oversight of these processes.
• Any research, evaluation and data collection carried out by researchers/consultants on SOS Children’s Villages programmes and participants.

Hence, relevant project coordinator and location MEAL coordinator in Jimma will ensure that any researchers, evaluators and data collectors should receive awareness training on, sign and adhere to SOS Children’s Villages core policies:

Obtaining consent from research participants is central to the research relationship and signals respect for the research participant’s dignity, their capability to express their views and their right to have these heard in matters that affect them. Informed consent is an explicit agreement which requires participants to be informed about and understand the research/assessment. This must be given voluntarily and be renegotiable, so that participants may withdraw at any stage of the research process.

Logistical arrangements:

The awarded consultant shall show feasible logistical arrangements for the assignment as part of the technical proposal. National or location-level staff (SOSCV) will be available to help organize the interviews including contacting SOSCV, announcing and local preparation of evaluation, and linking to community duty bearers and national authorities if required.

Duration of the contract and terms of payment

Payment will be made only upon SOS Children’s Villages’ acceptance of the work performed in accordance with the above-described deliverables. Financial proposals should include proposed stage payments. Payment will be affected by bank transfer in the currency of birr.

Funding and Payment: The consultant will be paid by SOS Children’s Villages as follows:

• 30% on the submission and approval of the inception report.
• 30% on completion of the draft report.
• 40% on completion of the final report.

Duration of contract: the contract is effective from the moment it was signed until the acceptance of work by the SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia management team.

Notice of delay

Shall the successful bidder encounter a delay in the performance of the contract which may be excusable under unavoidable circumstances; the contractor shall notify SOS Children’s Villages in writing about the causes of any such delays within one (1) week from the beginning of the delay.

After receipt of the Contractor’s notice of delay, SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia shall analyse the facts and extent of the delay and extend the time for performance when in its judgment the facts justify such an extension.

Copyright and other proprietary rights

SOS Children’s Villages shall be entitled to all intellectual property and other proprietary rights including, but not limited to, copyrights, and trademarks, with regard to products, processes, inventions, ideas, know-how, or documents and other materials which the Contractor has developed for SOS Children’s Villages under the Contract and which bear a direct relation to or are produced or prepared or collected in consequence of, or during the course of, the performance of the Contract. The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that such products, documents, and other materials constitute works made for hire for SOS Children’s Villages.

All materials: interviews, reports, recommendations, and all other data compiled by or received by the Contractor under the Contract shall be the property of SOS Children’s Villages and shall be treated as confidential and shall be delivered only to SOS Children’s Villages authorized officials on completion of work under the Contract. The external consultant is obliged to hand over all raw data collected during the assessment to SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia.

Termination

The termination of the service agreement for the assignment will be in accordance with the contractual agreement to be included at the formal agreement’s actual signing.

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