[Hiring] International Consultant - Integrated Parenting Support Framework (IPF) @AGORA

Role Description

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support for the development of an Integrated Parenting Support Framework (IPF) for Uzbekistan, building on existing parenting support interventions, standards, procedures and service-delivery platforms.

The consultant will undertake a focused desk-based mapping and strategic gap analysis across health, preschool education, child protection and social protection. The review will encompass:

• Universal Progressive Home Visiting (UPHV)
• Parenting standards and standard operating procedures (SOPs) prepared for the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP) and the Ministry of Preschool and School Education (MoPSE)
• Relevant digital tools such as Bebbo and Internet of Good Things (IoGT)

The consultant will examine the coherence, coverage, inclusion and institutional complementarity of these instruments.

Drawing on the complementary behavioural insights prepared by another consultant, the consultant will produce an overarching framework defining:

• Shared objectives
• A continuum of universal, targeted and intensive parenting support
• Sector responsibilities
• Coordination principles
• Implementation priorities

This will support operationalization of Uzbekistan’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) Strategy and align with UNICEF’s Global Parenting Support Framework for parents and caregivers of children aged 0–8 years.

Within a focused, primarily remote assignment, the consultant will support the policy and framework development process. UNICEF and government counterparts will facilitate access to documents, stakeholder input and the complementary analytical outputs. In particular, the consultant will:

• Agree at inception with UNICEF and the behavioural insights consultant the division of labour, document list, strategic review criteria, timetable and validation process.
• Conduct a rapid desk-based inventory of existing parenting support approaches, including UPHV, NASP and MoPSE parenting standards/SOPs, preschool education resources, social work, and relevant face-to-face and digital channels.
• Assess at a strategic level how existing provision addresses responsive caregiving, positive and non-violent discipline, prevention of violence against children, caregiver mental health and psychosocial well-being, fathers’ engagement, gender norms and disability inclusion.
• Identify priority gaps, duplications and inconsistencies in population and age coverage (0–8 years), accessibility, content, continuity, institutional mandates, workforce arrangements and coordination; distinguish existing assets to retain/strengthen from areas needing adaptation or future development.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in public policy, ECD, social policy, child protection, education, social work or related social sciences.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in national policy/framework development, parenting support, early childhood development, child protection and/or cross-sectoral social service systems strengthening.
• Demonstrated ability to assess existing government programmes, standards and institutional arrangements; prepare concise policy frameworks, identify strategic gaps, and facilitate high-level technical validation.
• Knowledge of UNICEF parenting/ECD guidance and inclusive, violence-preventive parenting approaches.
• Fluency in English.

Benefits

• Paid parental leave
• Breastfeeding breaks
• Reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities