Child Protection Specialist

Since the onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine, host communities in Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson oblasts have faced increasing pressure to provide integrated and sustainable social services for internally displaced persons (IDPs), conflict-affected children, and vulnerable families. The war has caused widespread displacement, destruction of infrastructure, psychosocial distress, unemployment, and heightened risks of family separation and institutionalization of children. At the same time, many local authorities and service providers continue to face limited technical capacity, insufficient human and financial resources, and weak coordination systems to respond effectively to the growing and increasingly complex protection needs of children and families.

Across the three oblasts, there is a critical need to strengthen community-based integrated social services, improve social work case management and referral pathways, and expand family-based alternative care options for children without parental care. Strengthening gatekeeping systems, family support services, early intervention, psychosocial support, and community-based protection mechanisms is essential to prevent unnecessary institutionalization and support safe family reunification and reintegration. These efforts require stronger intersectoral coordination, evidence-based planning, skilled social service workforce development, and enhanced collaboration between oblast and hromada authorities, UNICEF implementing partners, and communities, including people with lived experience.

The purpose of this assignment is to support UNICEF’s Child Protection Programme (particularly the Better Care Flagship Program) under the Odesa Field Office. The consultant will support strengthening and streamlining integrated social services and family-based alternative care systems across Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson oblasts. The UNV will contribute to improving coordination mechanisms, strengthening community-based child protection and gatekeeping systems, enhancing family support services, and supporting the implementation of the Better Care agenda in line with the National Strategy for Ensuring the Right of Every Child to Grow Up in a Family Environment.

Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Specialist, the UNV is expected to undertake the following:

• Support the establishment and functioning of regional and local Better Care task forces, working groups, and coordination platforms, including preparation of agendas, documentation of recommendations, and follow-up on implementation of agreed actions.
• Promote meaningful engagement of People with Lived Experience (PWLE), children, young people, caregivers, and community representatives in planning, implementation, monitoring, and advocacy processes related to Better Care reform.
• Conduct situational analyses, service mapping, workforce assessments, and community profiling to identify service gaps, priority needs, and opportunities for expansion of Better Care interventions.
• Support monitoring and reporting of Better Care Program implementation in three regions under OFO.
• Support the development, implementation, and quality assurance of integrated social services and family-based care interventions.
• Support the development and roll-out of capacity-building plans for social service providers at Hromada and Oblast.
• Support the institutionalization of technical supervision, mentoring, peer-learning, and continuous professional development mechanisms for the social service workforce through direct partnership modalities and government-led systems.
• Support oblast and hromada authorities in planning, budgeting, and mobilizing resources for Better Care interventions, including strengthening understanding and application of UNICEF Direct Cash Transfer (DCT) modalities, financial management requirements, and reporting processes.
• Facilitate knowledge management, documentation of good practices, lessons learned, and success stories, and support dissemination of evidence and learning products to inform policy dialogue and programme scale-up.