Child Protection Case Management Assistant at Plan International

Role Purpose

• Plan International has secured funding from the German government through its German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) for the implementation of a Child Protection Mobile program intervention in order to address the immediate protection needs of children, adolescents and their families affected by the crisis in North-East Nigeria.
• The crisis in North-East Nigeria has adverse psychological impact on children and caregivers thus building their resilience and coping mechanism is key to their recovers and fostering of social cohesion.
• In this regard, Plan International is recruiting Case Managers who will be responsible provide direct case management services children, adolescents and their families, conduct community based service mapping and referrals in line with International minimum standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action and MHPSS guidelines.
• The post holder will be supervised directly by the CP Officer/GBV Officer and technically by the Child Protection in Emergencies Specialist/GBV Technical Advisor. S/He is expected to work very closely with other members of the program team.
• Initial assignment is for 12 months with possibility of extension of up to 36 months depending on satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

Dimension of Role

• Communicates within Plan International Nigeria and with partners and related government institutions.
• The post holder will coordinate with community-based stakeholders in identifying key services and gaps the post holder will contribute towards the capacity building of Plan Internationals implementing partners and government counterparts.
• The role is part of a Mobile team responsible to provide rapid response services and must be willing to deploy in a very short notice in areas highly affected by influx of IDPs, volatile security and extremely hard to reach communities cut off by natural disaster like floods.

Key Roles/Responsibilities
In collaboration with the Project Officers, the Case Managers will directly be responsible for the following:

• Identification and registration of unaccompanied and separated children
• Provide direct, one-on-one and ongoing case management services, including safety planning
• Identification, training and prepare foster parents for placement of children in need of alternative care
• Facilitate emergency alternative care arrangement of children without adult care
• Mobilize parents and caregivers and roll out parenting training sessions
• Facilitate rapid family tracing and reunification of unaccompanied and separated children
• Liaise with Project Officers to facilitate awareness and sensitization sessions on prevention of family separation
• In collaboration with the Clinical Psychologist, conduct regular psychological first aid sessions and training for project beneficiaries as well as community volunteers and local leaders.
• In collaboration with the Clinical Psychologist, facilitate psychosocial activities with children through mobile Child Friendly Spaces
• Ensure the inclusion of children with special needs such as those with disabilities and from minority groups.
• Provide referrals for services not offered by the mobile team and ensure follow up.
• Ensure all cases identified for case management are properly documented and are captured in the CP/GBVIMS.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge
Essential:

• University degree or equivalent in Social Work, Psychology, Law or Sociology
• Minimum of 2 years relevant working experience in child protection prevention and response programming, humanitarian affairs or human rights.
• Minimum of 1 years implementing community based psychosocial support activities
• Experience working in emergency settings
• Experience working with unaccompanied and separated children and children formerly associated with armed forces and armed groups
• Experience working in a mobile team or a rapid response team
• Experience working with refugees and other vulnerable populations (ideal)
• Experience in Community Based programming and Child Friendly Spaces
• Previous experience directly providing case management services to children at risk and survivors of abuse, exploitation and violence and developing/implementing referral pathways.
• Previous training on case management.

Skills & Knowledge:

• Strong skills in documentation, review and analysis of case file documentation
• Excellent community mobilization skills
• Ability to work individually and within a team with limited supervision. A self-starter.
• Good analytical, problem solving and project planning skills
• Able to communicate clearly and strategically with internal and external stakeholders as a representative of Plan. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills.
• Strong capacity building/training/coaching/mentoring skills with communities and internal and external staff
• Community oriented and respect for local culture
• Computer knowledge - Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook
• Strong command of both written and spoken English
• Knowledge of local language (Hausa, Kanuri) a must.

Desirable:

• Creates strong sense of purpose and commitment within own part of operations and with stakeholders
• Holds self and others to account to deliver on agreed goals and standards of behaviour
• Demonstrates a high degree of professionalism/integrity
• Provides good and adequate administrative and logistical support to enable Programs to meet meets it’s agreed financial and program outcomes.
• Actively seeks for support in addressing difficulties in execution of duties.
• Strategic thinking and effective contribution to own work and organizational development.
• Sound judgement and decision-making in complex situations
• Strong emotional intelligence including self-awareness.
• Leads by example to motivate high performance of others
• Very strong commitment to continuous learning.