Child Protection Assistant at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The BHA (Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance) project, Integrated Emergency Response to the Displaced Population in Zamfara, Sokoto, And Katsina States, Northwest Nigeria” will be carried out by a consortium led by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in collaboration with the Alliance for International Medical Action (Alima), Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI), Life Helpers Initiative (LHI) and Grassroot Initiative for strengthening Community Resilience (GISCOR), aims to leverage each partner's expertise to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people populations through area-based approach. The Consortium partners will provide an integrated multisectoral intervention in Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection, and Multi-purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) activities in Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states in collaboration with state governments, UN organizations and other key actors in Northwest Nigeria. The project will be implemented by a dedicated support, quality assurance, and coordination team, who will work closely with all partners through a management unit of well-structured consortium governance for the activity.

The child protection Assistant Position will be responsible for implementing and supervising activities at the sites, supporting in training of community structures, conducting case management to vulnerable children, Facilitate group psychosocial support for children and adolescents, positive parenting sessions for parents and caregivers, and working closely with CP community-based structures to monitor and implement program activities.They will also work closely with the CP officer, CPIMS Officer, and CP manager to ensure quality data collection and management, report writing, and budget implementation.

Major Responsibilities

• Ensure vulnerability assessments are conducted for all Identified and referred cases, to identify vulnerable children and families and their needs, prioritizing the identification of children experiencing abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence including UASC and CAAC.
• Ensure quality case management through the development of individualized case-specific action plans for at-risk children and their families, emphasizing high-risk cases of children.
• Coordinate with respective governmental agencies and other key stakeholders on vulnerable cases.
• Develop daily and weekly activity schedules and draft progress reports (i.e., vulnerability assessments, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), awareness-raising activities, as well as prevention activities to reduce exposure to risk for vulnerable children)
• Ensure data protection principles are followed when using CPIMS in managing sensitive personal data of children and their families.
• Coordinate communication and support for children and their families and link them to specialized services or other IRC sectors where needed to ensure integrated service provision.
• Develop creative engagement activities through SHLS for affected children and families, providing resilience-building opportunities to foster social and leadership development.
• Ensure regular communication with the CP manager for updates on achievements and challenges.
• Provide daily guidance on SHLS activities to the SHLS facilitators in accordance with the standard tools and procedures including weekly support supervision.
• Ensure there is regular interaction with community members and established community mechanisms like the CBPCs to support protection activities.
• Conduct service mapping in the location of implementation to support the establishment of a referral pathway.
• Work closely with the CBPCs to ensure safe identification and referral of children with protection concerns.
• Ensure monthly child protection monitoring is conducted.
• Ensure parents and caregivers of vulnerable children are enrolled in the positive parenting sessions.
• Support the establishment, management, and delivery of the SAFE approach by facilitators and engage in ongoing skills building using FMD/SAFE materials.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

• Work closely with the CP officer to Develop and implement a capacity building sessions to build the strengths of CBCPCs and SHLS facilitators
• Coach, train, supervise, and mentor CBCPCs and SHLS facilitators, including communicating clear expectations, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback on their roles
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing.
• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical personal capacity.
• Look for opportunities and refer to the supervisor for support regarding career growth and development where appropriate. As part of the succession plan and foster sustainability, identify train, and develop the capability and capacity of CBCPCs/SHLS facilitators to successfully transition roles and responsibilities, by the end of the assignment.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.

Coordination & Representation:

• Attend weekly, monthly, and quarterly meetings with the CBCPC and SHLS facilitators to review activities, successes, challenges and the way forward

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Child Protection Officer
• Indirect/Technical Reporting: The Child Protection Manager
• The position directly Supervises: Community volunteers and incentive workers (CBCPC/SHLS Facilitators)
• Key Internal Contacts: IRC sectors

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Child Protection Officer.
  Position directly supervises incentives/facilitators

Qualifications

• Education: A minimum qualification of a degree or HND in Social work, Psychology, Education, and any other social sciences.
• Work Experience: At least 2 years’ experience in implementing child protection programs in humanitarian or development settings.
• Demonstrated Technical Skills: Experience in supporting the delivery of group psychosocial activities, emergency response, child protection case management including family tracing and reunification, and setting up child safeguarding mechanisms.
• Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies: a team player, flexible, network-builder, time management, and ability to handle pressure well.
• Languages: Fluency in English required and in Hausa preferred