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Child Safeguarding Monitoring Consultant at Jesuit Refugee Service

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Job Description

CONSULTING ASSIGNMENT: CONDUCT CHILD SAFEGUARDING MONITORING IN 8 JRS PARTNER SCHOOLS LOCATED IN ADJUMANI AND OBONGI DISTRICTS.

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is a ministry of the Society of Jesus, acting as an international non-governmental organization with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate for the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. The organization was founded in 1980 and has a presence in 58 countries. In Uganda, JRS operates in two locations, Kampala and Adjumani in the West Nile Region, offering services encompassing basic needs, education, mental health & psychosocial support, livelihoods, socio-economic integration, pastoral care, peacebuilding, and reconciliation.

Description

JRS, Adjumani Project, is implementing a 3-year Gender-Responsive Education Project in Adjumani & Obongi, focusing on three main outcomes: improved quality of secondary education and learning outcomes, increased equity of access to secondary education, and strengthening secondary education systems. The project mainly aims to support, improve, and enhance secondary education in the Adjumani and Obongi districts, which were identified as having significant gaps in the education sector. JRS is collaborating with selected secondary schools—six in Adjumani (Pagirinya SS, Nyumanzi SS, Ayilo II SS, St. Mary Assumpta Girls' Senior Secondary School, Mungula SS, and Boroli SS), and two in Obongi District (Itula SS, Palorinya SS). This project aims to increase access to quality, equitable secondary education, especially for girls, through Gender-Responsive Education (GRE) in the refugee-hosting districts of Adjumani and Obongi, based on the JRS gender analysis conducted in 2019.

JRS Adjumani project is seeking a dedicated Consultant with extensive experience in child protection and safeguarding within educational settings to conduct close monitoring on protection and safeguarding, addressing any gaps in the 8 JRS Partner schools over 3 months.

Objectives of the Consultancy

The main objectives of the consultancy are.

To review the status of Child safeguarding in 8 schools, partnering with JRS in Adjumani and Obongi District
To ensure that the teachers and key stakeholders (Including school administrators and support staff) sign the child safeguarding policy, understand its contents, and are committed to implementing it consistently.
To support the development or strengthening of clear, confidential, and accessible effective reporting and referral systems that empower children and staff to report safeguarding concerns.
To create and promote a safe and supportive environment for all students to ensure their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.
To ensure that safeguarding practices are culturally sensitive and inclusive, addressing the diverse needs of all students.
To establish a collaborative framework that engages District Education Officers, school Boards of Governors, PTAs, and other community stakeholders, enhancing child protection initiatives and ultimately improving student safety and well-being in schools
To build the capacity of school-based safeguarding focal persons and leadership teams, ensuring sustainability of safeguarding practices beyond the consultancy period.

Job Industry

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning

Job Salary Currency

Job Salary Fixed

Key Deliverables

Safeguarding Policy Assessment and Development

Review existing safeguarding policies and practices in 8 secondary schools. Teachers who have signed safeguarding policies understand and implement
Recommend updates or new policies to align with current legal requirements and best practices.
Develop a simple induction package for new teachers and staff joining the school mid-term or in the future, to ensure continuity in safeguarding awareness and compliance.
Ensure that school practices reflect commitment to safeguarding children.

Discussion and Awareness

Design and deliver child safeguarding material for school staff, including teachers, administrators, and support staff.
Organize a one-time experience-sharing session or peer learning meeting among safeguarding focal persons across the 8 schools, to exchange strategies and good practices.
Facilitate meetings and discussions to foster a culture of safety and responsiveness.

Risk Assessment and Mitigation

Conduct risk assessments related to child safeguarding within the school environment.
Provide each school with a customizable safeguarding action plan template to support structured follow-up and integration into school improvement plans.
Identify specific vulnerabilities and recommend strategies to address these risks effectively.
Assist schools in developing action plans to mitigate identified risks.

Case Management Support:

Provide expert guidance on handling safeguarding cases, including reporting procedures, investigation, and intervention strategies.
Collaborate with senior women/men teachers, Head Teachers, PTA & BOG to builds a strong support network dedicated to safeguarding children in schools. Establish or verify school linkages with local child protection service providers, including health centers, police child protection units, and child welfare officers for cases beyond school capacity.
Support schools in establishing proper safeguarding and records management.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

Support 8 schools in developing metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding measures in their schools.
Monitor and assess the implementation of safeguarding policies and procedures in all the 8 schools, and highlight what is going well and what Is not going well
, (comprehensive and two-page reports)

District Engagement:

Engage the District Education Officers in the two districts to study the content of the Ministry of Education's child safeguarding and support the 8 schools to strengthen their school practices.
Involve the District Education Officers in ensuring that the Child Safeguarding policy and Code of Conduct are understood and signed by all the teachers in the 8 partner schools.

The expected deliveries:

Assessment Reports: Comprehensive reports for each school, Partnering with JRS about safeguarding policies and practices, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
Adapted safeguarding training and reporting tools available in English and one local language (e.g., Madi or Arabic) for improved accessibility.
Support and Guidance: Ongoing support for school leadership in implementing safeguarding measures and responding to safeguarding incidents.
At least 2 peer leaders per school oriented on child safeguarding principles and reporting roles, with clear documentation of responsibilities.
Three short case studies or success stories documented, demonstrating improvement or innovation in school-based safeguarding practices.
Referral directory or contact list created for each school, mapping the available local services for reporting and response.
Monitoring and evaluation: Regularly monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding measures and ensure continuous improvement.
Policy Development: Assisting schools and JRS in developing and implementing robust safeguarding policies and procedures that comply with national regulations and best practices.
Risk Assessment Tools: Development of tools to identify potential safeguarding risks specific to the school environment.
Collaboration with Local Services: Establishing connections with local child protection agencies and services for ongoing support and collaboration.

Timeframe for Deliverables

The consulting period is 3 months, conducting Child safeguarding monitoring in 8 JRS Adjumani partner schools in Adjumani and Obongi districts, starting from 04.08.2025 to 31.10.2025

Essential Qualities

Essential Qualities
A Bachelor of Education (B.Ed), Social Work, Psychology, Child Development, or a related field. Professional certifications in Child Protection or Safeguarding Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in child protection, safeguarding, or a related role within educational settings. Proven experience in child safeguarding, preferably within an educational context. Strong understanding of relevant child protection legislation and policies. Experience in conducting risk assessments and developing safeguarding protocols. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including school staff, parents, and external agencies. Ability to design and deliver training and resources on child safeguarding practices Core values and ethics: Commitment to JRS’s mission, vision, and values; ability to convey with enthusiasm JRS’s role in accompanying and serving forcibly displaced people and to advocate for their right to protection and a life of dignity. High integrity, honesty, and confidentiality; ability to deal tactfully and discreetly with people, situations, and information. Acceptance of diversity and inclusion as a core value.

A Bachelor of Education (B.Ed), Social Work, Psychology, Child Development, or a related field.
Professional certifications in Child Protection or Safeguarding
Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in child protection, safeguarding, or a related role within educational settings.
Proven experience in child safeguarding, preferably within an educational context.
Strong understanding of relevant child protection legislation and policies.
Experience in conducting risk assessments and developing safeguarding protocols.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including school staff, parents, and external agencies.
Ability to design and deliver training and resources on child safeguarding practices

Core values and ethics:

Commitment to JRS’s mission, vision, and values; ability to convey with enthusiasm JRS’s role in accompanying and serving forcibly displaced people and to advocate for their right to protection and a life of dignity.
High integrity, honesty, and confidentiality; ability to deal tactfully and discreetly with people, situations, and information.
Acceptance of diversity and inclusion as a core value.

Application Process

Written application explaining why you are interested in the above position and how you meet the qualities and qualification criteria.
Attach a CV with a maximum of 2 pages. The CV should contain information about your qualifications, relevant training, work experience, names and contact details of three (3) relevant referees.
Applications should be sent online to: uga.hr@jrs.net

Note: JRS has a Child Safeguarding (CS) Policy in place and expects all staff to read, sign, and adhere to it.

Close Date

23/07/2025