External Consultancy Research on Alternative Care and Child Protection Advocacy
- Career Category: Consultancies
- Location: Phnom Penh, Siemreap Province, Battambang Province, Ratanak Kiri Province, Kratie Province, Kampot Province, Prey Veng Province
Assignment: Mixed-methods research for advocacy on alternative care and child protection
Primary users: SOS Cambodia, relevant ministries and sub-national authorities, child protection actors, civil society, development partners, care-experienced young people and community stakeholders
Indicative duration: Approximately 35 working days, subject to the approved inception plan
Reporting line: Program Quality Manager
Expected start: To be confirmed in the contract
Purpose and objectives
The purpose is to develop a defensible evidence base that SOS Children’s Villages Cambodia and partners can use to advocate for stronger family- and community-based care, prevent family separation, strengthen child protection services, and support meaningful participation by children and young people.
Specific objectives
- Assess major child protection risks, drivers of family separation, and barriers to safe family care in the seven provinces.
- Examine the availability, accessibility, quality and coordination of prevention, alternative care, reintegration, case management and after-care services.
- Analyze how national laws, policies, standards and care reform priorities are understood and implemented at provincial, district, commune and service-provider levels.
- Document good practices, innovations and transferable lessons from SOS programs, public services, communities, families and youth-led initiatives.
- Capture the experiences and priorities of children, care-experienced young people, caregivers and families in ways that are safe, voluntary and meaningful.
- Produce clear recommendations and advocacy products for government engagement, sector coordination, program improvement and resource mobilization.
Please click attachement below for more information.
Eligibility
- Advanced university degree in social sciences, child rights, social work, public policy, development studies, research methods or a closely related field.
- At least eight years of relevant research or evaluation experience, with demonstrated work on child protection, care reform, alternative care or family strengthening in Cambodia or a comparable context.
- Proven mixed-methods capability, including sampling, digital data collection, qualitative facilitation, triangulation and preparation of decision-focused reports and policy briefs.
- Demonstrated competence in ethical and participatory research with children and care- experienced young people, including safeguarding, informed consent and referral procedures.
- Strong written and spoken English; the team must include fluent Khmer capacity and knowledge of relevant provincial contexts. Experience with disability inclusion and minority-language research is an advantage.
