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Syria Child Protection Capacity Gap Assessment

Strengthening the Child Protection Workforce

Whole of Syria Child Protection Area of Responsibility

July 2016

1 Syria Child Protection Capacity Gaps Assessment, July 2016

July 2016

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 3

1. Objectives 3

2. Background 4

2.1 Child Protection Issues in Syria 4

2.2 Current Child Protection Response Strategies and Approaches 6

3. Overview of Methodology 7

4. Respondents 8

5. Key Findings 9

5.1 Modalities for Programme Implementation 9

5.2 Child Protection Workforce 9

5.3 Previous Capacity Building Initiatives 10

5.4 Identified Capacity Gaps to Ensure a Quality Child Protection Response 14

5.5 Training Priorities 17

6. Recommendations 21

Annex 23

Contacts Susan Andrew Whole of Syria Focal Point &

Jordan Hub Coordinator [email protected]

Bee Khan Syria Hub Coordinator [email protected] Samuel Sesay Turkey Hub Coordinator [email protected]


July 2016

Acronyms AAP AOR CAAFAG CBCP CBO CHS CP CPMS ERW INGO NNGO RE UN

Accountability to Affected Populations Area of Responsibility Children Associated with Armed Forces and Groups Community-based Child Protection Community-based Organisation Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability Child Protection Child Protection Minimum Standards Explosive Remnants of War International Non-governmental Organisation National Non-governmental Organisation Risk Education United Nations

Terminology Accountability to Affected Populations

Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) commitments aim to ensure humanitarian actors are more responsive and accountable for meeting the needs of people affected by the crisis. The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) includes a range of commitments to promote more people-centred approaches to humanitarian actions and complement the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action.

Area of Responsibility (AOR) The Child Protection Area of Responsibility (AoR), led by UNICEF, convenes a range of UN, NGO and other actors to meet the needs of the Child Protection in Emergencies (CPIE) sector.

Child Protection Service Provider Term used to describe staff and volunteers working directly with children and their families, e.g. child protection facilitators, animators and case workers.

Community-based Child Protection Term used to describe programming that aims to reduce vulnerabilities and risks to children by building a protective environment at family and community levels. This is based on the principle that communities themselves are best positioned to identify protection threats and find solutions themselves and most child protection issues are managed at the community level without the support of formal service providers.


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Introduction The Child Protection system in Syria prior to the crisis

had weaknesses with few dedicated and skilled child

protection workers and limited specialized services

available beyond the major cities. Over the past 5

years child protection organisations have invested

heavily in building the skills and expertise needed to

provide protection services to children.

A major constraint in addressing the protection needs

of children in Syria is the ability to conduct such

capacity building activities to a significant scale –

major constraining factors include the persistent

operational, security and access challenges, as well as centralized approaches, a lack of trainers,

dependence on face-to-face modalities and high staff turnover. These are all factors which

compound the negative impacts of the crisis on children and families.

Investment in the child protection workforce is a top priority for the Child Protection Area of

Responsibility (AOR) as a well-trained workforce is fundamental to the success of any child

protection intervention. The Child Protection AOR must work to understand, plan and act upon

the current and future child protection workforce needs to deliver services to children and their

families. This includes ensuring workers are able to respond to the urgent and fast-changing child

protection needs in the present situation, as well as ensuring investment that can create

opportunities for continuous professional development in the future.

1. Objectives The capacity gaps assessment’s main objectives are to understand the capacity gaps and needs of

child protection actors working in Syria, in order to equip them with relevant and transferrable

skills to deliver quality child protection services over time by:

a) Working towards a more strategic, systematic, coordinated and predictable approach for

delivering trainings/ supporting capacity building initiatives with child protection workers

in Syria.

b) Supporting interagency capacity building initiatives to improve the efficiency and impact

of child protection sub-sector efforts.

It should be noted that this assessment focuses on the technical capacity to deliver child

protection programs, and not organizational capacity such as management structures and

financial systems.


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2. Background The following section presents a summary of key areas affecting children which child protection actors are responding to. It is against this backdrop that the capacity building needs of child protection workers needs to be considered – what skills do child protection workers need to respond to these challenging issues?

2.1 Child Protection Issues in Syria Since 2013 the Child Protection sub-sector has written and annually updated a desk review that

examines the child protection issues affecting children in Syria, both prior to the onset of the crisis

in 2011 and in the last five years. It presents the needs of children in the country with the broad

aim of understanding how they can be better protected from the consequences of the crisis. The

following information is draw from the desk review:

Separation from Usual Caregivers Patterns exist of accidental and deliberate separation. For example, at the time of displacement, parents send their children to stay with relatives in less insecure areas. The existing data does not provide an indication of the scale of separation in Syria. However as the crisis continues and displacements increase the number of unaccompanied and separated children will continue to increase. These children are at a heightened risk of being recruited by armed groups, as well as experiencing other forms of violence, abuse and exploitation, including the worst forms of child labour. Physical Danger and Injuries Scores of children have been killed, maimed and injured since the start of the crisis. The absence of reliable records makes estimating the numbers a significant challenge – at least 280,000 people are estimated to have been killed since the start of the crisis. It is estimated that 2 million children in Syria are directly exposed to risks of explosive threats. Globally, it is estimated that for every child killed in a conflict, three are injured or left with a permanent disability. Physical Violence Patterns of violence are heightened in humanitarian settings. Families and other sources of protection are often put under immense strain and the weakened protective environment around the child may result in family or community members abusing children, making those children more at risk of domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse and corporal punishment. Child Labour The prevalence of child labour, including in its worst forms, remains unclear. However after years of the crisis, families are struggling to meet their basic needs and are increasingly reliant on negative coping practices, including putting children to work. The most vulnerable of all working children are those involved in armed conflict, sexual exploitation and illicit activities such as organised begging and child trafficking. Some children have found themselves separated from their caregivers or have themselves become the head of the household following the death or disappearance of their parents. In other cases, families send children away to work in other areas of the country or across borders to generate income and avoid them being recruited by armed groups or getting injured in the conflict. Child labour appears


July 2016

to be the predominant reason for the withdrawal of children from schools in many parts of Syria. Dropping out of school puts these children at a life-long disadvantage, hindering their chances of getting decent work and escaping the cycle of poverty and exploitation.

Children Associated with Armed Groups and Forces Children are increasingly being used by parties to the conflict to participate in a range of conflict-related activities (both combat and support). The payment of salaries; impact of violence, displacement, trauma and loss; quest to (re)gain a sense of agency; and the loss educational opportunities; pressure and coercion by communities are all major influencing factors. Some armed groups are reportedly recruiting children as young as 7 years of age. Children are receiving military training and weapons, engaging in combat and acts of extreme violence, including as executioners. Children are also working in support roles, such as a cooks and messengers. Sexual Violence Sexual violence against girls and boys has been part of the crisis since 2011. The risks of sexual and other forms of gender-based violence have been aggravated by family separation, weak community protection measures, overcrowding and the lack of adequate protection measures in communal buildings where families have found shelter. The risk of various forms of sexual violence is generally heightened in conflict settings. The highly sensitive and stigmatized nature of sexual violence leads to underreporting, which makes judging the magnitude difficult. Child Marriage Since the onset of the crisis there have been reports of an upward trend in child marriages although the scope remains unknown. With dwindling options and scarce options, child marriage is often seen as the only viable alternative available to families. These marriages are often conducted in haste, without formal registration or other traditional mechanisms that would provide some protection to a girl, including legal redress in event of violence and the ability to register the births of children born into these unions. Married adolescent girls are often exposed to more violence in and out of home, and mobility because of perceived safety concerns limit their access to education, healthcare and humanitarian services. Child marriage and sexual slavery is also being used by armed groups as a weapon of war. The root causes of child marriage, in all its forms, are gender discrimination, abuse of power and lack of respect of human rights. Psychosocial Distress Displacement, exposure of extreme violence, insecurity, lack of activities and basic services

are all elements that have led to a significant deterioration in psychosocial wellbeing. For

many children there is a diminished sense of self, feelings of insecurity, danger, and threat,

and an overall sense of vulnerability. Children living in conflict are at risk of living in a state of

toxic stress which affect the parts of the brain where learning takes place, and may result in

significant lifelong consequences to their cognitive, social and physical development.

Caregivers are also under profound stress and this negatively impacts their ability to give

support and comfort to the children in their care.


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2.2 Current Child Protection Response Strategies and Approaches

To respond to these challenges, the Child Protection AOR committed in the 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan to scale up child protection services and interventions and improve the quality of child protection programming. More specifically the focus is on: i) expanding community-based child protection interventions, including psychosocial support; 2) providing child protection specialized services, including to address issues such as child labour and child recruitment; and 3) more systematic investment in capacity building of the child protection workforce. Advocacy and evidence generation underpin the above intervention areas. Sector priorities are aligned with the No Lost Generation Initiative that provides the regional framework for strategizing child protection programming inside Syria and in refugees hosting countries. In 2016 the Child Protection AOR committed to reaching 6,500 child protection actors with capacity building initiatives. This represents a significant increase of 45% on the target set by the sector in 2015.

Comparison of Capacity Building Targets in the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan, 2015 and 2016

4500

6500

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

2015 2016


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3. Overview of Methodology The Syria Child Protection Capacity Gap Assessment is a joint initiative of the Child Protection Working Groups in Syria, with the technical support of the Global Child Protection Working Group. The methodology and tools were designed by Syria Child Protection Coordination team and the capacity building taskforce lead from the global Child Protection Working Group. The assessment took place between February – April 2016. The Assessment was designed to identify the current capacity gaps that could be addressed through trainings among child protection actors and to prioritize technical trainings to address these gaps in order to improve the quality of child protection services and interventions inside Syria. More specifically, the assessment sought to answer the following questions:

1. What capacity building programmes have taken place in Syria since 2014? Through what modalities? What is the perceived level of effectiveness and relevance of these capacity building initiatives?

2. What capacity building programmes are planned to take place in the next six months? What modalities will be used?

3. What capacity gaps and training topics are considered to be the most critical to ensure a quality child protection response in Syria?

4. What is the perceived level of competence across programming responses/approaches among child protection actors to inform the design of trainings?

The assessment used a three pronged methodology:

1. Desk review: which included the 2016 Humanitarian Needs Overview, Humanitarian

Response Plan for Syria (in particular the child protection results framework) and agency

project sheets submitted on OPS. Review of the 2015 4Ws matrix to identify previous training

initiatives (topics, locations, number of people trained), as well as key sector documents such

as the desk review of child protection issues and responses.

2. Key Informant interviews were conducted with child protection actors working in Syria who

were identified by the hub level coordinators to have expertise in this area.

3. Online survey for child protection actors working in Syria was administered through the

operational hubs. All child protection actors were invited to respond to the survey over a

two-week period. Different individuals from the same organization were able to complete

the survey. A breakdown of respondents including total number of respondents per hub,

number of agencies per hub and professional profile of respondents is included in the

following graphs.


July 2016

This report presents information from the three methodologies and overall data is drawn from

survey respondents only. Each graph presents information from survey respondents who

responded to that question. For some questions a percentage of survey respondents declined to

answer questions. Disaggregated data is only given where there was a significant difference in

information provided by the survey respondents.

Recommendations are based on the overall available data and are by no means exhaustive. They

indicate some initial actions to respond to the findings; readers are encouraged to develop further

proposals for strengthening the child protection workforce in Syria.

Respondents A total of 103 professionals responded to the online survey, with good representation geographically across Syria and a diversity in the types of agencies and professional profiles.1

Over 40 organisations completed the online survey

Almost two-thirds of all respondents work for Syrian organisations.

One-third of respondents are employed in child protection service provider positions (e.g. CFS

facilitators and case workers).

Respondents by type of organisation (%) Respondents by job profile (%)

1 Some respondents did not provide information on their location, position or organisation.

44%

18%

1%

24%

13%

Syrian NGO SARC Govt dept INGO UN agency

25%

54%

8%

13%

CP facilitator or animator

CP programme manager

CP case worker

CP advisor


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5. Key Findings The Child Protection system in Syria prior to the crisis had weaknesses with few dedicated and

skilled child protection workers and limited specialized services available beyond the major cities.

Over the past 5 years child protection organisations have invested heavily in building the skills and

expertise needed to provide protection services to children. A major constraint in addressing the

protection needs of children in Syria is the ability to conduct capacity building activities to a

significant scale – persistent operational, security and access constraints, as well as centralized

approaches, a lack of skilled trainers, dependence on face-to-face modalities and staff turnover.

These are all factors which compound the negative impacts of the crisis on children and families.

Investment in the child protection workforce is a top priority for the Child Protection AOR as a well-trained workforce is fundamental to the success of any child protection intervention. The AOR must work to understand, plan and act upon the current and future child protection workforce needs to deliver services to children and their families now and beyond. This includes ensuring workers are able to respond to the urgent and fast-changing child protection needs, ensuring opportunities for continuous professional development etc. The following section sets out some of the current capacity gaps and initial recommendations to the findings from agencies that collaborated on this assessment.

5.1 Modalities for Programme Implementation

An almost equal number of respondents reported their organisation supports child protection

programming through direct implementation as well as through other partnerships models, e.g.

an INGO or UN agency partnering with a Syrian NGO (49% and 51% respectively). This is important

to note as there are specific competencies associated with programming through partnership

models compared to direct implementation that need to be considered in the design and content

of capacity building programmes (e.g. relationship and trust building, provision of technical

assistance etc). Issues of partnership are further explored 5.4 Identified Capacity Gaps.

5.2 Child Protection Workforce

Respondents were asked to report on the number of staff working within their child protection programme. Over 56% of respondents indicated that their child protection programme employs more than 20 staff, 20% employed less than 5 staff and the remaining respondents reported that the size of their child protection team to be between 6-10 or 11-20. Respondents were also asked to give an indication of the number of staff employed in different functions – facilitator or animator; case workers; programme manager or coordinator; technical child protection advisor; or other functions. As to be expected, the largest number of workers are employed in service delivery positions (e.g. facilitators, animators and case workers). Respondents were not asked to indicate if they perform another function beyond their child protection role.


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5.3 Previous Capacity Building Initiatives

The majority (83%) of respondents have delivered or received a child protection training since 2014. Of those respondents that said they had not received or delivered any child protection trainings over the past 3 years, the majority were from organisations engaged in coordination/working groups and presumably with access to trainings. Target Audiences for Trainings The majority (59%) of these trainings targeted those in child protection service delivery positions (CFS facilitators, case workers etc). 33% targeted child protection managers and supervisors, but over half of these targeted both groups, rather than specifically addressing the learning needs of either groups. A further 20% made no distinction between audiences or targeted all staff and not tailored to respond to identified learning needs.

Training Methodologies 70% of trainings in Syria were delivered using face-to-face learning approaches and 29% in

neighboring countries used this method. This includes Training of Trainers (ToT) approaches to

support replication in Syria other training methods include online learning through skype/webex

(26%) and e-learning programmes (13%); and only 1% of respondents indicated the use of phones

to deliver trainings.

Child Protection actors reported receiving technical support from a wide range of sources,

including: trainings and workshops (74%); structured coaching and mentoring programmes (34%);

internal sources such as a technical advisors and on-the-job support from peers (64%); external

sources such as INGO partner or donor (40%) and the internet (38%).

Training Topics

70

29 26

1310

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Face-to-face inSyria

Face-to-face inneighbouring

countries

Onlinelearning, e.g.

skype

E-learningprogrammings

Phone

How do you and your organisation typically receive technical support on child protection programming?

74

34

64

40 38

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Trainings andworkshops

Coaching andmentoring

programmes

Internal sources Externalsources

Internet

What modalities were most frequently used to deliver trainings?


July 2016

63%2 of respondents had participated in training on community-based child protection (e.g. PFA, PSS, awareness raising); 51% respondents had completed basic child protection trainings (such as child safeguarding, child protection in emergencies, child protection minimum standards); 29% had participated in trainings related to specialised child protection services (e.g. case management, CAAFAG programming, family tracing, referral mechanisms); 4% in trainings related to child protection assessments and monitoring; and 3% in child protection mainstreaming trainings. A detailed breakdown of previous trainings is available through the child protection coordinators.3 Organisational Child Protection Policies

Very few respondents reported training initiatives related to internal child protection policies and/or safeguarding practices and/or code of conducts. The Child Protection Minimum Standards clearly states that every organisation should have a child protection policy, safeguarding policy or code of conduct. Such policies make clear, strong and positive statements of commitment to keep children safe and should be accompanied by thorough implementation plans. High priority must be given to ensuring that all organisations have internal child protection policies in place. Where written organizational policies already exist, sufficient resources should be directed to ensure that there is no gap in their implementation, including offering regular training to staff and volunteers. Staff Wellbeing Only one respondent/organisation reported training initiatives on staff wellbeing. Child

protection workers tend to work many hours in situations of extreme stress and often need

support themselves to cope and minimize the risk of burn-out. Investment in staff care should be

viewed as responsible programming and incorporated whenever possible. This may include

training on stress management and self-care techniques, investing in professional supervision and

facilitating peer-to-peer mentoring.

Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) Respondents were asked to rate their familiarity with the Child Protection Minimum Standards in

Humanitarian Settings. 75% of respondents reported they are either familiar or very familiar

with the standards. When disaggregated by location, there was higher familiarity with the

2 Respondents could select more than one response/option


July 2016

standards in operational hubs that had

undertaken dedicated trainings on the CPMS.

Overall, 22% of respondents reported that they

or their organisation had conducted such

trainings with the majority taking place in/from

Turkey.

In summary, the Minimum Standards for Child

Protection in Humanitarian Action standards set

out a common agreement on what needs to be

achieved in order for child protection in

humanitarian settings to be of adequate quality.

Adaptation, dissemination and promotion of the

standards has varied across the country due to a

range of factors, including cooperation with

relevant authorities and access to Syrian CBOs. Hundreds of copies in Arabic have been

disseminated among child protection actors, however more effort is required to ensure the

standards are available inside Syria, and that effective/relevant means are identified to adapt and

promote the standards.

Accountability to Affected Populations 46% of respondents are familiar with Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP). When

disaggregated by type of organisation a significantly higher percentage of INGOs said they were

familiar with AAP compared to Syrian organisations (NNGOs and SARC) – 83% and 38%

respectively. The lowest level of understanding was among respondents working for UN agencies

– 36%.

Responses were analyzed against the nine commitments outlined in the Common Humanitarian Standards (CHS). Respondents most commonly understand AAP to refer to community participation across the programming cycle (design through to monitoring), followed by feedback mechanisms including for handling complaints. Several respondents mentioned ensuring appropriateness and relevance of assistance, principles of do no harm and undertaking evaluations and sharing findings with communities. Examples of activities and processes to strengthen AAP in current Child Protection programmes include feedback mechanisms, some of which are described as “confidential” or “anonymous”– regular focus group discussions, community committees, complaint boxes and diverse communication channels (e.g. phone hotlines, facebook, whatsapp, skype). Regular assessments, training CBOs on principles and practices of “meaningful” participation and undertaking pre and post training evaluations were also cited by respondents. Respondents noted the following challenges to implementing measures to strengthen AAP in their child protection programmes: difficulty in managing complaint mechanisms through partnership models and remote management, operational and bureaucratic constraints (e.g. access, security, approval processes), human capacity, ensuring community safety, building trust with community members, community power dynamics and the representation of women.

37%

39%

19%

5%

Are you familiar with the child protection minimum standards in humanitarian settings?

Very familiar Familiar Somewhat familiar Not very familiar


July 2016

Perception of relevance and effectiveness of previous capacity building initiatives Respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness and relevance of previous capacity building initiatives. 44% of respondents indicated that the trainings they have received to date are effective and relevant with regards to delivering better quality services. 18% rated the trainings as highly effective. A further 35% of respondents reported the trainings to be somewhat effective, and only a small percentage of respondents reported the training to be not so effective and not at all effective (2% and 1% respectively). Respondents were not asked to indicate if pre-training assessments are routinely conducted, however comments made by respondents suggest this practice would help address the effectiveness of training by ensuring the learning needs of participants are understood before trainings commence. The table below sets out the most common comments made by respondents with regards to the effectiveness of trainings. In some cases responses have been “reframed” as positive statements to support transferring learning into change.

What works well? Challenges

Face-to-face trainings with planned follow-up sessions, mentoring and coaching

Arabic language

Mixture of participants that share differing perspectives

Pre-learning needs assessments and evaluating learning outcomes at regular intervals

Competent and knowledgeable trainers

Trainers that understand the context

Content relevant to context (including reflecting field realities and programming goals)

Use of practical examples to illustrate theory

Content aligned to global standards

Identifying the “right” people to train

Identifying quality trainers inside Syria

18

44

35

21

How effective and relevant were the trainings you and your organisation have received to date?

Highly effective andrelevant

Effective andrelevant

Somewhat effectiveand relevant

Not so effective orrelevant

Not at all effectiveor relevant


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5.4 Identified Capacity Gaps to Ensure a Quality Child Protection Response

Respondents were asked to identify the highest and most urgent capacity gaps to ensure a quality child protection response for a) the child protection AOR and b) their organisation. Response options were based on the CPMS “standards to ensure a quality child protection response” and contextualized to the Syria crisis to include topical issues such as contingency planning. The top priorities for the AOR and for respondent’s own organisations were the same with some variation in order of priority (as shown in the graph below): child protection advocacy with decisions-makers (both public and private); professional child protection workforce strengthening; child protection contingency planning and rapid response capacity; and child protection coordination and partnerships. When disaggregated by location, the data shows some slight variation – with some operational hubs ranking “situation monitoring and assessment” among the top three gaps for their own organisations. When disaggregated by type of organisation, the data shows international organisations (INGOs and UN) also ranked situation monitoring among the top three for their own organisations.

55

49

4340

33

37

24

56

40 39

44

34 35

26

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

CP advocacy CP contingencyplanning and

rapid responsecapacity

CP professionalchild protection

workforcestrengthening

CP coordinationand

partnerships

CP projectplanning

CP situationmonitoring and

assessment

CP IM

What capacity gaps do you identify as the highest and most urgent priority to ensure a quality child protection response in Syria?

For your organisation For the child protection AOR


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Child Protection Advocacy with Decision-Makers (both public and private) Advocacy is an essential complement to the operational child protection response in any given context. It entails deliberate steps, based on demonstrated evidence, to directly and indirectly influence decision makers in order to support and implement actions that improve child protection.4 Over last few years there has been a proliferation of protection strategies that include advocacy messaging by various entities5, the most relevant of these for child protection actors are:

Whole of Syria Protection Strategy, October 2015

No Lost Generation Advocacy Strategy, January 2016

Only one respondent reported to have participated or conducted a training on advocacy and one respondent said their organisation planned to undertake advocacy training in the next six months. In some operational hubs concerted steps have been taken to establish dedicated advocacy taskforces. This should be encouraged and clear milestones agreed to track progress. Professional child protection workforce strengthening, including tertiary opportunities Having an adequate number of qualified child protection staff is an essential part of any child protection system and investment in the child protection workforce remains a priority for the child protection AOR. There has been considerable investment in one-off trainings focused on building the skills of workers to deliver programming primarily related to psychosocial support, however insufficient attention and/or investment in programme management and more advanced or professional social work skills. Respondents were not asked to comment on the competencies required to perform different functions (child protection service providers, child protection managers and technical advisors), however the CPMS does emphasize the importance of programme management skills to ensure quality child protection programming. While not among the top responses, around one-third of respondents identified child protection project planning, design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation as a top priority for their organisation and for the sector.

Child Protection contingency planning and rapid response capacity for acute and immediate new crisis

In 2016 coordination groups have been developing emergency preparedness and response minimum standard packages. It has been agreed that while operational realities vary across Syria there should be a minimum baseline – concrete and practical commitments for preparedness and response in case of a sudden onset or other situation which requires a rapid response.

Some working groups have agreed on the approach outlined in the diagram and table below, and

in line with the regional approach to child protection. Through increased representations on

4 Child Protection in Emergencies Coordination Handbook, 2016, Global Child Protection Working Group 5 WOS Compendium of Protection Messaging


July 2016

interagency convoys, some child protection actors are working to design meaningful/evidence-

based one-off programming interventions in locations reached by these convoys. This exercise is

helping child protection actors position their organisations’ response within the broader child

protection framework. Support is now needed to ensure partners have the skills and tools

required to implement these commitments.

Level One Minimum

Level Two Basic

Level Three Advance

Overview Awareness Raising and Community Mobilization on Child Protection concerns.

Sustained Community-based Child Protection Services

Specialised Child Protection Services

Example of activities

Psychological first aid

Awareness raising on child protection concerns, including prevention of family separation, PSS self-care, ERW RE

Distribution of recreation kits and instruction manuals

Dissemination of information on available services

Structured and sustained PSS and CP programmes

Identification and referral of child protection concerns to specialised services (e.g. legal, medical, psychosocial)

Provision of specialised child protection services, including case management

Targeting 100% of the affected population

20-25% of the affected child population

5-10% of the affected child population

Requirements Does not require the sustained presence of NGOs Basic level of technical capacity

Sustained presence of NGOs Intermediate level of technical capacity

Sustained presence of NGOs

Established referral pathways + services in place

Advance level of technical capacity

Level 3: Advance

Specialised child protection services

Level 2: Basic

Sustained community-based child protection services

Level 1: Minimum

Awareness raising and community mobilisation

20-25% of the child

affected population

100% of the affected

population

5-10% of the child affected population


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Coordination and Partnerships Coordination helps to make sure that child protection responses are prioritized, efficient, predictable and effective. It avoids partial responses or duplications, and allows everyone involved to agree on a shared set of objectives and division of labour6. While respondents were not asked to describe the capacity gaps they perceive in coordination, the coordination architecture in Syria is complex and many of its processes are unfamiliar to a great number of national actors that have not previously been part of formal humanitarian systems. In addition, challenges persistent in responding to the scale and depth of child protection needs. Partnerships: respondents were not asked to describe the capacity gaps they perceive in terms

of partnerships, however limited information sharing on partnerships does continue to hamper

both programming and coordination efforts. Some Syrian CBOS have noted that they are unaware

of other child protection organisations or have only limited engagement with them. UN agencies

and INGOs frequently comment on the difficulty to identify CBOs for partnerships and this has led

to some CBOs having multiple international partners, particularly when such CBOs have

representation outside of Syria. Some of these CBOs have also commented that support is needed

to diversify the partnerships – they are overloaded with requests by international actors. These

issues may also have been compounded as programming through partnerships is not the usual

modus operandi for some international child protection actors.

5.5. Training Priorities

Respondents were asked to identify the top 5 training topics that are most relevant and critical to support priorities set out in their organisation’s commitments in the 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and/or programming priorities. Overall, respondents selected topics closely aligned with the HRP strategy and results framework, as set out below. When disaggregated by type of organisation the data shows a significantly more importance placed on Mine/Explosive Remnants of War Risk Education by Syrian organisations (NNGOs and SARC) than international organisations (INGOs and UN). No other major differences were identified in data disaggregated by type of organisation or location of organisation.

Specialised child protection services: Children Associated with Armed Groups and Forces

(CAAFAG)

Community-based child protection: Psychosocial Support

Specialised child protection services: Case Management

Community-based child protection: Mine/Explosive Remnants of War Risk Education

Community-based child protection: Community-based child protection mechanisms, such

as parenting programmes

Community-based child protection: Awareness raising and community mobilization on

child protection issues

6 Child Protection Minimum Standards


July 2016

Respondents were then asked to rate their level of competence/skills on the themes that they prioritize. The Global CPWG CPiE Competency Framework sets out competencies (experience, skills and behaviors) necessary for effective performance in a particular area of work. Wherever possible these are briefly highlighted below: Children Associated with Armed Groups and Forces (CAAFAG) Competencies for child protection workers to prevent and respond to CAAFAG outlined in the CPiE Competency Framework include i) understanding child recruitment and issues facing CAAFAG, ii) preventing child recruitment and iii) reintegration programming.

Psychosocial Support Competencies for child protection workers to prevent and response to psychosocial distress and mental disorders include i) understanding psychosocial wellbeing and mental health and ii) psychosocial support programming for children.

Case Management The Global CPWG Child Protection Case Management Training Manual for Caseworkers,

Supervisors and Managers draws upon the CPIE competency framework to identify the broad

range of competencies needed by child protection case managers. These are i) understanding the

protection concerns of children; ii) using a rights-based approach in child protection; iii)

promoting the children’s participation and agency; iv) interpersonal skills (e.g. teamwork,

communication, building trust etc).

29 34 23 14

No knowledge Basic knowledge Intermediate Advance

3 31 50 17


15 30 44 11



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Mine/Explosive Remnants of War Risk Education Competencies for child protection workers to prevent and respond to physical harm include i) understanding issues related to landmines and explosive remnants of war; and ii) programming in line with international mine action standards and guidelines.

Community-based child protection mechanisms Competencies for child protection workers to support community-based child protection mechanisms include using community-based approaches in child protection.

Awareness raising and community mobilization on child protection issues Competencies for child protection workers to support awareness raising and community mobilization on child protection issues include i) using community-based approaches in child protection and ii) promoting children’s participation and agency in child protection programming.

Training Priorities Compared to Planned Activities

43% of respondents said their organisations are planning a child protection training in the

next 6 months.

In total 19 organisations 7 provided a breakdown of the types of trainings they plan to

undertake until the end of 2016

Analysis of planned activities identifies opportunities for greater coordination - prioritizing

interagency trainings is not only more efficient it which allows for child protection actors to

7 Information provided by more than one respondent from the same organisations was combined and duplicate entries removed

29 23 32 11


7 41 41 14


4 43 43 14



July 2016

learn from each other’s experiences. There remain several key gaps to address the identified

priorities, these are highlighted in the table below.

Category Priorities Plans (until end December)

TK SYR JD LB IR

Specialised services

CAAFAG

Case Management

Community-based Child Protection

PSS

Mine/ERW Risk Education

CBCP Mechanisms

Awareness raising and social mobilization on CP

Child Protection Response

Advocacy

Contingency planning and rapid response

Professional CP workforce strengthening

Coordination and partnerships

Project planning/management etc

Other

CPiE and introduction courses to CP

Child Protection Minimum Standards

Child Protection Mainstreaming

Child Protection Policies and safeguarding

Inclusion

Specialised Services

One organisation is planning training on CAAFAG and this training will be open to other organisations.

At least one organisation in each hub is planning to undertake training on case management systems (including service mappings, referral pathways and standard operating procedures), with four organisations in one location alone.

Community-based Child Protection

Training on psychosocial support is the most common planned training across all operational locations.

Trainings on ERW risk education, CBCP mechanisms (including parenting programmes) and awareness raising and social mobilization on child protection issues are less common with initiatives taking place in some locations, but not others and usually by only one organisation (when compared to PSS which is taking place by the majority of organisations).


July 2016

Child Protection Responses

Very few partners are planning trainings related to strengthening the overall child protection resources.

One organisation is planning training on advocacy and one organisation is planning training on project planning and M&E.

Methodologies As for previous trainings, the majority of trainings will use face-to-face methodologies. However,

compared to previous trainings there is a growing use of online learning methods with almost

33% of trainings intending to use skype (compared to 26% of completed trainings). However, the

intended use of online/e-learning programmes and phones is lower compared to previous

trainings (9% compared to 13%, and 0% compared to 1% respectively).

Growing access constraints highlight the importance of using blended learning approaches.

Electricity shortages and unreliable internet connections present challenges for the accessibility

of e-learning tools in some locations. This should not deter the use of such approaches, instead a

range of learning interventions should be used and adapted based on needs. No respondent cited

the use of blended learning approaches - all learning interventions should be accompanied by

mentoring, coaching and supervision to reinforce and maximise the impact of initiatives.

A detailed breakdown of planned trainings (topics, location, intended audience, dates) is available

from each child protection coordinator.

6. Recommendations Recommendations on Use of Global Guidance and Minimum Standards

Recommendation 1: promote the usage of international guidance including the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action amongst humanitarian actors. Through workshops or other discussion forums adapt standards for the particular context and develop a joint implementation plan for application of the standards. Use the findings from this assessment to establish a baseline to measure progress overtime on the familiarity of the Child Protection Minimum Standards through the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework.

Recommendation 2: ensure that humanitarian organisations establish and use codes of conduct for all staff, covering child safeguarding (such as Keeping Children Safe standards) and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) along with organizational systems (collecting, storing and sharing information; reporting mechanisms; disciplinary procedures etc) and staff training to promote child safeguarding. Ensure documents are available in Arabic.

Recommendation 3: use or adapt the guiding questions in Child Protection in Emergencies Coordination Handbook to systematically consider quality and accountability for affected populations from a child protection perspective within the Syria response, and to identify gaps, share good practices and promote a more harmonized approach to programming.


July 2016

Recommendations on Coordination of Training Initiatives

Recommendation 4: develop an interagency cohort of child protection trainers across Syria that are able to provide face-to-face trainings. This may be achieved by offering tailored training-of-trainers courses alongside structured mentoring and coaching by more experienced trainers.

Recommendation 5: promote and support collaboration among partners within and between hubs- encourage interagency trainings, maintenance of training calendars and sharing of resources for the online repository of training curriculums/resources (CP googledrive). Also support cross-hub exchanges, such as learning on developing service mappings and standard operating procedures.

Recommendation 6: document learning-to-date on using online and remote training methodologies to build child protection capacity, this may include simple tip sheets and other practical go-to resources.

Recommendation 7: agree upon a core competency framework (attitudes, skills and knowledge) for different child protection functions to guide recruitment and management of child protection staff, as well as guide learning and development initiatives.

Recommendation 8: engage with the Global Child Protection AOR and Global Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action to learn about upcoming learning and development initiatives, such as the global case management taskforce.

Recommendations on training approaches and methodologies

Recommendation 9: address the specific learning needs of different child protection functions, such as child protection programme managers in the areas of project planning, monitoring and evaluation and information management.

Recommendation 10: always undertake pre and post learning assessments and tailor trainings

to the needs of the group. Set criteria for participation in non-generalist training courses (e.g.

job experience, motivation, language skills, and prior trainings), as well as to monitor the impact

of the training.

Recommendation 11: use a variety of learning approaches (e.g. online and face-to-face courses)

that allow for follow-up sessions and mentoring, and that promote peer-to-peer exchanges.

Recommendation on staff care

Recommendation 12: humanitarian organisations should be supported with trainings on stress management and self-care techniques. Staff wellbeing should be taken into consideration from the design phase and adequate resources allocated. Advocate with donors to put more resources towards staff wellbeing and support.

Annex 1: overview of completed and planned trainings available with CP coordinators


July 2016

Annex 2: Online Questionnaire


July 2016

syria child protection capacity gap assessment€¦ · directly with children and their families,...

Documents