Terms of reference (TOR) for conducting the terminal evaluation of Lalibela FSCD Project

Description of Programme Location and Context

SOSCVE Bahir Dar program location was established in the year 2000 G.C and is mainly working on an alternative care program supporting children to grow up in alternative families in established villages by providing comprehensive care and essential services for their holistic development. Furthermore, SOSCVE Bahir Dar Program manages and implements various facilities and programs, including Alternative Care (AC), the Family and Community Strengthening Program (FCSP), a kindergarten, and the HGS (Hermann Gmeiner School (which includes both primary and secondary schools). The AC and FCSP programs are the organization’s core interventions, providing comprehensive care and support to children who are without adequate parental care. Likewise, the Family and Community Strengthening Program is one of the core programs that focuses and has been implemented projects in Bahir Dar, Debre tabor, Gondar, Lalibela, Woldia and Debremarkos. Currently, it has been actively operating in Gondar, Debre Tabor, and Lalibela towns.

Rationale and overall objective of terminal evaluation:

Family Strengthening and Child Development (FCSD) project was implemented to enable 900 vulnerable children to grow up in a caring, protective and supportive family and community environment in Lalibela town. Overall, the project goal was to contribute to creating a resilient community that ensures the well-being of children and young people in Lalibela town by 2025. The project focuses on the following areas: The 1st focus aims to ensure that children and young people are cared for and protected. To address this, the project has provided support to caregivers and children through various trainings, including parenting skills training and child protection training. These efforts help children achieve age-appropriate development, foster healthy attachments with their caregivers, and improve their overall well-being and social relationships. Various forms of support have been offered, including trainings, home visits by volunteers, and conversation for coffee (CoC sessions. The 2nd focus area is on improved economic capacities of families to support their children’s development. To enhance the economic abilities of caregivers, the project helped them connect with SACCOs (Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations) to obtain loans.

Additionally, a revolving fund was provided for SACCOs to encourage caregivers to save, along with various other forms of support. The 3rd focus area is that children and young people are educated and equipped with the necessary skills to facilitate change in children’s education. Training is provided for teachers and school principals who, in turn, support children, along with adult education programs for caregivers who are not literate. Additionally, stipends and scholastic materials have been provided to support the children to attend their education. The 4th focus area is that children and young people grow up healthy. To achieve this, caregivers have been connected to the community health insurance system. Measurements of Body Mass Index (BMI) for children under five years old have been conducted to support malnourished children. Based on the measurements, nutritional food support has been provided to children with low weight or who are malnourished.

Overall, to achieve the focus areas of the project, technical support is provided to caregivers and children by project officers, volunteers, community development officers, project coordinators, and government stakeholders. Family strengthening and child development (FCSP) project implemented in Lalibela town, at four kebeles, which include Roha, Debre Zeit, Debre Sina and Meskel Kibra.

The family strengthening and child development project was implemented from September 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025. The terminal evaluation will focus in the above implementation period at Lalibela town, at four kebeles that encompass Roha, Debre Zeit, Debre Sina, and Meskel Kibra kebeles.

The goal of the FSCD project was to contribute to creating a resilient community that ensures the well-being of children and young people in Lalibela town by 2025. To achieve this goal, the Bahir Dar program location and the project site collaborated closely with key implementing partners and stakeholders, including the Bureau of Finance (BoF), the Bureau of Women, Children’s & Social Affairs (BWCSA), and the Bureau of Education (BoE), as well as at all levels of government structure. Likewise, partnerships were formed with Community Care and Support Coalitions (CCSCs), Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs), and local project schools.

Objectives of the terminal evaluation:

Overall objective:

The overall objective of the terminal evaluation is to assess the results of the SOS Children’s Lalibela family strengthening and child development project. This evaluation will measure the achievement of the project’s outcomes, outputs, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. It also measures results against established targets, planned outputs, and activities. Additionally, it will draw lessons learned that can enhance the project’s sustainability and provide insights for improving initiatives related to family strengthening and child development projects. The evaluation will also identify good practices and forward recommendations with effective strategies for other similar project implementations in the future.

Specific objectives:

The specific objectives of the terminal evaluation are:

• To assess the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of SOS Children’s Village Lalibela family strengthening and child development project interventions.
• To determine the extent to which the project interventions addressed the gaps /challenges identified during the baseline, thus meeting the target participants’ and stakeholders’ expectations.
• Study the organizational, functional, and financial capacity of SOS-supported CCSCs, SACCOs and Schools.
• To draw key lessons learned and good practices, including CCSCs, SACCOs, and Schools, practices and contribute to organizational learning and recommend improvements for the future project interventions.

Project outcomes and outputs:

Project Goal: The goal of the family strengthening and child development (FSCD) project was to contribute to creating a resilient community that ensures the well-being of children and young people in Lalibela town by 2025

Project Outcomes & Outputs:

Outcome 1: Children and young people are cared for and protected

Output 1.1: Children and young people are able to protect themselves from abuse

Output 1.2: Children and young people are engaged in decisions that affect their development

Output 1.3: Caregivers have improved positive parenting knowledge, skills, and capacity to care for and protect their children

Output 1.4: Community structures (CCSCs) strengthened to respond to the needs of children and young people

Outcome 2. Families have improved economic capacity to support their children’s development

Output 2.1: Families have business and employability skills

Output 2.2: Families have adapted appropriate technology for agriculture and livestock
management

Output 2.3: SACCOs respond to the financial needs of families

Output 2.4: Community has a strong mechanism to respond to disaster and risk

Outcome 3: Children and young people are educated and skilled

Output 3.1: Children and young people develop a fundamental life skill

Output 3.2: Families support the education of children and young people

Output 3.3: Children and young people have safe school environment

Outcome 4 Children and young people grow up healthy

Output 4.1 Children and young people are protected from diseases

Output 4.2 Children are well nourished

Output 4.3: Families and communities’ hygiene and sanitation improved

Output 4.4: Families are mentally and emotionally stable

Major evaluation /research questions:

The commissioned consultant should list relevant and possible evaluation questions by referring to the project document and the project result framework and show the terminal evaluation questions during the inception report presentation.

Scope and project targets:

Geographically, the terminal evaluation is limited to the project participants, women, girls, boys and families, the communities and key implementation partners (CBOs) in the Bahir Dar programme location in Amhara regional state, at Lalibela FSCD project sites/areas.

The Family Strengthening and Child Development (FSCD) project at the SOS Children’s Village in Lalibela has been implemented across four project kebeles: Roha, Meskel Kibra, Debre Sina, and Debre Zeit. In total, the project has been executed in these four kebeles within Lalibela town.

Overall, SOS Bahir Dar program location also has been implementing the family strengthening and child development project in Lalibela project site in collaboration with Community Care and support coalition (CCSCs), Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs), project schools, and government structures. These structures mainly include the Women, Children’s and Social Affairs Office (WCSA), Finance Office, Education Office, and other relevant organizations. Besides, the terminal evaluation will cover and was implemented in Lalibela town from September 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025. In summary, the terminal evaluation will focus on the performance of the project from September 01, 2023, to December 31, 2025.

Lalibela Family Strengthening and Child Development (FSCD) project has the following direct project participants.

2025 Lalibela (FSCD) Project Terminal Evaluation Direct Participants
Project Sites	Participants	Year	Male	Female	Total
Lalibela Project Site	Children Targets	2023-2025	404	401	805
	Caregivers		59	375	434
	Total		463	776	1239

 

Terminal evaluation methodology:

The consultant(s) must develop a strong data collection methodology for this terminal evaluation, ensuring the data’s reliability and validity. A mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research methods, is recommended to produce the highest quality and most credible evidence. This study will collect data, disaggregated by sex, age, and disability, for the indicators listed in the result framework (the RF will be annexed for the winner consultant). The chosen methodology must be sensitive to the local context and ensure that all respondents, regardless of their background, have an equal opportunity to participate in the baseline study. The terminal evaluation environment should be designed to provide safe and inclusive spaces that encourage all participants to respond freely, irrespective of gender, age, disability, origin, or religious beliefs.

As far as possible, the consultant should disaggregate data by sex, age, and disability while collecting and analysing data. Furthermore, the consultant should also clearly explain which questions will be answered using which methods. The Consultant should also ensure that the survey and qualitative methods (such as focus group discussion (FGD), key informant interview (KII) and group discussion) with participants are representative of the project’s target groups and key stakeholders (Community members, women, girls, boys and children), CCSCs, CBOs.)

Sampling

The consultant is required to propose statistically sound sampling strategies to ensure representativeness. He/she is required to clearly state the sample size and the acceptable margin of error. The consultant will develop a detailed data analysis plan, outlining the statistical methods to be used for the quantitative data and the thematic analysis approach for the qualitative data. All data collection activities should be conducted following the highest ethical standards, ensuring informed consent, confidentiality, and the safety of all participants.

Work plan and expected deliverables

Work plan/timetable

The terminal evaluation task is expected to be finalized within 45 days after the contractual agreement is signed. The consultant is expected to develop her/his detailed work plan based on the following table.

Activities	Dates	Time frame	Location

 

Deliverables:

The commissioned external consultant must deliver the terminal evaluation findings within 45 days of the contract signed. Based on the work plan, SOS Children’s Villages of project intervention programme locations (Bahir Dar) and the national office MEAL and FCSP teams expect the following deliverables:

• An inception report of 8 pages on the evaluation design, methodology, sampling frame, sampling technique, sample size, assessment tools and work plan
• Draft evaluation report.
• The consultant is expected to analyse the data and present findings (for both draft and final findings) in the intervention area (Lalibela project site).
• Final report – The findings of the evaluation report including an executive summary and data collection tools in both electronic and hardcopy formats, should be submitted.
• Raw data, which has been cleaned (both qualitative and quantitative, including original field notes for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and recorded audio material), should be submitted with the report. SOS CVE will have sole ownership of all final data, and any findings shall only be shared or reproduced with the permission of SOS Children’s Village Ethiopia.

Report criteria:

The reporting criteria for FSCD project terminal evaluation shall be in line with the SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia result based management (RBM) toolkit and should be shared with the winner consultant along with the data review process and/or for the preparation of the inception report.

Child safeguarding and ethical issues.

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to ensuring that all research, evaluation and data collection processes (i.e. evidence-generating activities) undertaken by SOS Children’s Villages and its partners are ethical and respect child safeguarding policy and procedure.

The consultant must respect the rights, dignity and protection of children and other vulnerable population groups and should ensure special protection for children and other vulnerable groups during any data-generating activities to minimize any potential risks. Any research, evaluation and data collection SOS Children’s Villages is directly carrying out or is involved in as a partner.

Ethical practices need to be ensured in the following circumstances:

• Any research, baseline, midterm or final evaluations and data collection SOS Children’s Villages has commissioned for ethical oversight of these processes.
• Any research, evaluation and data collection carried out by researchers/consultants on SOS Children’s Villages programmes and participants.

Hence, relevant Coordinator in SOS Children’s Village FCSP programme family strengthening and child development project will ensure that any researchers, evaluators and data collectors should receive awareness training on, sign and adhere to SOS Children’s Villages core policies:

Obtaining consent from research participants is central to the research relationship and signals respect for the research participant’s dignity, their capability to express their views and their right to have these heard in matters that affect them. Informed consent is an explicit agreement that requires participants to be informed about and understand the research/assessment. This must be given voluntarily and be renegotiable, so that participants may withdraw at any stage of the research process.

Logistical arrangements:

The awarded consultant shall show feasible logistical arrangements for the assignment as part of the technical proposal. National or location-level staff (SOS CVE) will be available to help organize the interviews including contacting SOS CVE, announcing and local preparation of evaluation, and linking to community duty bearers and national authorities if required.

Duration of the contract and terms of payment

Payment will be made only upon SOS Children’s Villages’ acceptance of the work performed in accordance with the above-described deliverables. Payment will be effected by bank transfer in the currency of birr.

Funding and Payment: The consultancy firm will be paid by SOS Children’s Villages as follows:

• 30% on the submission and approval of the inception report/Technical Proposal.
• 30% on completion of the draft report.
• 40% on completion of the final report.

Duration of contract: the contract is effective from the moment it was signed until the acceptance of work by the SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia management team.

Notice of delay

Shall the successful bidder encounter a delay in the performance of the contract which may be excusable under unavoidable circumstances; the contractor shall notify SOS Children’s Villages in writing about the causes of any such delays within one (1) week from the beginning of the delay.

After receipt of the Contractor’s notice of delay, SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia shall analyze the facts and extent of the delay and extend the time for performance when in its judgment the facts justify such an extension.

Copyright and other proprietary rights:

SOS Children’s Villages shall be entitled to all intellectual property and other proprietary rights including, but not limited to, copyrights, and trademarks, with regard to products, processes, inventions, ideas, know-how, or documents and other materials which the Contractor has developed for SOS Children’s Villages under the Contract and which bear a direct relation to or are produced or prepared or collected in consequence of, or during the course of, the performance of the Contract. The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that such products, documents, and other materials constitute works made for hire for SOS Children’s Villages.

All materials: interviews, reports, recommendations, and all other data compiled by or received by the Contractor under the Contract shall be the property of SOS Children’s Villages and shall be treated as confidential and shall be delivered only to SOS Children’s Villages authorized officials on completion of work under the Contract. The external consultant is obliged to hand over all raw data collected during the assessment to SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia.

Termination:

The termination of the service agreement for the assignment will be in accordance with the contractual agreement to be included at the formal agreement’s actual signing.

Qualification of the Researcher/Research Team

• The applicant consultancy firm shall have at least a master’s degree in a relevant field of study such Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, development studies, Economics, Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation and other related fields per the required assignment
• At least 5 years’ work experience & proven competency in assessments, monitoring, research, terminal evaluations, baseline assessments or organizational/program evaluation (baseline, midterm, and final evaluations). The applicant consultancy firm shall attach at least one sample final evaluation report produced on a similar topic.
• A good understanding of family strengthening, child development, community empowerment, livelihoods and development programme work.
• A good understanding of child/youth rights/safeguarding & other issues affecting vulnerable children in the Ethiopian context.
• proven experience in working with conceptual frameworks and data collection methods (including age-appropriate data collection methods)
• Proven experience in participatory processes and data collection methods
• Strong skills in coordination, good facilitation, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Proven experience in participatory processes
• Strong skills in coordinating teamwork
• analytical and conceptual skills on market and livelihood assessment
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English.
• Ability to transfer complex concepts and ideas into practical and simple language.
• Experience in organizing research processes with SOS Children’s Villages or similar child-focused organizations.
• Experience in managing baselines, final evaluations and livelihood assignments in respect of the participating communities’ culture, social norms, values, and behaviour; and maintain appropriate relationships with participants of this evaluation.
• Legally registered firms with renewed license, VAT registration and TIN number

Required Skills

• Quantitative and Qualitative research skills