Child Protection Caseworker

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war and disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been working in Pakistan for approximately 40 years, managing and delivering large, complex programs to meet the needs in health, education, safeguarding, environmental health and livelihoods for displaced, poor and disaster affected communities. With the support of the federal and provincial governments, and generous donors like FCDO, ECHO, USAID, GAC and Australian Aid Agencies the IRC is currently implementing projects across the country.

About the Project:

International Rescue Committee, for its upcoming project seeks to provide support and protection to Afghan Refugees in 19 Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province at the initial stage with a plan to extend to other districts in coming years. The proposed project will contribute to strengthening and scaling up the current CP & WPE interventions. In addition, the scope will be extended to prevention and response activities for the new arrivals residing in the Refugee Villages (RVs). It is about to protecting women, children, including individuals or groups at risks from harm and ensuring that women, children who are exposed to protection risks are immediately referred to relevant specialized services of case management and psychosocial support through an interactive referral pathway developed. Existing capacities of the service providers will be enhanced through provision of capacity building trainings and technical assistance.

Major Responsibilities:

The International Rescue Committee is seeking a dynamic and self-motivated individual for the position of Case Worker (Child Protection) for implementation of a Child Protection Project for Afghan Refugee Response in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The CP Caseworker will conduct all steps of the case management process for an assigned number of individual children exposed to abuse, exploitation, neglect and violence (including unaccompanied and separated children and their families in this process. To ensure children harmed or at risk of being harmed are identified and receive individual case management support by conducting documentation, assessments, action plans, direct service provision, referrals and follow ups for an assigned case load of children. To provide support to families in the process of case management, including foster and alternative care. To directly work with other caseworkers and service providers on management of caseload and referrals. The Social Mobilizer is a field-based position and responsible to directly engage with communities, children, government departments and Civil Society Organizations to establish an effective response. Key of the tasks for the position holder may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Ensure daily presence in the Child Friendly Spaces
• Apply and adhere to guiding principles of working with survivors and children at risk, including respect, dignity, security, and confidentiality at all times.
• Responsible for making ‘Best Interest Principle’ the center of all interventions.
• Ensure mapping of service providers including government departments and civil society organizations to support CPO in establishing district-based Referral Mechanism.
• Using a client centered approach, work together with survivors or children at risk to establish action plans based on the needs identified and ensure adequate safety plans exist for the clients.
• Accompany the child and the family to the other services if necessary and/or is important.
• Ensure appropriate case management for children including survivors or children at risk.
• Ensure proper use of referral pathways in the field and assist the children and their families to access legal, educational, health, vocational and other services.
• Regularly liaise with the CPO for support and case conferencing together with the Child Protection Coordinator.
• Document cases according to IRC standards and maintain all records in a secure and confidential way.
• Promote awareness among the communities around key child protection issues their monitoring and referral/case management processes.
• Liaise with other service providers to strengthen referral mechanism and always ensure safe and smooth referrals.
• Participate in the meetings to share regular updates e.g., number of cases and major categories.
• Liaise with the other team members to highlight any key information necessary to ensure services remain relevant to the children.
• Identify gaps in services or risks shared by the survivor or children at risk and report these to the Child Protection Coordinator.
• Participate in trainings and capacity building events organized by IRC or as per the nominations to participate in other events.
• Develop and submit progress reports as required by the line manager.
• Perform any other tasks as may be assigned by the supervisor

Job Requirements:

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in any development field. Postgraduate training in any related field will be an added advantage.

Work Experience:

• Should have a minimum of 2/3 years field experience in child protection Case Management, preferably during refugee response.
• Ability to work under pressure in an unstable security environment. Able to handle sensitive information with strict confidentiality.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Understanding of managing protection case management programs, including implementation of best interests’ procedures.
• Flexibility to work in a diverse multicultural team with respect for Pakistani culture and norms.
• Ability and experience coordinating with government and CSOs.
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills.
• Flexible attitude towards receiving feedback.
• Knowledge of issues relating to community involvement and empowerment.

Language:

• Good written and spoken English and Urdu skills.
• Pushto language is a must.
• Key Working Relationships:
• Position Reports to: Child Protection Case Management Supervisor.
• Position Coordinates With: Child Protection Coordinator, Cluster Manager, Child Friendly Space Supervisors, Communities, Children, Government Departments & Civil Society Organizations.

Others:

Working Environment:

Works well in coordination and facilitates teamwork, flexible and able to handle pressure well.

The IRC Core Values and Commitments.

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.
• IRC is committed to ensuring that IRC staff is suitable to work with children and have the knowledge s/he needs to uphold and abide by the IRC’s Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Level of interaction with children: Less frequent direct contact with children
• IRC ensures that its staff must actively practice the roles and responsibilities related to client responsiveness, accountability to people in affected communities and must have competencies to solicits and listens to feedback and other’s perspectives, responds to feedback with maturity and sensitivity and takes appropriate decisions and makes changes to behavior or actions in response to feedback.
• IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment.

Women candidates, minorities group and person with disability are highly encouraged to   apply.