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UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

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For every child, the right to protection!

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
Uzbekistan has recently laid important foundations for strengthening its child protection system by introducing family-based alternative care, including the development of national foster care standards, registration guidelines, and a training system for foster carers and service providers. These reforms, developed with the support of UNICEF and the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP) under the President, are aligned with international standards and are in the process of being operationalized nationwide.

As the system evolves, particular attention is needed to ensure that foster care becomes a realistic and effective option for children with complex needs. At present, children with complex support needs, including those with trauma histories or special psychosocial needs, are still frequently placed in closed-type Centres for Legal and Social Support under the Ministry of Interior. Placement in such institutions risks exposing children to further harm and undermines their right to grow up in a safe and supportive family environment, as emphasised by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The next step in reform therefore requires strengthening the foster care training package to better equip foster carers and child protection professionals with the knowledge, skills, and tools to respond to children with complex support needs in a safe and supportive way. Enhancing this capacity will expand the pool of families able to provide appropriate care and contribute to reducing reliance on closed-type facilities.

Against this background, UNICEF Uzbekistan is seeking an international consultant with expertise in foster care to expand the existing foster care training materials, incorporating evidence-based approaches to working with children with complex support needs, trauma-informed care, and positive parenting strategies. The consultant will ensure that these materials are practical, culturally appropriate, and ready for roll-out through NASP and its social service workforce.

Scope of Work:
Under the supervision of the Child Protection Officer, UNICEF Uzbekistan, and in close collaboration with NASP, in particular the Department for the Development and Monitoring of Services for Children in Difficult Live Situations and the Uzbekistan Columbia Centre for Advancing Community Strengths and Social Wellbeing, the consultant will:

• Review the training system, modules, and tools already developed under NASP/UNICEF.
• Identify areas that require strengthening to better address the needs of children with complex support needs, including trauma histories, and complex psychosocial needs.

• Integrate evidence-based approaches on trauma-informed care, positive parenting, and strategies for supporting children with special psychosocial needs.
• Ensure that training materials remain practical, user-friendly, and culturally appropriate for Uzbekistan’s context.

• Prepare additional modules, exercises, and case studies specifically focused on:
  • Understanding and responding to children with complex support needs.
  • Supporting foster carers in managing stress, secondary trauma, and burnout.
  • Promoting evidence-based de-escalation and positive behaviour support, including non-violent discipline and crisis prevention, consistent with safeguarding and Do-No-Harm principles, for children with complex support needs.
  • Provide guidance notes for trainers and facilitators to strengthen delivery.

• Deliver one 3-day Training of Trainers for selected NASP staff, Child Protection Specialists, and civil society partners.
• Equip trainers to cascade the revised training modules nationwide.

• Consolidate all adapted and new modules into a single, comprehensive foster care training package (including trainer’s guide, participant materials, and case study annexes).
• Submit final package in English.

Work Assignments Overview - Deliverables/Outputs - Timeline

1. Desk review of existing foster care training materials and international resources on supporting children with complex support needs, trauma-informed care, and positive discipline/behaviour management - Short analytical note identifying gaps and priority areas for strengthening the training package (5 pages, English) - Oct ‘25, 4 days (home-based)

2. Adaptation and expansion of training package to integrate new modules and tools - Draft revised foster care training manual including: (i) adapted core modules, (ii) new supplementary modules on supporting children with complex support needs, including trauma, (iii) trainer guidance notes, (iv) participant handouts and case studies - Oct – Nov ‘25, 12 days (home-based)

3. Validation of revised package with NASP, UNICEF, and key stakeholders - Stakeholder consultation workshop (online) completed - Nov ‘25, 1 day (home-based)

4. Finalization of comprehensive training package - Final revised training manual in English consolidated and ready for translation - Nov ‘25, 5 days (home-based)

5. Delivery of Training of Trainers in Uzbekistan (3 days) - ToT for approx. 20 trainers conducted; pre-/post-test results compiled - Dec ‘25, 7 days (home-based and in-country)

Total: 29 working days.

Please submit a professional fee (in USD) based on 29 working days to undertake this assignment, without travel fees as this will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree in social work, social sciences, psychology, or a related field.

• Work Experience:
  • At least 8 years of practical international experience in the field of alternative care, with proven expertise in foster care system development and family-based care.
  • Demonstrated experience developing and adapting training materials for foster carers and child protection professionals, grounded in trauma-informed and survivor-centred approaches, positive discipline/behaviour support, and practical strategies for supporting children with complex support needs.
  • Strong knowledge of international standards and good practices concerning the alternative care of children.
  • Proven experience in supporting governments or national agencies in strengthening foster care systems and rolling out training programmes.
  • Excellent communication, facilitation, and mentoring skills, including experience in Training of Trainers approaches.
  • Previous work experience in Uzbekistan or Central Asia is considered an asset.
• Language Requirements: Professional proficiency in English; knowledge of Russian is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.