Operational research - Family support

CONTEXT Action Contre la Faim (ACF) is working to prevent and treat acute malnutrition. Although effective international recommendations and procedures exist for treating severe acute malnutrition, preventing acute malnutrition remains a worldwide public health concern. ACF is currently working on an applied research project dealing with this issue. The aim of this project is to define innovative approaches for the prevention of acute malnutrition. These approaches have to be based on an analysis of the causes of malnutrition, and be replicable and adaptable to similar contexts where the causes of undernutrition are comparable to those observed in the intervention context. Moreover, these interventions must be sustainable in the long term.

One of the foreseen approaches is the family support, whose goal is to “reach excluded families through a home-based individual follow-up”. This principle consists in focussing on the root causes of family issues, and to facilitate a sustainable access of the poorest households to “health, education, family welfare and social service.” Several objectives are targeted depending on the family situation, and emphasis is put on active listening and basic counselling skills, in order to fully understand the household dynamics. (David A., The Family Development Approach, PRATIQUES, 2009) This approach is adapted for this research project to the prevention of acute malnutrition.

PROBLEM ADRESSED In many of the countries where ACF is working, the rates of global acute malnutrition are very high and even sometimes alarming. Moreover, it is well known that malnutrition is caused by several determinants, such as insufficient access to food, inadequate maternal and child care practices, poor water/sanitation and inadequate health services (UNICEF conceptual framework of the causes of malnutrition). Thus, governments and humanitarian actors have a big role to play in order to prevent undernutrition.

MAIN HYPOTHESIS An operational strategy based on alternative approaches to single product based ones, such as the family support, could be efficient to prevent acute malnutrition.

SHORT PRESENTATION OF THE OPERATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT

Objectives of the project: o Comparing and assessing the effectiveness of introducing preventive and sustainable approaches adapted to a specific context on the incidence of acute malnutrition o Comparing and assessing the cost-effectiveness of theses approaches o Identifying and defining an effective sustainable approach adapted to the needs of the population and easy to reproduce after its appropriation in order to prevent acute malnutrition

Specific Hypotheses could be summarised as follow: o H1: Alternative and context adapted approaches are more efficient to prevent acute malnutrition than the single product based approaches. o H2: Alternative and context adapted approaches have a better cost-effectiveness than single product based approaches.

Outputs of the operational research project o The children who took part in one of the interventions have a satisfying nutritional status and show an appropriate growth and development. o Families have improved their knowledge in terms of nutrition and care practices. o Thanks to the family support, the families are able to identify their needs and use the available services in order to answer them.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY A concept note of the project has been written, describing the necessity of preventing acute malnutrition by alternative approaches to single products, such as the family support. It is important for ACF to be able to assess the impact of this approach on the prevention of acute malnutrition, in order to be able to duplicate the intervention if it appears to be successful.

That is why ACF is now looking for an expert who would be in charge of:

o Potentially revise the report including - A synthesis of practical experiences already implemented by ACF and other organisations in family support - A literature review on family support in developing countries

o Consolidating a methodology of family support for ACF, adapted to the causes of undernutrition in the specific context of intervention of this study. The precise methodology will be elaborated in close relation with the operational teams, and results in a written report.

o Developing formation units and training sessions for the psychosocial workers who will be in charge of supporting the family

o Capitalize and disseminate the learning lessons and tools to the ACF staffs

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES The consultant will be responsible for the development of a context adapted methodology of family support and of training tools. The possibility of going to the field in order to train the local staff can also be discussed with the consultant.

OUTPUTS OF THE CONSULTANT MISSION At the end of the mission, the following documents will be available: o A review of family support in developing countries o A context adapted family support methodology o Field manual and training tools DURATION OF CONTRACT & DEADLINE The consultant should begin to work in February 2012 and end in May 2012. She/he will have a 20 day-contract: • 3 days for briefing and reading of ACF documents • 4 days for literature review • 8 days for writing a context adapted family support methodology • 5 days to elaborate training tools

LOCATION OF THE CONSULTANT Work based at home, with visits to ACF HQ in Paris Possibility to go to the field to train local staff. To be discussed with the consultant.

QUALIFICATIONS Consultant necessary qualifications / experience:

o Background in family support, psychology, public health or similar o Good knowledge in undernutrition and/or nutrition o Master’s degree, PhD, post-Doc or proven experience in research a plus o Successful experience in methodology development and research implementation a plus o Linked with a research institute or a university in the related field would be best o Humanitarian experience o Experience of conducting research in developing countries o Experience in writing methodologies and developing tools o At ease with distance work with teams, good communication and coordination skills o Rigorous, organised, sense of anticipation o Fluent in English and French o Computer literate for MS Office

STATUS ACF international consultancy contract, managed by ACF UK office.

Daily rate: to be determined with the consultant.

A 35% advance of final salary will be paid on the submission of a satisfactory mid-term report, and the final 65% on satisfactory completion of the assignment and on submission of appropriate invoices to London.

How to apply:

APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO AUDREY PAPUCCI (apapucci@actioncontrelafaim.org)