Terms of reference for the selection of a Consultant with experience in conducting a study on rehabilitation and re-education programs for adolescent/young detained in P10, as well as for minor girls and mothers with children detained in P7 in the Republi

The Association for Child and Family Empowerment “AVE Copiii” (hereinafter referred to as AO AVE Copiii) is a non-governmental, apolitical, non-profit organization that aims to promote and respect children's rights in the Republic of Moldova. AO AVE Copiii provides social, educational assistance, and access to services (social, educational, medical, psychological, etc.) for the most vulnerable children and young people, particularly those separated from their parents, victims of any form of violence, and those in contact with the justice system. The organization also empowers human resources in the field of child protection.

With the support of its partners, AO "AVE Copiii" contributes to the schooling and rehabilitation of adolescents and young people detained in Penitentiary no. 10 (P10). This experience, accumulated over seven years, has highlighted a number of challenges related to the socio-community reintegration of young people after serving their sentence. In order to address these challenges through efficient and sustainable actions, AO "AVE Copiii" intends to conduct a study on the rehabilitation and reeducation programs of adolescents/young people serving their sentence in P10, as well as minors and mothers with children detained in P7, including activities to prepare for release and family integratipon. The conclusions and recommendations of the study will serve to plan future actions in this area.

Objective of these Terms of Reference: To select two consultants, including one national and one international, with experience in conducting studies/research on the situation of children, young people, and women in contact with the justice system.

Terms of reference

Annex 1

Annex 2

Purpose of the Consulting Services

The study on rehabilitation and re-education programs for adolescents/youth detained in P10, as well as of minors and mothers with children detained in P7, will provide structured information on:

• Existing programs and their degree of adaptation to the needs of children, youth and mothers with children being in detention;
• Conditions and opportunities for preparation for release and social reintegration;
• Other relevant aspects found in the analysis process.

The study will also highlight the needs of children/youth/mothers with children in detention, their family members and specialists from the penitentiary system.

Other considered aspects (the list is not exhaustive) will include:

a) Profile of children, young people, and mothers with children in detention: age, gender, rural/urban background, education level, child protection status, family situation, etc.;

b) Life skills necessary for the social integration of children, young people, and mothers with children upon release from detention;

c) Access of children, young people, and mothers with children released from detention to social services, vocational training, etc.

d) Ensuring standards of growth and development of young children (under 3 years old) in prison with their mothers.

The Study will be prepared in English and later translated into Romanian. It will be presented in a concise format of a maximum of 30 pages (excluding appendices) and in professional, easily understandable language.

Study Structure:

Introduction

Contextualization of the study.

Findings and Conclusions

Description of the issues and challenges arising from the applied methodology.

Recommendations

Key recommendations based on the conclusions of the study.

Appendices

Methodology and data collection instruments.

Other items considered important.

Deadlines and Deliverables: Consultants will provide deliverables according to the table and deadlines outlined below

* but not later than

Time Frame for Delivering Consultancy: March 19, 2025 April 24 , 2025

Payment Terms:
25% after the validation of Deliverable No. 1;
75% after the validation of Deliverable No. 7.

Eligibility Criteria for Consultancy:
Offers submitted by individual consultants will be considered.

The national consultant must have:

• Relevant experience in conducting studies and research on the situation of children, youth, and women in contact with the justice system.
• in-depth knowledge of national legislation and policies in the field of child protection and juvenile justice;
• expertise in research methodologies, including data collection and analysis;
• excellent skills in writing and presenting research;
• ability to work in a team and collaborate with relevant authorities and organization.

The international consultant must have:

• significant experience in the field of juvenile justice, especially in the development and evaluation of social rehabilitation and reintegration programs;
• knowledge of international standards on the protection of children's rights in the penitentiary system;
• previous experience in collaboration with international organizations, public institutions and civil society;
• the ability to provide strategic recommendations based on good international practices;
• Excellent analytical and synthesis skills for preparing a high-quality report.

The application file for the competition (hereinafter referred to as the File) will contain the Technical Offer, according to Annex 1 and its related annexes, as well as the Financial Offer, according to Annex 2.

The File should be sent to office@avecopiii.md with the subject line "Study on Rehabilitation and Re-education Programs in Prisons."

Application deadline: until the suitable candidates are identified.

Conditions for Accepting Competition Application Files:
To ensure equal participation conditions in the competition, AO AVE Copiii will only accept applications presented in accordance with these Terms of Reference.

All incomplete applications, as well as those submitted after the deadline, will be rejected without explanation.

Evaluation Criteria for Competition Application Files:
The criteria applied for evaluating the accepted applications in this competition are as follows:

For additional information, please call: +373 (0) 60 65 57 73.

AO AVE Copiii promotes inclusion and does not tolerate discriminatory behaviour or acts of corruption in any form