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Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) – Case Worker

Gaza

  • Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
  • Location: Gaza
  • Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Children's rights (health and protection)
    • Refugee rights and well-being
    • Protection Officer (Refugee)
    • Project and Programme Management
  • Closing Date:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
The IRC began planning to reopen an oPt country program in mid-2022 and launched an emergency response in Gaza in October 2023. The organization is currently supporting a network of local partners in both Gaza and the West Bank to sustain critical health, protection, food security, cash, education, and early childhood development interventions. The IRC is also deploying emergency medical teams to provide surge clinical capacity in hospitals and other health facilities. 
The IRC is working to scale its emergency response while building a longer-term oPt country program in parallel. This effort is being jointly managed by the Emergencies and Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a view to eventually transition the country program fully under the MENA region.
In Gaza, the IRC is currently scaling up its direct program implementation in protection, with a particular focus on child protection and women’s protection and empowerment / gender-based violence (GBV) programming. IRC’s child protection program in Gaza aims to ensure that girls and boys are protected from and treated for the consequences of violence, abuse, and exploitation, family separation is prevented, and appropriate care is provided in emergencies. 
Position overview
Under the supervision of the Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) Officer, the UASC Case Worker will be responsible for providing individual protection and mental health and psychosocial support, and later comprehensive case management services, to an assigned number of individual children who are unaccompanied or have been separated from their parents and, as required, other at-risk children. This will also involve that he/she will closely work with IRC’s community workers and other relevant stakeholders to support the tracing and reunification of UASC with their parents, where possible, and refer children to alternative care arrangements, where needed. In addition, he/she will provide ongoing monitoring and support to children’s caregivers. Furthermore, the UASC case worker will support organising risk reduction activities and awareness sessions for children and caregivers at the community level, with specific regards to preventing family separation and other relevant topics, in close collaboration with IRC’s community workers. The CP UASC Case Worker will be based in Deir-Al-Balah, with travel to program locations across Gaza.
Responsibilities
Program Implementation:
•Participate in and support the identification of UASC, as well as other children harmed or at-risk of harm, and safely refer them to the IRC focal point and relevant services
•Provide individual protection support, and later case management services, to UASC, and if needed, other at-risk children, in accordance with agreed steps and related tools and procedures, which will involve, amongst others: 
oConduct rapid assessments and prioritize cases based on risk level
oDevelop rapid case plans
oProvide Psychological First Aid (PFA) and basic emotional support / individual MHPSS to the child
oConduct safety plannings
oProvide messages to enhance the child’s coping and wellbeing 
oProvide responsive and risk reduction information to address the child’s unique queries
oProvide needs-based in-kind and/or cash support 
oRefer children more specialized services, such as alternative care arrangements and family tracing and reunification (FTR) services, according to their individual needs
oProvide regular monitoring and follow-up of children through regular home visits, phone calls, etc. 
•Provide support to children’s caregivers, such as in the form of:
oPsychological First Aid (PFA) 
oIndividual MHPSS and messages to help improve caregivers’ wellbeing to positively cope with trauma-related stress, as well as on positive parenting
oResponsive and risk-reduction information 
oMPCA / in-kind support 
oReferrals to group MHPSS sessions with other caregivers and other needed services
oRegular monitoring and follow-up of children through regular home visits, phone calls, etc. 
•Closely collaborate with IRC’s community worker to ensure the ongoing follow up of UASC and their caregivers
•Support and lead on the tracing and reunification of UASC with their parents, in collaboration with the CP UASC Officer, IRC’s community workers and other key stakeholders
•Work closely with the CP team and the other IRC sectors to ensure children and their caregivers have discrete and confidential access to services and that the provided support is responsive to the needs of children and their caregivers
•Support adherence to CP referral protocols and CP guiding principles; if concerns are identified in this matter, report them to the CP UASC Officer and CP Manager
Community Engagement & CP Risk Reduction 
•In close collaboration with IRC’s community workers and CP MHPSS team, lead on the dissemination of responsive and risk reduction information on the prevention of family separation and other relevant topics
•Identify barriers to accessing available services for vulnerable/specific groups of children and propose measures to reduce/eliminate those barriers 
•Identify key protection risks and propose mitigation/reduction measures 
•Identify gaps in CP UASC and other relevant response services that are available to the community and share concerns with the CP MHPSS Officer / within IRC, protection actors and other relevant stakeholders 
•Maintain relationships with communities, including local leaders, different groups, and stakeholders, youth groups, children etc. to foster an environment of support to children and their families and IRC programming
Administration & Reporting:
•Keep records of cases and compile them into a weekly report for the supervisor.
•Ensure accuracy, completion / thoroughness, and confidentiality of case management data entry and data management 
•Complete monthly activity reports, according to the mentorship provided by the CP CM Officer
•Communicate regularly with CP CM Officer and Sn Officer regarding updates and challenges
Coordination & Representation:  
•Regularly attend case management meetings, including case conferences, at field level 
•Actively coordinate with staff from other IRC sectors, including women’s protection and empowerment (WPE), nutrition, WASH, supply, safety & security, finance etc. in the field.
•Actively develop, coordinate, maintain and strengthen effective working relationships with IRC’s Partners.
•Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant local actors in the field, including community, non-governmental and governmental actors.
•Participate in relevant coordination meetings at the community level.
Other
•Attend trainings organized by the IRC.
•Stay informed about the child protection situation and developments within the communities and surrounding areas.
•Consistently and proactively monitor the safety and security of field teams, promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment.
•Promote and adhere to the principles, objectives and code of conduct of the IRC.
•Act both professionally and personally in a manner that brings credit to the IRC and does not compromise its humanitarian mission.
•If necessary, provide translation and interpretation at meetings, training sessions and/or documents for a better understanding of all staff.
•Assist identifying new implementing partners and arrange meetings with partners to discuss their program implementation when necessary.
•Conduct any other task requested by his/her supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.
Qualifications
•Degree desired in Social Work, Psychology, Human Rights, Social Science or other related field.
•At least 2 years’ experience working in child protection case management, preferably in the field of unaccompanied and separated children in humanitarian or development settings.
•Demonstrated understanding of working with children who have been affected by conflict, disasters or other humanitarian crises, particularly unaccompanied and separated children and children at-risk of violence, exploitation, abuse or neglect.
•Previous experience in emergency response preferred.
•Demonstrated ability to liaise with partner organizations.
•Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting.
•Good organizational and planning skills. 
•High degree of flexibility and strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
•Highly motivated, interested and eager to learn.
•Fluency in Arabic; good English skills.
•Available to travel within Gaza, as required. 


Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.
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Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.