Terms of Reference for Conducting Technical Inclusive Education Support for Children with Hearing and Vision Impairment

Terms of Reference for Conducting Technical

Inclusive Education Support for Children with Hearing and Vision Impairment

1.      Background

SOS Children’s Villages International is the umbrella organization to which all SOS Children’s Villages including SOS Children’s Villages Somalia Association is affiliated. SOS Children’s Villages Somalia has officially been working in Somalia since 1985. SOS is currently working in 134 countries worldwide. Established in 1984, SOS Children’s Villages (CV) Somalia provides care, education, and health services for vulnerable children. SOS CV Somalia’s education initiatives are structured into four key pillars: Early Childhood Care and Development (ECD), which enhances early learning, school readiness, and child well-being; Primary and Secondary Education (EDU), ensuring inclusive and quality education for marginalized children; Employment and Entrepreneurship Training (EET), equipping youth with vocational skills and business development knowledge to promote economic empowerment; and Child and Youth Care Practitioners’ Training (CPT), which strengthens the competencies of child and youth care practitioners. This holistic framework ensures that education services are comprehensive, impact-driven, and tailored to the needs of Somali children and youth, fostering sustainable community development.

2.      Project Summary

Children with disabilities in Somalia, particularly those with hearing and vision impairments, face significant barriers to accessing inclusive and quality education. These include limited community awareness, stigma, inadequate teacher capacity, and lack of assistive resources. This consultancy will contribute to a community-based initiative aiming to improve identification, acceptance, and educational support for children with hearing and vision impairment in community-based schools serving mainly IDP’s in Baidoa.

3.      Overall Objectives

The primary objective of this consultant role is to enhance the educational experiences and outcomes for children with hearing and vision impairments by developing and implementing inclusive education guideline aligned with MA strategies. This includes:

i.            With Support to the education team at SOS Children’s Villages Somalia Conduct comprehensive assessments to identify the specific needs of children with hearing and vision impairments within educational setting in selected community-based schools.

ii.            Training and Capacity Building: Conduct TOT training for Education and Protection staff who subsequently are expected to train educators, support staff, and parents on inclusive teaching practices, communication techniques, and the use of assistive technologies.

iii.            Develop guidance for culturally appropriate and stigma-sensitive community awareness on inclusive education, with a particular focus on children with hearing and vision impairment in IDP communities. This includes sensitization of communities and identification of children with hearing and vision impairment

iv.            Develop a low-literacy guide for Community Education Committees (CECs) to promote inclusive practices

v.            Work with internal SOS education in emergencies experts to co-develop tailored educational resources and basic training material for teachers on supporting learners with hearing and vision impairments.

4.      Scope of Work

The consultancy firm or individual consultant(s) will be expected to undertake the following tasks:

The following are pre-requisites qualification requirement for the consultancy firm/individual consultant.

·         Advanced degree in Inclusive Education, Special Needs Education, or related field.

·         Proven experience in disability-inclusive education in fragile/rural settings in Somalia and with IDP population.

·         Familiarity with Somali cultural and social norms around disability.

·         Experience developing low-literacy or pictorial communication materials.

·         Strong facilitation experience, including developing participatory training and community engagement.

Ethical & Cultural Considerations

·         The consultant must respect local values and religious beliefs, ensuring that language and images used avoid stigma.

·         Disability should be framed within Somali cultural norms and Islamic values, highlighting dignity, responsibility, and community care.

Informed consent must be obtained for any child identification, interviews, or case studies.

 Interested and qualified consultant should submit the following to SOS CV Somalia:

·         The technical proposal detailing the methodology of undertaking the assignments described in the TOR, tentative work plan as well as relevant knowledge and technical expertise of the consultant/consultants undertaking the assignment.

·         The financial proposal indicates all-inclusive costs for undertaking the tasks described in this Terms of Reference (ToR).

·         Company profile or CV including a minimum of 3 references

·         A sample of previously conducted similar studies.

·         Detailed budget breakdown based on expected daily rates covering all costs associated with the assessment

How to Apply:

To submit applications for this consultancy, please send the documentation to: [email protected]   , Please make the email subject Heading:  Inclusive Education Support for Children with Hearing and Vision Impairment in Baidoa.

Closing date is. 25th June 2025

Child Safeguarding Policy:

SOS Children’s Villages organization is committed to safeguarding the rights of the children and therefore, is expected that every individual who joins with SOS Children’s Villages Somalia understand his/her responsibility in protecting and keeping children always safe.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

This TOR outlines only the general scope of activity and the basic tasks and responsibilities associated with this position and may be updated with a more detailed definition of tasks, responsibilities and involvement in processes.