Overview
The Child Protection Officer - Mental Health and Psychosocial (MHPSS) will play a lead role in implementing child protection programmes with a focus on strengthening duty bearer capacities in addressing MHPSS through district and community-based systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the capacity building of service providers on handling mental health of adolescents and strengthen referral systems.
- Support government and CSO partners in raising awareness among communities to promote demand for MHPSS services.
- Provide technical support to strengthen MHPSS services for children in conflict with the law, child victims and witnesses.
- Facilitate multi-sectoral coordination across child protection, justice, health, education, and social welfare sectors.
- Contribute to the strengthening of cross-sectoral coordination to deliver integrated, community–based services.
- Support implementation of the ‘Mwana ni Munthu’ campaign.
- Support the rollout of harmonized case management systems.
- Participate in the establishment of a results tracking and reporting mechanism.
Required Experience
- 3 years of professional experience in the field of child protection with particular focus on mental health and psychosocial support services, social development planning and management in child protection, adolescent programming, Gender Based Violence or related fields is required.
- Experience working with Government or a non-governmental organization on child protection, child rights, is an added advantage.
- Relevant experience in programme development in child protection and adolescent programming especially in the field of MHPSS.
- Experience in system strengthening for the prevention and response to Violence Against Children (VAC).
- Professionalism and ability to work with partner organizations including Government at provincial and district levels.
- Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e., studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.
Qualifications
Master's degree in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Programme Planning, Program Implementation, Budgeting, Monitoring, Clinical Psychologist, Quality Assurance, MHPSS Community Engagement, Group Therapy, System Strengthening, Capacity Building, Adolescent Engagement, Violence Prevention and Response Services.
