The purpose of this Open Call for Expression of Interest is to identify eligible Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for prospective partnerships supporting the delivery of the UNICEF implemented component of “Development of Early Detection and Early Intervention Services” of the EU4Moldova: Focal Regions programme.

UNICEF is the agency of the United Nations mandated to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.

In Moldova, UNICEF works within the framework of the Government of the Republic of Moldova-UNICEF Country Programmme of Cooperation 2018-2022, aimed at ensuring that by 2022 all children in Moldova, especially the most vulnerable, enjoy their right to education, health, an adequate standard of living, and participation within a child-friendly legal environment, and are protected from abandonment, neglect, discrimination, exploitation and violence.

UNICEF Moldova, in partnership with UNDP, is implementing the EU4Moldova: Focal Regions programme, funded by the European Union. The overall objective of the programme is to strengthen the economic, territorial and social cohesion in the Republic of Moldova through facilitating inclusive, sustainable and integrated local socio-economic growth and improving the standards of living of the citizens in the two focal regions of Cahul and Ungheni. The specific objective related to this open call of proposals is to improve citizens’ access to quality public services and utilities in the focal regions. The initiative is related to Component 2 of the EU4Moldova Focal Regions programme: Improved access to and quality of public services and utilities with focus on development of early detection and early intervention services to support families with children with developmental delays and/or disabilities. 

There are 3 main areas (objectives) to work on:

• Provision of early intervention services for children with developmental delays/disabilities and their parents/caregivers, implementation of the evaluation tools to assess the developmental status of the child; development and strengthen the specialized/multidisciplinary team of professionals for the provision of early intervention services according to European quality standards.
• Capacity building and empowering parents and caregivers of children with special needs and/or developmental delays - training and strengthening parents' knowledge regarding personal care and positive parenting through social events and informal meetings / meetings between parents; separate support programs for mothers and fathers.
• Awareness rising of parents, public opinion regarding the acceptance and social integration of children with disabilities. There will be need of special equipment and tools that helps the professional team to evaluate the developmental status of the child and then to work with the child to help him achieve targeted milestones.

Specific Results

RESULT 1 (linked to Objective 1)

• Developing and equipping of early intervention centres in Cahul and Ungheni districts
• Support and expansion of alternative care services, development/strengthening of early intervention services for children at risk of separation from their families and prevention of institutionalization of children

RESULT 2 (linked to Objective 2)

• Capacity building of health professionals (family doctors, paediatricians, rehabilitation specialists, kinesis therapists) in provision of early intervention services for young children with developmental delays and disabilities from Ungheni and Cahul districts.

RESULT 3 (linked to Objective 3)

• Development and dissemination of informational materials for health professionals and for families with children with developmental delays;
• Development of a common communication platform that includes all early intervention service providers in support for families with children with developmental delays.

Funding Information

The maximum budget allocated for activities under this call for expression of interest is 60,000 EUR.

Eligibility Criteria

CSO must:

• be registered in the Republic of Moldova, or local branches of International NGOs;
• not be affiliated to political parties
• Not be an entity named on any of the UN Security Council targeted sanction list.

For more information, visit UNICEF.