Национален консултант за подкрепа на местното изпълнение на Програмата за ранна детска интервенция

UNICEF Bulgaria is seeking a consultant to support the local implementation of UNICEF’s programme for Early Childhood Intervention and support for parents of young children. The programme goal is to support local authorities to develop and implement a systemic approach to early childhood intervention and to provide accessible, adequately funded, evidence-based and family-centered early childhood intervention for all young children aged 0-7, including the most disadvantaged children and their families.

It is estimated that between 10 and 20 per cent of the child population globally does not follow a typical development path, which is expressed in the presence of various difficulties or disabilities. А number of biological and psychosocial factors can increase the risk of developmental difficulties but it has been proven that the environment in which the child is raised, both physical and psycho-social, has a serious impact on child development. The quality of parental care and parent-child interaction is of utmost importance, and at the global level in recent years there has been a growing focus on the need for family-oriented early intervention services aimed at increasing the capacity of parents and caregivers for children aged 0-5 years. They are more effective if they are provided as early as possible in a child's life due to the increased neuroplasticity in the early years, which requires efforts to identify disabilities and difficulties earlier.

In Bulgaria, there are normative and institutional conditions for providing early childhood intervention, including a developed system of primary health care provided by general practitioners and paediatricians, which covers children with preventive and monitoring activities, especially intensively in the first 3 years after birth. In the system of preschool education, the adoption of the Law on Preschool and School Education has led to intensive efforts to introduce inclusive education in educational institutions, including by conducting an assessment of individual needs and providing additional support for personal development. In the social system, at the initiative of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, community-based services for early childhood development and early intervention of disabilities have been established in a number of municipalities in the country. At the policy level there is increased attention to early childhood intervention, which is included in the Annual Plan for the Promotion of Early Childhood Development 2024 and in the Action Plan for the implementation of Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 establishing a European Child Guarantee (2030).

Despite the created prerequisites, a UNICEF analysis conducted in 2019 shows that additional efforts are needed to build a unified system for early childhood intervention. The analysis found that children's difficulties are often identified late, that there is no systematic use of a developmental screening tools and that at the moment the main emphasis is placed on growth tracking. Early intervention services provided in different sectors are very fragmented and support for children is not coordinated between different professionals. The support is exclusively focused on the child, being provided mainly in centers and without active involvement of parents in the process. For these reasons, within the framework of the partnership program between UNICEF and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, in the period 2023-2027 UNICEF supports the introduction of a systematic approach to early childhood intervention in children with developmental difficulties and disabilities. The systemic approach includes coordinated efforts in the health system to strengthen the monitoring of child development and early detection of developmental difficulties, the creation of mechanisms to refer children at risk of developmental difficulties to community-based early intervention services, and the provision of family-centered early intervention services, as well as support for a smooth transition to inclusive early education and care. The consultancy is expected to contribute to the delivery of this programme.

Scope of Work

Since 2019 UNICEF has been implementing programme activities for early childhood intervention in five pilot locations in 2025, the activities are being expanded into three new municipalities: Burgas, Vratsa and Smyadovo. Through partnership agreements between UNICEF and the municipal administrations, the aim is to contribute to building a systemic approach to early childhood intervention for children at risk of or with developmental difficulties at the local level. This includes 3 interrelated components:

1) More effective follow-up of child development through strengthening the role of the primary health care system and ECEC services for the early identification of disabilities and developmental difficulties, and subsequent referral to early childhood intervention.

2) Provision of family-oriented early childhood intervention services by strengthening the capacity and focus of the existing community-based social services to support the families of young children with developmental difficulties or disabilities.

3) Enhanced early inclusion of children with disabilities and developmental difficulties in ECEC services by strengthening the opportunities to provide an inclusive environment for them in crèches and kindergartens through training and support for staff.

Work Assignment Overview

Qualification Requirements:

• Advanced degree in early childhood development, public health, social work, psychology, child development, families' studies or another relevant field
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in the field of supporting early childhood development and/or early childhood intervention programmes
• Experience in supporting local level implementation and innovations in state-funded social services
• Knowledge and understanding of the local context and interlinkages between key stakeholders from the education, health and social systems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience of drafting reports and documents
• Experience with coordinating and supporting the implementation of events
• Fluency in English and Bulgarian is a requirement

The assignment is envisaged to take place between 01.10.2025 – 30.06.2026.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications by 16 September 2025 to the following e-mail: [email protected], indicating they are applying for “National Consultant to support the local implementation of UNICEF’s ECI programme”. Applications should include a CV in English, a proposed fee for the entire assignment in Bulgarian leva, and any additional supporting documents relevant to their application. Please note that travel expenses will be covered separately by the UNICEF office.

Only shortlisted candidates will proceed to the next stage of the selection process. The successful candidate will also undergo reference checks.