Operating Procedures

This Standard Operating Procedure provides detailed guidance on selection of orphans and vulnerable children in the communities around Zimbabwe. This is to help ensure that most vulnerable children are selected. This is done through a common case management approach that is holistic and comprehensive.

Selection Criteria

Priority is given to orphans and vulnerable children who are struggling with school fees on the formal education platform, but the program can also support with food when need arises. Special attention is placed on ensuring transition of orphans and vulnerable children from primary to secondary school when the risk of drop out is higher.

We use the case management system so that will be able to provide a holistic kind of assistance to the child. The National Case Management System for the Welfare and protection of Children in Zimbabwe was developed in 2014. In the context of OVC programming, case management is the process of identifying, assessing, planning, referring and tracking referrals and monitoring the delivery of assistance to a child.

All children and their households, regardless of entry point, will undergo an HIV risk assessment and vulnerability assessment, after which a scoring and prioritization process is carried out looking at critical areas like:

• Disability
• Ultra-poor households
• Out-of-school children
• Child labour
• Children living in households with poverty and Gender based violence
• Child headed household
• Orphans living with chronically ill caregiver who cannot provide for them

Guiding Principles of Case Management

The principles of case management are informed by and reflect core values and principles of social work as well as international and Zimbabwean rights-based legal and policy frameworks. The following principles are identified within the National Case Management System, and when implementing a case management process within orphans and vulnerable children, these principles should guide the practice of all volunteers and contact persons.

• Do no harm. Ensure that actions and interventions designed to support the child do not expose them to further harm.
• Prioritize the Best Interest of the Child. Within orphans and vulnerable children’s programming, it is good practice and also reflects international and national rights-based legal and policy frameworks to have all decisions and related actions involving the child’s welfare be guided by the best interests of the child.
• Ensure Accountability. Refers to being responsible and taking responsibility for ones actions
• Sound knowledge of Child Development and Child Rights. Assessments and interventions must be made on the basis of knowledge about child development within cultural context and child protection.
• The Child’s rights to be heard and views taken seriously. Children have a right to be consulted and have their opinions sought and taken into account in decisions and matters which affect their lives.
• Seek informed consent. Informed consent is the voluntary agreement of an individual who has the capacity to give consent, and who exercises free choice. To provide “informed consent”, the child must be able to understand, and take a decision regarding their own situation.
• Respecting confidentiality and sharing information on a need to know basis. Confidentiality is the process through which information is protected against falling into the wrong hands and is accessible only to those authorized to access it.
• Do not discriminate. Avoid treating a child differently because of their individual characteristics or a group they belong to (for example gender, age, socio-economic background, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity).
• Maintain professional boundaries and addressing conflict of interest. Volunteers should act with integrity by not abusing the power or the trust of the child.
• Be goal oriented. The goal of case management is to provide assistance. Actions should be directed toward meeting the goal.