Tenders Are Invited For Impact Evaluation For First Steps Big Step Project In Jordan (2020-2026)

Tenders are invited for Impact Evaluation for First Steps Big Step Project in Jordan (2020-2026) Closing Date: 5 May 2026 Type: Consultancy Background Early Childhood Development (ECD) is recognized globally as a critical foundation for childrens lifelong health, learning, and wellbeing. The first years of life are particularly important in shaping cognitive, emotional, and social development. However, many children in Jordan continue to grow up in environments where access to nurturing care, early stimulation, and inclusive early childhood services is limited. Challenges affecting early childhood development in Jordan include limited access to quality early childhood services, fragmentation of ECD policies across sectors, insufficient coordination among stakeholders, and social norms that limit positive parenting practices and male engagement in caregiving. Evidence also indicates that many caregivers lack access to structured parenting programmes that promote nurturing care, non-violent discipline, and early learning stimulation. To address these challenges, Plan International Jordan, in partnership with national stakeholders and with support from the Van Leer Foundation, implemented the First Steps, Big Step (FSBS) programme between 2020-2026.The programme aims to improve the developmental outcomes of young children in Jordan by strengthening parenting practices, promoting gender-transformative caregiving, and embedding comprehensive ECD services within national systems. THE ORGANISATION Plan International Jordan (PIJO), an International Non-Governmental Organization established in 2016, has been at the forefront of addressing critical issues related to childrens rights and gender equality across Jordan. With a comprehensive portfolio of programs spanning education, youth empowerment, and protectionincluding Child Protection (CP), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)PIJO is dedicated to creating safer communities for both Syrian refugees and Jordanian host populations. Operating across various governorates, our initiatives are tailored to meet the specific needs of refugees and vulnerable groups within these communities. Central to our mission is the support of at-risk children, adolescents and youth, focusing on preventing and responding to child marriage, child labor, and broader CP and GBV issues, while promoting their decision-making, participation, and empowerment. Collaborating closely with parents, youth and communities, PI works to raise awareness about child protection issues and bolster the capacity of families and societies to address the needs of children and adolescents, aiming to safeguard them from violence, abuse, and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence. Embedded in our operations is Plans Global Gender Equality and Inclusion Policy, which guides our commitment to achieving gender equality, promoting gender justice, realising girls rights, and fostering an inclusive society. This policy underpins PIs five-year country strategy, our Values and Behaviours Framework, and our Theory of Change. PROJECT BACKGROUND The First Steps, Big Step (FSBS) programme aims to strengthen early childhood development systems in Jordan by empowering parents and caregivers and integrating ECD services within national health structures. The programme is implemented across six governorates: Amman, Zarqa, Irbid, Karak, Balqa, and Ajloun, targeting parents, caregivers, health workers, and national ECD stakeholders. Phase 1 (20202022) The first phase focused on empowering parents and caregivers to adopt positive, gender-responsive parenting practices and strengthening awareness of early childhood development. The project also worked to position ECD as a national priority through advocacy and coordination with government stakeholders. Key pathways included: Parents practice gender- and age-appropriate positive parenting behaviours. Early childhood development becomes an integrated national priority supported by coordinated stakeholders. Phase 2 (20232024) The second phase aimed to deepen and expand the integration of ECD services within the health sector by embedding parenting programmes into routine health services, strengthening Ministry of Health staff capacity, and introducing more standardized and coordinated approaches to service delivery, laying the foundation for full institutionalizations. Key outcomes included strengthening parenting services in health centres, promoting male engagement in caregiving, and improving coordination among ECD stakeholders and advancing the standardization of ECD services, including greater inclusion of children with disabilities within service delivery. Phase 3 (20252026) The third phase focuses on institutionalizing ECD services within the Ministry of Health and strengthening sustainability through national systems. This phase aims to embed comprehensive ECD services within Jordans national health framework, ensuring equitable access, quality standards, and community engagement for children under five and their caregivers. Purpose of the Study As phase 3 of the FSBS programme approaches completion in August 2026, Plan International Jordan intends to conduct an external impact evaluation. The evaluation will assess the results and impact of the programme across all three phases and generate insights to inform future programming and policy engagement in early childhood development. The specific objectives of the impact evaluation are to: Assess the relevance of the FSBS programme in addressing the needs and priorities of parents, caregivers, and children in Jordan. Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of programme interventions across the three phases. Examine changes in parenting behaviours, gender norms, and male caregiver engagement resulting from programme activities. Assess improvements in the availability and quality of early childhood development services delivered through health facilities. Evaluate the extent to which ECD services have been integrated and institutionalized within national health systems specifically MOH. Identify lessons learned and provide actionable recommendations for future ECD programming in Jordan. Scope of the Evaluation Timeframe Covered January 2020 July 2026 (all three phases) Geographic Coverage Amman, Zarqa, Irbid, Karak, Balqa, Ajloun, Maan, Mafraq, Madaba, Jerash, Aqaba, Tafeleh Target Groups Parents and caregivers Children under six (indirect) MoH staff and frontline workers National ECD stakeholders Thematic Scope The evaluation will cover the main thematic areas of the FSBS programme, including: Parenting programmes and caregiver behaviour change. Male engagement in early childhood development. Integration of ECD services within health centres. Capacity building of frontline health workers. Coordination among national ECD stakeholders. Policy and advocacy efforts related to early childhood development. Evaluation Methodology The evaluation will employ a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. Given the programmes multi-phase design and systemic ambitions, the evaluation will adopt a theory-based impact evaluation approach that examines how project interventions contributed to changes in parenting behaviours, service delivery systems, and institutional frameworks for early childhood development. The evaluation should assess outcomes at three levels: Household-level behavioural change among parents and caregivers. Service delivery improvements within health facilities. Institutional and policy-level change within the national ECD system. Desk Review The evaluation will begin with a comprehensive desk review of all relevant programme documentation and available monitoring data. This review will help the evaluation team understand the design, implementation processes, and intended outcomes of the First Steps, Big Step (FSBS) programme across its three phases. The evaluator will analyse key documents including project proposals, logical frameworks, monitoring and evaluation reports, situation analyses, male engagement study, and behavioural change studies conducted during the programme. In addition, documentation related to the national ECD indicators, databases developed during the project, and relevant policy and advocacy outputs will be reviewed. The desk review will provide the basis for refining the evaluation questions, identifying information gaps, and developing the data collection tools to be used during the evaluation. Quantitative Analysis The evaluation will incorporate quantitative analysis to assess measurable outcomes of the programme and to examine changes in parenting practices and caregiver behaviours over time. Existing monitoring data collected during programme implementation will be analysed in relation to the project indicators and targets. Where feasible, the evaluator may conduct a structured survey with a sample of participating caregivers to collect quantitative information on selected outcomes. These may include changes in parenting behaviour, levels of male caregiver engagement in child development, caregiver awareness and utilization of early childhood development services, and the frequency of child stimulation activities practiced at home. The analysis should ensure that data are disaggregated by relevant variables such as sex of caregiver, location, and other demographic characteristics in order to examine differences in outcomes among different groups of participants. Qualitative Methods Qualitative data collection will play an important role in understanding the context in which results were achieved and in capturing the perspectives and experiences of programme participants and stakeholders. The evaluation will therefore include a combinatio Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4209420/11049737-impact-evaluation-first-steps-big-step-project-jordan-2020-2026