Government Capacity Building Support program USAID Support to the Department of Social Development Systems Strengthening Presented by Dr Rita Sonko 21 February 2014

program background USAID & DSD conceptualised a TA program specifically to support DSD & developed a TOR which resulted in this program which was advertised in 2012 The primary focus of the work is systems strengthening at national, provincial and select districts across the country The Pact Consortium was selected & contracted in Sept 2013 until 30 Sept 2018

GCDS for DSD consortium partners Prime Implementer

GCDS for DSD program objectives GCDS will provide support to DSD to achieve the following three objectives: Improve timely availability of reliable data on program performance M&E and information on the social effects of HIV and AIDS and other vulnerabilities faced by children; Strengthen coordination, management and oversight of community care service structures that protect and care for the most vulnerable children & their families; and Strengthen inter-sector integration & coordination between DSD and other SAG Departments (DOH, DBE) & build a supportive multi-sector environment led by DSD through system strengthening at the national and provincial level .

program background Pact expected to deliver targeted technical assistance to assist the DSD to improve coordination, management and planning for OVC in: Task 1: Support and strengthen health and social welfare system coordination and integration for improved OVC services; Task 2: Support improved management and outcome evaluations of programs aimed at the most vulnerable children; Task 3: Support and strengthen social and individual behavior change to prevent HIV infection for children under 18 years; Task 4: Support & strengthen DSD’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems & build the research base for cost effective outcomes for vulnerable children Task 5: Support and strengthen the child protection response framework; Task 6: Strengthen the management of the social welfare workforce

GCDS components at a glance

GCBS Theory of Change (draft) TOC\GCDS theory diagram draft 1.pdf

Customer Focused –Systems strengthening Who is the Customer? Child Centred Approach

Child Protection Systems: Actors, Context, and Components Structures, functions, and capacities are the basic building blocks.

Systems Strengthening - “Building Blocks for DSD” Social Development Service Delivery Access Efficient Effective Quality 3-6 Social Service Workforce (HR) (Capacities/ Capabilities / Competent) 6 Budgetting & Financing (Financial Management;) 2 Information Management Systems) / M&E / Research 4 Leadership, Governance, Management 1,2 Tools/ Strategies/ Plans/ Policies/ Legislation 1-6

Common areas of community level systems strengthening Enabling environments and advocacy Community networks, linkages, partnerships, and coordination Resources and capacity building Community activities and service delivery Leadership and organisational strengthening Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and planning

Examples of work plan Activities Outputs Supporting the development/strengthening of tools, systems and technical support processes to enhance NPO reporting Systems for NPO reporting streamlined and strengthened for comprehensive and efficient data gathering from service delivery sites Mentoring and coaching DSD managers on implementing sound data quality management systems DSD managers at different levels supported to strengthen skills and implement sound data quality management through mentoring and coaching Building DSD managers capacity to analyze service delivery data so it can be used for decision-making and planning improved availability of data for decision making through deeper analysis of service delivery data across different districts, provinces and at national level

Illustrative indicators: Accountability Information Management Systems / M&E /Research Indicators at district level Number and percent of districts with staff who have received training in the past 12 months on MERL (disaggregated by type of training, by province, by gender) Number and percent of districts producing quarterly service delivery data analysis reports (disaggregated by province) Number and percent of districts implementing standardised data quality management processes and oversight of NPO reporting Percentage of registered OVC NPOs in the district reporting into DSD NPO reporting systems in the reporting period

Accountability Indicators at CBO/community level Number and percent of CBO’s using standard data collection tools and reporting formats that enable reporting to national reporting system Number and percent of CBO’s that held at least one documented feedback mechanism with the community they serve in the last 6 months

Functions; Governance, Management, Enforcement Institutional level –Government Number and percentage of DSD staff in managerial positions who received training or retraining in management, leadership or accountability during the reporting period (disaggregated by province and gender) Number and percentage of districts with staff who have received training in the past 12 months on strategic planning and policy development Percentage of districts with an active DACCA (meeting at least twice annually) (disaggregated by province) Community level Number of CBO’s with staff who have received training in the past 12 months on strategic planning and policy development Number and percent of CBOs with a functioning governing board - A board of directors meets on a monthly or quarterly basis

Challenges with measuring systems strengthening No standards especially in the social development sector; building blocks of the “system” not standardised unlike the case with health- WHO 6 building blocks Tons of options of indicators…. Few tested

Challenges The E in MERL is particularly methodologically challenging – issues of attribution/contribution; counterfactual-ethical dilemma etc- Need to explore and use innovative approaches to evaluation- developmental evaluations aimed at ongoing learning and improvement

THANK YOU Key Pact contact: Vincent Titus, Country Director vtitus@pactworld.org 012 361 9885 Rita Sonko, Senior MERL Advisor Rsonko@pactworld.org .