Consultancy Development of Safeguarding Guidance, Trainings and Tools for implementing robust child safeguarding measures in volunteering organization

OrganizationECPAT InternationalPosted 24 Oct 2025 Closing date 6 Nov 2025Organisational ContextECPAT International is a global network of organisations working together for the elimination of the sexual exploitation of children (SEC) in all its manifestations i.e., exploitation of children in prostitution, online child sexual exploitation, sale and trafficking of children for sexual purposes, sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism and some forms of child, early and forced marriage. The ECPAT Network currently consists of 142 member organisations working at national and local levels in 115 countries.The ECPAT International Secretariat coordinates the global work of the organisation and is based in Bangkok, Thailand. The Secretariat designs and implements global and regional level programmes, and undertakes programming, advocacy and research and facilitates a range of network initiatives.Background of the ProjectECPAT International has been addressing the issue of voluntourism with children in travel and tourism that puts children at risk of sexual exploitation and disrupts local development efforts. Professional volunteering, while distinct from unskilled and short term voluntourism, has its own challenges. Children can also be harmed, targeted or sexually exploited even through structured volunteering. In all contexts that bring people into contact with children, including in volunteering as part of official development assistance good intentions are not enough – children's rights and best interest of the children need to be given paramount consideration in the development of all initiatives[1]. Addressing this topic is timely, in the perspective of the upcoming UN International Year of Volunteers 2026.Consultancy ObjectivesECPAT International is seeking a safeguarding expert (or consulting team) to develop a comprehensive set of child safeguarding tools and guidance materials. These resources will support professional volunteering organisations in integrating child protection principles into their policies, guidance, and training for professional and long-term volunteers. This initiative addresses the need to mainstream child safeguarding practices within volunteer programmes and builds on ECPAT’s broader commitment to child protection.Volunteers and volunteering organisations are critical actors in community development, humanitarian response, education, and environmental protection. They often operate in close contact with communities and children, including in contexts where supervision and formal safeguarding measures may be limited. In some cases, volunteers may have direct and unsupervised access to children or to sensitive community settings, heightening risks of both intentional and unintentional harm.Many volunteering organisations, especially smaller or community-based ones, lack tailored guidance, tools, and resources to establish and implement effective child safeguarding systems, and support to their volunteers as part of the trainings. As a result, volunteers may not be sufficiently prepared and supported, and the children or communities they serve may be left unprotected.This Consultancy Seeks To Address This Gap By Developing a Set Of Adaptable, Practical, And Context-sensitive Resources To Support Volunteering Organizations InStrengthening their child safeguarding policies and practices.Equipping volunteers with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors to act safely and responsibly;Ensuring mechanisms for prevention, response, and accountability are in place.Expected OutputsResponsibilitiesThe consultant or team of consultants will be responsible for delivering a comprehensive package of guidance and tools through the proposed phases:Review and needs assessment:Map and review existing child safeguarding frameworks, guidelines and tools relevant to volunteering organisations, including international and regional standards.Identify good practices and areas for adaptation to diverse contexts (e.g., community-based, international, short-term, or virtual/online volunteering).Conduct targeted consultations with volunteering organisations, volunteers' network and relevant stakeholders toIdentify existing strengths and challenges in child safeguarding practices, including training;Understand sector-specific risks, operational realities, and capacity needs;Define desired outcomes and requirements for the final products.Development of Child Safeguarding Guidance for Volunteering Organisations:Draft guidance for child safeguarding policies and procedures specifically adapted to and tailored for volunteering organizations including:Clear definition of child safeguarding principles, definitions and minimum standards;Roles and responsibilities of volunteering organizations, volunteers, and associated staff;Risk assessment methodologies tailored to volunteering contexts;Recruitment, screening, and onboarding guidance for volunteers;Codes of conduct and behavioral expectations;Procedures for reporting, case handling, and referral;Considerations for safe communication, marketing, and visibility materials;Integration of child safeguarding within partnerships and third-party arrangements.Ensure the guidance is modular and adaptable to different operational models.Provide brief guidance for contextualisation and adaptation.Development of Child Safeguarding Training and Learning Resources for volunteering organizations, this would include:Brief self-administered content (adaptable training pack) for volunteers on child safeguarding which organizations can integrate into their own training platforms, plans or use offline; this content can be also prepared by ECPAT in an e-learning module.Develop a set of user-friendly resources such as:Checklists for managers and volunteers;Short infographics or info sheets explaining key child safeguarding concepts, principles, etc.Scenario-based examples illustrating safe and unsafe practices.These materials should promote practical understanding of harm, abuse and sexual exploitation of children, identifying signs, reporting and whistleblowing, maintaining professional boundaries and appropriate behaviors and communications; managing interactions with children and communities safely, including online.Development of Communications and Advocacy materials, this would include:Produce content/text for the development of short, accessible materials (e.g., posters, templates, or FAQs) to:Communicate safeguarding commitments to volunteers, partners, and communities;Increase public awareness of volunteering organizations’ child safeguarding responsibilities;Demonstrate compliance and accountability in line with global child safeguarding standards.Expected Output: Concise summary report highlighting key findings, identified gaps, and recommendations for the design of the child safeguarding package.Expected Outputs: Child Safeguarding guidance and contextualization guidelines.Expected Outputs: A module, training pack and suite of resources.Expected Outputs: Suite of content/text for the development of communication materials.Validation and FinalisationThe draft materials will be reviewed by ECPAT International and selected volunteering organizations for validation and feedback.Revise and finalize all deliverables, incorporating feedback and ensuring consistency, clarity, and usability.Provide ECPAT International with final documents.TimelineThe assignment will be carried out between November 2025 to January 2026. A detailed plan and timeline will be defined and agreed with the selected consultant/s at the start of the assignment.Consultant ProfileThe Consultant (or Consulting Team) Should BringDemonstrated technical expertise in child safeguarding with specific experience in developing and operationalizing child safeguarding measures and training within the volunteering, humanitarian, or non-profit sectors.Proven experience in working or cooperating with volunteering organizations, volunteer-sending agencies, or community-based initiatives;Strong understanding of international child protection standards (e.g. UNCRC, Keeping Children Safe, IASC guidelines) and child safeguarding practices in organizational settings;Demonstrated ability to translate technical concepts into practical tools adaptable for diverse contexts and capacity levels;Excellent writing and communication skills in English.Our CommitmentAs ECPAT’s International Secretariat we recognise that our strength lies in the diversity of the people who make up our global network, staff, volunteers and consultants. We are committed to being an inclusive workplace where people of all backgrounds and cultures can strive and be themselves. This means we will challenge ourselves to do better and to continue learning, to create and maintain a working environment steeped in respect, tolerance, safety, and where all parties are valued equally.As a child-focused organisation, ECPAT has a strong commitment to child safeguarding and rigorousprocedures, and the successful candidate will be required to sign our 2 codes of conduct.Additional InformationThis is a home-based position using own equipment and communication tools.The consultants should be available for online calls in Asia time zone.The project will be delivered in English; the materials will be also adapted and translated in other languages by ECPAT International.The Consultants are expected to act at all times in a manner consistent with the values of ECPAT International and in compliance with the organisation’s policies and procedures including Child Safeguarding Policy and the Code of Conduct.[1] Global Case Study: https://ecpat.org/resource/global-case-study-how-to-regulate-the-issue-of-voluntourism-with-children/ and Resource Hub: https://ecpat.org/regulating-voluntourism-resource-hubHow to applyPlease submit an email to vacancy@ecpat.org, with the subject line: Your name/company name and “Safeguarding Guidance”. Kindly include the following documents: Proposed methodology and a CV, demonstrating your expertise in developing child safeguarding guidance, training and tools with examples of previous work. Financial proposal based on the estimated number of dates, providing a daily rate in USD.Due to the high volume of applications, we receive, we are not able to respond to every application. If you have not heard back from us within 3 weeks from the deadline, it means that your application has not been successful.Submission DeadlineAll proposals must be submitted by 6th November 2025Job detailsSourceECPAT InternationalTypeConsultancyCareer categoryProgram/Project ManagementYears of experience5-9 yearsThemeProtection and Human RightsShare Share this on Facebook Share this on X Post this on LinkedIn