The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) seeks a consultant to assist CTF Board and staff in developing a comprehensive communications strategy to promote protective cultural norms designed to prevent child maltreatment.

BACKGROUND
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention.  CTF was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization with the sole purpose to prevent the abuse and neglect of children.  Located within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF is governed by a seventeen member Board of Directors.

SCOPE OF WORK
CTF seeks a consultant who will work with CTF to:

• Implement a process to collect, identify, evaluate and assess social and community norms related to prevention, child maltreatment and child well-being in Missouri.
• Foster a statewide approach involving Missouri state departments, other public/private agencies, stake holders, grantees, etc. to participate in decision-making and to encourage a unified effort to address child abuse prevention through the promotion of desired social norms.
• Complete an assessment of Missouri residents to inform baseline data, including reviewing available relevant data, conducting surveys, polling, etc. The consultant will provide technical assistance specific to developing social norms questions/survey instrument for the determined survey platforms, which an outside entity may be used to administer.
• Review and assess data to identify attitudes, behaviors, misperceptions, gaps, etc. and identify 2-5 social norms related to preventing child abuse (including child sexual abuse) that will be the basis for strategic communication messaging.
• Develop data-informed messaging based on the identified social norms to deliver to the Missouri-based advertising/media company of CTF’s choosing, which CTF and its team will be in regular contact to inform and guide the work to ensure successful delivery of the creative design and execution of the plan.
• Evaluate the process and impact of the social norms messaging in preventing child abuse and neglect in Missouri.

TIMELINE
Friday, October 19, 2018: Proposals are due to CTF by close of business (5:00 p.m.)
Friday, October 26, 2018: Notice of award will be made on or before this date

GUIDANCE
Proposals shall not exceed three pages in length and will respond to the following:

• Identify the primary individual(s) who will work on this project.
• What are the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience and knowledge related to conducting child welfare, child maltreatment or child well-being research?
• What is the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience in assessing social norms and developing a social norms communications campaign?
• Why is the applicant interested in working with CTF on the issue of child abuse and neglect prevention?
• Please provide a Scope of Work, including a related timeframe, for the requested project.
• What is the proposed budget amount to conduct the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work (assuming a contract period of January-June 2019, July 2019-June 2020, July 2020-June 2021, July 2021-June 2022)?

Completed proposals shall be emailed to Paula Cunningham at paula.cunningham@oa.mo.gov by 5 p.m. Friday, October 19, 2018. Selection shall be based on the best and lowest bid. Further inquiries may be made to Paula by email or by calling 573-751-2266/5147.  Thank you.

When we know better, we do better! September Baby Safety Month is an opportune time to highlight Infant Safe Sleep and encourage EVERYONE to practice the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Guidelines to prevent infant suffocation and strangulation.  Together, let’s keep all babies safe.  #AloneBackCrib

— Always put baby to sleep ALONE, on his/her BACK, in a safe CRIB for naps and night time sleep. Putting baby down to sleep with adults, other children or animals can cause baby to suffocate.

— Place baby in a safety-approved crib, bassinet or portable play area with a firm sleep surface and fitted sheet. Do NOT place baby to sleep on an adult bed or other soft mattress, waterbed, sofa, chair, beanbag, pillow, cushion, other soft surface or in a car seat, sling, swing, bouncer or stroller.

— Remove all soft objects toys, blankets, bumper pads, pillows from the baby sleep area.

— Dress baby in a sleeper/sleep sack instead of using a blanket or other covering.  Do not let baby overheat.

— Put baby to sleep alone in a crib or bassinet, but in the same room where you sleep. Bed sharing is dangerous.

What does a Safe Sleep Environment look like?

Ways to reduce Suffocation and SIDS

Get the FAQs

The Missouri Child Fatality Review Program Annual Report 2016
In 2016, there were 71 unintentional suffocation deaths of children under age one.  Accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (ASSB) is the leading cause of infant injury deaths and is directly related to unsafe sleep environments including soft bedding, overlay, wedging, entrapment and strangulation.

ASSB is preventable, so EVERYONE needs to know about infant #SafeSleep.
#ShowMeSafeSleep in Missouri.