INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET
CONCEPT STAGE
Public Disclosure Copy
Report No.: ISDSC1090
Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 04-Dec-2014
Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 05-Dec-2014
I. BASIC INFORMATION
A. Basic Project Data
Country: Romania Project ID: P149785
Project Name: Integrated Social Services Project (P149785)
Task Team Christian Bodewig
Leader:
Estimated 18-May-2015 Estimated 30-Jul-2015
Appraisal Date: Board Date:
Managing Unit: GSPDR Lending Investment Project Financing
Instrument:
Sector(s): Other social services (40%), General education sector (30%), Sanitation (15%),
Health (15%)
Theme(s): Other social protection and risk management (100%)
Financing (In USD Million)
Total Project Cost: 126.67 Total Bank Financing: 126.67
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Financing Gap: 0.00
Financing Source Amount
Borrower 0.00
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 126.67
Total 126.67
Environmental B - Partial Assessment
Category:
Is this a No
Repeater
project?
B. Project Objectives
The project development objective is to strengthen integrated social service delivery for marginalized
communities and households with a focus on those with children.
Social service delivery is expected to be strengthened through more effective outreach to households
and communities by public social work staff and community workers and through community-led
investments in essential social services including education, health and other. An integrated, Roma-
sensitive approach combining intensive household-focused social work (counseling, referrals, etc.)
and community mobilization and investments is expected to help address multiple barriers to
opportunities for children in poor and socially excluded families. It is consistent with the conceptual
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framework for social inclusion put forward by the World Bank 2013 flagship study "Inclusion
Matters" and the three drivers of social inclusion of markets, services and spaces.
C. Project Description
Focusing particularly on families with children, the SIBS project would focus on developing an
intervention that can help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and exclusion by strengthening
local social service delivery to reach out to poor and marginalized communities and families, and
connect them to services. The project would support a model of an integrated approach to service
delivery at the local level involving simultaneous interventions both on the demand and the supply
side to tackle a multitude of drivers of inequality of opportunity faced by the poor and marginalized
in Romania, especially children.
The program would be implemented in select marginalized communities in urban and rural areas
across Romania for a period of five years between 2016 and 2021 under the auspices of the Ministry
of Labor, Family, Social Protection and Elderly and with the involvement of Ministries of Health,
Education and the Romania Social Development Fund (RSDF). The aim is to develop an integrated
social inclusion model which could be scaled up with parallel financing from EU Structural Funds.
The proposed design is based on the assessment that the traditional approach to social inclusion,
especially for Roma, has (i) been fragmented and has rarely combined multiple complementary
interventions in one place, and hence failing to cater to the needs of the highly marginalized, and (ii)
underplayed the role of social workers/mediators as mobilizers of demand and intermediaries to link
beneficiaries to available services.
The proposed integrated service approach would first bring to the forefront the role of the social
workers and aim at strengthening their function such that they become "actively" engaged in
developing solutions jointly with communities/households/families in need. The focus of their work
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would then shift to accurate identification of the needs of a vulnerable/poor household as a unit and
resolving them through locally generated and implemented solutions. The backbone of the approach
would be, first, intensive local facilitation and outreach via community workers ("social mediators")
that would be organized through Community Consultative Structures (CCS) in charge of tackling the
various dimensions of social inclusion. Second, it would involve local action by community groups
("Local Initiative Groups"-LIGs) who, in collaboration with local authorities, would choose and
oversee the implementation of an integrated service package that would draw from a positive list of
elements such as (i) Basic Health and Education – investments to expand and improve inclusive early
childhood development (e.g. parenting programs), education (kindergarten) and basic health (e.g.
public health sensitization/promotion for children and mothers, recreational activities) services; (ii)
Earning Opportunities – employment promotion programs for parents (e.g. literacy programs,
counseling, etc.); (iii) Community Infrastructure – investments to improve accessibility and quality
of basic services.
The proposed approach for the Integrated Social Services project (ISSP) is entirely consistent with
and complementary to the one adopted for EU Structural Funds financing under the OPs Human
Capital and Regional Development, including for the Community-Led Local Development (CLLD)
instrument. The project would develop and finance detailed models of provision of integrated social
work services and community-led priority investments which could be adapted for Structural Fund
financing in localities beyond those supported by ISSP. As such the project would have the potential
to help enhance the use of Structural Funds for effective social inclusion interventions.
It would build on recommendations from the World Bank-supported preparation of a Draft National
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Strategy and Action Plan on Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction. The project would incorporate
lessons learned and would build on the successful interventions implemented at community level
under the previous World Bank-supported Romania Social Inclusion Project and other RSDF
projects and the successful experiences of programs such as “A Good Start” (Roma Education Fund),
“Priority Intervention Program” (RSDF), “A Place for Everyone” (UNDP), “Helping the Invisible
Children” (UNICEF), “Making Most out of EU Funds for Roma” (Open Society Institute) and others
in the region and elsewhere (e.g. Central and Latin America). The project would also benefit from
recent work in the education sector, especially for the Romania Strategy to Reduce Early School
Leaving.
Component 1: Social Service Delivery (ca. 95 percent of the Loan volume)
Sub-Component 1.1 “Strengthening Public Social Work Services” would provide financing to
municipalities/communes through the RSDF for the adoption and implementation of annual
integrated social work plans which would prioritize activities targeting families with children. The
municipality/commune could request financing of activities including:
• Consolidation of the existing or formation of a new Community Consultative Structure
(CCS) consisting of social worker, community nurse, general practitioner, school principals or
teachers, Roma health and education mediators, police, private sector representatives, local
councilors and others, as needed ;
• Adoption of terms of reference (TOR) for this group’s operation in line with the TORs of the
PSAS, e.g. with social work protocols;
• A social census and participatory needs assessment to establish the profile of vulnerabilities
in any project-supported marginalized community, especially from the perspective of children;
• Support for participatory appraisal of needs and provision of priority social services in
communities;
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• An annually updated integrated social work plan to guide the committee’s outreach and
social work activities (e.g. identify, based on the census, priority cases) and expected results to be
achieved;
• Implementation of a list of social service activities (e.g. after class activities for youth) based
on the integrated social work plan.
• Monitoring of progress towards achieving expected results (e.g. decrease in child
abandonment, decrease in school drop-out, expansion in vaccination, increase in preschool enrolment
etc.).
The project will finance technical assistance, capacity building and, where necessary, human
resources on a contractual basis (e.g. social and community workers) to facilitate the implementation
of the above activities. A positive menu of core as well as eligible activities and expenditures will be
confirmed during appraisal.
Sub-Component 1.2 ”Investing in Community-Led Priority Social Services” would seek to
complement activities under 1.1 by empowering communities to take part in the choice,
implementation and monitoring of basic social services. Building on the participatory needs
assessments, it would finance the implementation of community-led priority social services which
will be chosen from an eligible menu of activities supporting an integrated social service package
(such as small community infrastructure improvements; equipment and materials; provision of basic
training for community based services, start-up costs for establishing home-based or community
based services for ECD or other recreational/educational activities, community monitoring of
services, etc.) to include education, health, and basic social services investments. The selected
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community-led activities will be complementary to those included in the annual integrated social
service plan presented by the CCS/PSAS. The sub-component would rely on CLLD-consistent
methodologies for its identification and implementation.
RSDF would be in charge of the facilitation, administration and coordination of funding for local
activities under both sub-components.
Component 2: Project Management (ca. 5 percent of the Loan amount) would support central-level
activities including:
• Project administration: The project would finance relevant activities related to the
administration of the project.
• Advisory work on strengthening the system governing social work service provision, e.g.
formulation of regulatory changes to promote enhanced social work.
• Project monitoring and evaluation: The project would fund any costs related to program
monitoring, including, and as needed, strengthening data monitoring platforms and support to local-
level monitoring efforts as desc ribed above. It would emphasize innovative and participatory
monitoring mechanisms such as community service scorecards alongsi de traditional program
monitoring. Beneficiary satisfaction surveys would be implemented at least twice during the
implementation period. An impact evaluation or a process evaluation could also be conducted around
one or two research questions to be determined.
• Communications: The project would finance costs of a communication campaign targeted to
the selected localities and communities and other communication efforts as needed. The campaign
will emphasize outreach and information dissemination via multiple channels accessible to the target
populations. It would also finance facilitation of knowledge exchange and regular peer learning of
social workers/PSAS at regional and/or national level.
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Both MoLFSPE and RSDF would play a role in managing Component 2.
D. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard
analysis (if known)
The project activities would be carried across the country, with a particular focus on poor rural areas
and urban marginalized areas . The population targeted includes various vulnerable groups: from
Roma communities or other ethnic minorities; from low income families; living in rural areas; living
in urban marginalized areas; confronted with lack or low access to quality education, health and
social assistance services. No social or cultural issues are envisaged, but some topics related to Roma
traditions, including customs, may require due diligence during the community mobilization phase.
E. Borrowers Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies
The proposed Project implementation would be coordinated by two key stakeholders: the MoLFSPE
and RSDF. The local authorities identified as beneficiaries of the grants would implement the Project
under a decentralized approach, but with technical assistance of specialists supported by the Project.
The RSDF has extensive experience and satisfactory performance in the administration of funds
supporting the implementation of CDD type projects, and will be responsible for the implementation
of the Component 1 of the project. The existing Project Management Unit (PMU) of the MoLFSPE
was involved in the implementation of the previous Social Inclusion Project (finalized July 2014),
and will be responsible for the implementation of Component 2 under ISSP, leading a strategic role
in providing methodological support and oversight and supporting the implementation of any
regulatory changes to promote enhanced social work. Both entities have the adequate capacity to
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carry out day-to-day project management activities including those related to environmental and
social protection.
The RSDF’s capacity and performance in implementation the Bank safeguard policies have also been
assessed satisfactory by various audits conducted in the past. The monitoring and evaluation (M&E)
capacity of the RSDF is also adequate.
F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists on the Team
Cesar Niculescu (GENDR)
Mihai Magheru (GSURR)
II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY
Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional)
Environmental Assessment OP/ Yes The ISSP project is likely to be an
BP 4.01 environmental category B project, with a partial
environmental assessment required. It is
anticipated that all sub-projects funded under
the ISSP project will not trigger a full-scale
environmental impact assessment (EIA)
process. The project will have limited negative
environmental and social impacts, as physical
works will be undertaken to only construct/
rehabilitate local facilities. The expected
temporary environmental impacts and
inconvenience to the surrounding areas during
construction are limited and typical to small/
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medium scale construction works, such as
generation of dust, noise and vibration;
movement of the construction vehicles and
machinery; piling of construction materials; and
accumulation of demolition/construction waste.
Some associated risks include improper disposal
of construction waste, asbestos, minor
operational or accidental spills of fuel and
lubricants from the construction machinery, and
improper reinstatement of construction sites
upon completion of works. A general
Environmental Management Framework (EMF)
including the mitigation measures for most type
of construction works will be prepared at the
project level, and will be followed by derived
site-specific Environmental Management Plans
(EMPs) that will be prepared for each sub-
project that will be implemented.
Very effective measures have been put in place
under the previous Social Inclusion Project
(finalized July 2014) to address safeguards
issues, and they are being applied and closely
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monitored by the RSDF. These were laid out in
the detailed Guidelines for Environmental
Analysis of Sub-Projects, which will also be
part of the Operational Manual of ISSP project.
Each sub-project will be reviewed for
environmental and social risks in line with the
OP4.01. No category A projects are likely to be
financed.
Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No
Forests OP/BP 4.36 No
Pest Management OP 4.09 No
Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No The environmental screening process will
BP 4.11 screen for the presence of physical cultural
resources. In addition, chance find procedures
will be included in all works contracts.
Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No
Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP No The involuntary resettlement will not be
4.12 triggered despite the inclusion of
infrastructure works under the project because
the legal agreements will exclude any financing
of subprojects involving land acquisition.
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Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No
Projects on International No
Waterways OP/BP 7.50
Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No
7.60
III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN
A. Tentative target date for preparing the PAD Stage ISDS: 15-Apr-2015
B. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed.
The specific studies and their timing1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS:
n.a.
IV. APPROVALS
Task Team Leader: Name: Christian Bodewig
Approved By:
Regional Safeguards Name: Agnes I. Kiss (RSA) Date: 04-Dec-2014
Coordinator:
1 Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the InfoShop and (ii) in country, at publicly accessible locations and in a
form and language that are accessible to potentially affected persons.
Practice Manager/ Name: Andrew D. Mason (PMGR) Date: 05-Dec-2014
Manager:
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