The Child and Family Agency was established on 1st January 2014 and is responsible for a range of statutory functions including provision of child protection, alternative care, specified regulatory services and a range of family support services. The Agency has commenced a major improvement programme with significant focus on Practice, Culture and Structure.

The Agency currently has responsibility for a budget of circa €1.2billion and delivers its services through over 5,500 people in 259 locations across the Country.

The Child and Family Agency has responsibility for the following range of services:

• Child Protection and Welfare
• Parenting, Family Support and Early Help Services
• Alternative Care
• Birth Information & Tracing and Adoption
• Tusla Education Support Services (TESS)
• Children’s Service Regulation
• Counselling and Therapeutic Supports

Further information is available on www.tusla.ie

The Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) is responsible for delivering services to children, parents, young people and others. In fulfilling the role, the EWO will work collaboratively with the HSCL, SCP services strands, schools and other agencies in meeting the educational welfare needs of children and young people.

• Foster an appreciation of the value of education and regular school attendance among pupils, their families and communities.
• Assist and advise parents whose children experience school attendance difficulties.
• Encourage, advise and assist schools in developing school attendance strategies, codes of behaviour and other policies which will create school cultures that encourage children to attend school regularly.
• Agree with schools, necessary protocols for the management of school attendance and referral arrangements in accordance with guidelines that may be laid down at national level.
• Deal with poor attendance case referrals from schools using a welfare-orientated approach with the families involved as the most effective means of ensuring satisfactory school attendance by the child.
• Assist in tracking and identifying children who drop out of education using interaction with the families involved to encourage and assist the children in returning to education.
• Take all possible steps to arrange education for children not currently in receipt of education.
• Support parents wishing to submit appeals in relation to enrolment, expulsion or suspensions decisions by schools.
• Inspect school registers and attendance records to ensure that they comply with relevant requirements.
• Co-operate with other agencies concerned with child welfare.
• Deal with queries from schools, parents and the public concerning the Educational (Welfare) Act, 2000, and school attendance issues.
• Initiate legal proceedings under the Act, where appropriate.
• Prepare and submit reports as required.
• Carry out all functions necessary for the implementation of the Ac
• The role may involve considerable travel, full drivers licence and access to transport is essential to complete the duties of the role.
• Participate in training and development programmes as prescribed by the Agency.
• Participate in integrated working with colleagues in the other EWS work strands namely: Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Coordinators and School Completion Programme (SCP) staff.
• Support the implementation of the SCP Intake Framework by participating in SCP Referral Meetings and by making referrals to SCP when the EWO deems such a referral beneficial to a student.
• Any other duties which may be assigned from time to time.

Health & Safety

• Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.
• Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the service for example National Standards for Child Protection and Care and comply with associated Tusla – Child and Family Agency protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
• To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Applicants must by the closing date of application have the following:

• Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Level 8 (or higher) major academic award (or equivalent qualification recognised and accredited in Ireland) in health, education, arts. humanities, psychology, social science, youth or community areas.
• A minimum of three years’ relevant experience in paid employment delivering services to vulnerable Children and Families. Relevant experience must include evidence of a minimum of three years’ front line direct work with vulnerable or at risk children and families. (Applicants must demonstrate and outline this experience in their completed applications.)
• Requisite knowledge and ability for the proper discharge of the duties of the office

Health
A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Character
Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.