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.

Purpose of Role:

Under the guidance of the Line Manager, to ensure that the therapeutic philosophy, policies and procedures of the Community Service are implemented.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Working with Children/Young People/Families/Carers

• To support the implementation of Tusla’s Prevention, Partnership and Family Support; Child Protection and Welfare; and Alternative Care Strategies.
• Promote a culture where young people are treated with dignity and respect, promoting a culture of unconditional positive regard at all times.
• Promote physical, emotional, social, cultural, ethnic, spiritual and religious welfare of each service user.
• Advocate on behalf of the service user.
• Compliance with relevant Tusla policies.
• Attend court as required.
• To identify the needs and strengths of Children/Young People/Families/Carers and to work in partnership with them, their families and other practitioners to meets their needs, realise their rights and achieve desired outcomes.     
• To promote and support the implementation of the Meitheal National Early Intervention Practice Model including undertaking the role of Lead Practitioner.
• Participate in the completion of preliminary screening and assessments, safety planning as required under Children’s First in line with Standard Business Processes, this should be done in consultation with the relevant line manager.
• Support the completion and implementation of Child plans such as, Children in Care Plans; Child Protection and Welfare Plans; Social Work led Safety Plan; Meitheal Support Plans; Single Agency Family Support Plans.
• Support the implementation of creative community alternatives to care.         
• To work at an individual, group and community level with children in conjunction with local statutory and voluntary partner agencies.
• To support children and young people in alternative care and promote reunification or permanency planning as appropriate.
• Liaise with accommodation, welfare, education and training resources to source appropriate service for service users.
• To promote the participation of children and young people in decision making on issues that affect their lives at both individual and collective levels.
• To work directly with children to prevent or mitigate adverse childhood experiences and to capitalise on strengths and build resilience.
• The Social Care Leader may also have additional supervisory duties of Social Care Workers or Family Support Practitioners and others that may be required
• To undertake, supervise and support access visits to children in care with their parents and extended family and access visits arranged on court orders

Administration & Accountability

• To undertake, supervise and support access visits to children in care with their parents and extended family and access visits arranged on court orders.  To keep such records and submit such reports as are required from time to time.
• Participate in and provide information on current levels of need and provision to inform the Area Commissioning planning process.
• To be familiar with emergency procedures and to know who to contact in an emergency.
• Ensure Child protection procedures are followed in accordance with the responsibilities of a designated officer.
• To keep abreast of current legislation and current professional child care knowledge.
• To implement the Child and Family Agency’s procedures and policies.
• To undertake ongoing professional training and development.
• To attend regular supervision with the designated Manager.
• To perform any other duties that may be assigned from time to time.

Teamwork & Leadership

• Participate in working within a team centred consistent approach.
• Working with other professionals and external stakeholders.
• Work as part of a team and assist and support colleagues in implementing practice models.
• Supervise Social Care students as appropriate/required.

Training & Professional Development

• Delivery of training both internal and external.
• To perform such other duties as appropriate to the office as may be assigned from time to time by the designated manager.

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:

• Be registered in the Social Care Worker Register maintained by the Social Care Workers Registration Board maintained at CORU (or have entitlement to be registered and obtain registration prior to appointment).

And

• Maintain live annual registration on the Social Care Workers Register maintained by the Social Care Workers Registration Board at CORU.

And

• Must have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of office.

       And

• have a minimum of three years’ post qualification experience of working in a Children & Families Service or other relevant environment with a similarly challenging client group.

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.