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

Main Duties and Responsibilities
Working with Children/Young People/Families/Carer

• To support the implementation of the Barnahus Quality Standards.
• Promote a culture where children and young people’s rights are realised and upheld,ensuring children and young people are treated with dignity and respect.
• Advocate on behalf of the service user.
• To promote the participation of children and young people in decision making on issues that affect their lives at both individual and collective levels.
• Compliance with relevant Tusla and Barnahus policies and procedures.
• 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 Barnahus Therapy Framework.
• To act as a designated point of contact for families / Carers as part of the Barnahus interagency process.
• Support the interagency collaboration process through participation at Barnahus Interagency Meetings.
• Participate in multi-disciplinary and interagency case coordination and planning.
• Participate in therapeutic case review meetings.
• Plan, organise and co /facilitate support groups as required.
• Support the implementation of the Barnahus Roadmap and Service Development Plan.
• Promote the welfare of children referred to Barnahus through therapeutic interventions, advocacy and other interventions as required.
• To undertake therapeutic screenings with children and families alongside other members of the Barnahus therapy team
• Provide support and psychoeducation to non-offending caregiver and children as required.
• To work at an individual, group and community level with non-offending caregivers and children in conjunction with local statutory and voluntary partner agencies.
• Liaise with Tusla, HSE and An Garda Siochana to provide a coordinated service for children and families.
• To work directly with children to achieve desired outcomes.
• The Social Care Leader may have additional supervisory duties of Social Care Workers and/or Family Support Practitioners and others that may be required
• To provide education and awareness of the Barnahus model with external agencies in conjunction with other agencies in the prevention of sexual abuse.

Administration and Accountability:

• To maintain up to date records of contact with children and families on Tusla Caseload Management System for Barnahus.
• Participate in and provide information on current levels of need and provision to inform the service development process.
• To be familiar with emergency procedures and to know who to contact in an emergency.
• If a child protection concern emerges, Barnahus (Tusla) will report to Tusla as per Tusla Policy for Staff Reporting of Child Protection & Welfare Concerns.
• To keep abreast of current national and international legislation and professional best practice relating to children and young people.
• To implement Barnahus procedures and policies.
• To undertake ongoing continuous 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 a variety of working groups set out to meet the Barnahus Quality Standards.
• An active and effective participant in working within a team.
• Working with other professionals and external stakeholders.
• Work as part of a team and assist and support colleagues in implementing the Barnahus model.
• Supervise Social Care students as appropriate/required.

Training & Professional Development

• Delivery and evaluation 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 professional ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the 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.