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

About the position
Reporting to the Director of Quality and Regulation, the Practice Assurance and Service Monitoring (PASM) team uses an integrated approach, independent of operational line management, to provide objective internal assurance to the Tusla Senior Management Team and Board in relation to the quality and safety of services. This is undertaken through the provision of quality assurance reports in relation to frontline practice and by making recommendations relating to service improvements in accordance with the child care regulations, standards and best practice.
There are separate teams for the monitoring of Tusla residential and special care services, child protection and foster care services, national Tusla services and special emergency arrangements (SEAs).

The PASM team operates and has a separate and distinct reporting structure to operational management within Tusla who are accountable to the Director of Services and Integration. The team provide an objective evaluation of services, in accordance with its annual review plan, to provide internal assurance that services are safe, well led and child centred. It promotes an ethos of service improvement and the delivery of high quality services throughout the Agency.

Main Duties and Responsibilities
•Manage and quality assure the monitoring of child protection and foster care services provided by Tusla in their operational area.
•Manage and quality assure the monitoring of all Tusla provided services in accordance with an agreed monitoring methodology and the PASM teams policies and procedures.
•Undertake urgent priority assurance reviews of services as required/requested by the Head of PASM and/or Director of Quality and Regulation.

•Support the implementation of the Agency’s Quality Strategy and alignment to national priorities in the regions.
•Undertake the monitoring of services in collaboration with other monitoring staff and providing a lead role in the process as required.
•Provide cross cover and support to other regions nationally as requested in accordance with business plan priorities and capacity.
•Manage and provide professional supervision to a team of PASM Officers.
•Oversee and quality assure monitoring practices including preparation of reports to a high standard.
•Implement and oversee processes of peer review of reports.
•Participate and contribute to benchmarking meetings relating to the priority rating of recommendations, before reports are issued to services for factual accuracy.
•Under the direction of the Head of PASM, monitor performance and attainment of performance indicators in their operational area against benchmarks and performance indicators in the annual business plan.
•Prepare and collate data analysis and other periodic reports relating to the team as required.
•As a member of the PASM Senior Management Team, contributes to the future strategic development and improvement of the service
•Contribute to the development of policies, procedures and guidance for the team.
•Develop and maintain close working relationships with the regional managers for quality risk and service improvement (QRSI managers) and other key frontline quality assurance staff.
•Share best practice in relation to monitoring and quality assurance approaches to support and develop front line quality assurance practice.
•In consultation with the regional QRSI managers, liaise as appropriate with Area/Network Managers in relation to service improvement, and the implementation of action plans and review priorities.
•Ensure oversight of the implementation of the national procedure for the tracking, measuring and verification of the implementation of recommendations of internal and external reports
•Oversee the annual planning of monitoring schedules and reporting on adherence to the annual review plan for the service
•Manage external relationships with other regulatory bodies and key stakeholders as required
•Contribute to the development and maintenance of a risk register for the service
•Take a lead role in the design and implementation of all policy, procedures, and standard operating procedures as requested by the Head of PASM
•Chair and lead working groups within the team as required
•Consult with all stakeholders in relation to the effective and efficient operation of the monitoring service and seek feedback using agreed processes
•Co-ordinate and maintain all data required for monthly/quarterly and annual reporting
•Monitor and evaluate service provision.
•Be responsible for the overall management and performance of work activity in keeping with good professional practice and subject to agreed policy directives and priorities.
•Provide professional leadership in the delivery of a high-quality service.
•Ensure the implementation of current and evolving legislation, policies and procedures, guidelines, protocols and standardized operating procedures.
•Ensure anti-discriminatory practice and cultural competence, at individual and service levels.
•Contribute to and promote the work of the Quality and Regulation Directorate.

Management
•Report and advise on staffing needs and developing business case for the service as required.
•Ensure the monitoring service complies with relevant HR and other policies, procedures and guidelines.
•Contribute to the development of policies, procedures and guidelines in relation to the monitoring service, engaging staff as appropriate.
•Participate in and contribute to service planning and development.
•Provide service delivery reports as required e.g. service plan, annual report.
•Ensure that there are appropriate systems in place to gather relevant information.
•Ensure compliance with a high standard of documentation, including service user files in accordance with local guidelines and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
•Oversee service user and data confidentiality.
•Collaborate with the Head of PASM in developing the quality assurance and monitoring role within the Agency through planning, development of standards, continuing education, quality improvement initiatives and research.
•Any other duties that may be assigned by the Head of PASM

Education & Training
•Maintain standards of practice and levels of professional knowledge by participating in continuous professional development initiatives and attendance at courses as appropriate.
•Engage in career and professional development planning.
•Oversee the provision of a framework for the promotion of staff development and training by making recommendations with regard to the ongoing education, mentoring, training and in-service needs of Quality Assurance and Monitoring team.

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:

•Third level qualification in Social Care, Social Work, Psychology, or Nursing.
•At least five years’ post qualification experience as relevant to the role.
•Experience of managing a team and/or management experience
•Experience of managing and maintaining positive interagency relationships with multiple stakeholders, both internal and external to Tusla.
•Very strong report writing and critical analysis skills relating to the delivery of quality service and service improvements required in an objective manner
•Experience and knowledge of quality assurance and service improvement approaches.
•Must have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and management 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.