Support Worker

Job Description:  Support worker x 25

Hours: 3 x 12 hour shifts weekly (plus one-hour team meeting every fortnight)

Location: Cork City and surrounds

Salary: €17.80 per hour plus night and weekend premia

Responsible to: Child and Family Services Manager

Childhood Matters is the new trading name of the Bessborough Centre, based in Blackrock Cork City. We are a trauma-informed, and equal opportunity employer. We offer competitive salary package as well as benefits to include, enhanced maternity leave, pension contribution scheme, flexible working hours, healthcare contribution scheme, as well as internal and externally provided training opportunities.

We are hiring for a dedicated residential-based support service that works with young children on a one-to-one basis. Whilst working with children in care on a one to one basis, successful candidates will work as part of a wider team to support all aspects of daily living, while providing a safe and secure base from which they can grow and develop within trusting and safe adult care.

Role Specification and Duties

The successful candidate will:

• Treat clients and their families with dignity and respect, promoting a culture of unconditional positive regard, and trauma-informed care, at all times
• Contribute to the promotion, creation, and maintenance of a welcoming, safe, caring, stable, and therapeutic environment
• Implement care plans, ensuring the written and verbal reporting of general needs and individual concerns of the client’s well-being
• Work in partnership with other agencies on behalf of the child / young person
• Ensure the primary care needs of the client are met.
• Promote the rights and responsibilities of the client within the community
• Promote the physical, emotional, social, cultural and ethnic welfare of the client
• Undertake various aspects of home management including household hygiene, upkeep, etc
• Arrange and actively engage in age-appropriate education, play and other activities with the client
• Ensure that the care of the client both on and off-site is risk assessed
• Supervise children / young people during contact sessions and outings within the community
• Actively participate in crisis management including physical intervention in line with local/national policy and procedure
• Provide verbal and written feedback on the progress of the client as required
• Accept any responsibilities in relation to children / young people as agreed within the team and undertake individual and group work with these young people
• Ensure that the client is not subjected to any forms of abuse and, in particular, to ensure that they are not subject to bullying or the threat of bullying.
• Work as part of a dynamic team to ensure best outcomes for clients and staff

The successful candidate will:

• Participate in working within a team-centred consistent approach
• Observe a trauma informed ethos
• Implement shift plans
• Ensure consistency and follow through on interventions between shifts
• Provide accurate and precise information at handover
• Provide shift leadership as and when required
• Deputise for management as and when required
• Engage in mandatory training and continuous professional development

Administration and Accountability

The successful candidate will:

• Contribute to the ongoing development of the service in keeping with good practice of Childhood Matters and Tusla’s objectives
• Assist in the administration and day to day operation of the service
• Participate in team meetings and report to the Child and Family Services Manager on matters affecting the delivery of service
• Report and record any significant events as per regulations, policy, and procedure
• Ensure that all information relating to clients, their families, staff colleagues, etc is treated in a thoroughly professional manner, in accordance with the principles of confidentiality, data protection legislation, and Freedom of Information
• Implement and adhere to local and national policies and procedures regarding the care of children / young people in the service
• Work duty rosters as required, including weekends, public holidays, and night duty
• Be punctual and precise in maintaining timesheets
• Perform any other duties that may be assigned from time to time
• Be available for on-call and emergency situations when required

 PERSON SPECIFICATION