THE ORGANISATION
Rowan (Child and Parent Services) was established in 2019 and to date, on behalf of Tusla, HSE and the Court Service, has provided specialised and responsive community-based services to all types of families and the children they care for.
Rowan CPS is now providing community-based children’s residential services for younger children as part of the range of services currently provided, and in response to a need for highly informed and outcome-focused services for children and families.
OVERVIEW OF ROLE
In developing this Job Description, we are cognisant of National Standards for Residential Children's Centres, 2018, our need to comply with these standards and the need to focus the role of the Social Care Worker on ensuring our compliance with the said standards.
The role of the Social Care Worker (SCW) is to work directly with children while contributing to the day-to-day running of the residential centre. The SCW will retain an integral practice role and ensure that the highest quality of care is provided to young people. The role will also require administrative duties as well as responsibilities pertaining to the progression, practice and implementation of Placement Plan objectives for young people, ensuring that they are receiving the agreed quality and quantity services. The SCW will be ultimately accountable to the Person In Charge (PIC). They will also be accountable to the Deputy Person in Charge (DPIC) and/or Shift Team Managers (STM)/Social Care Leaders (SCL).
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES
The duties and responsibilities of the SCW are outlined below and have been identified based on the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres (2018), through which all residential centres are regulated as previously mentioned. The tasks listed below will be at the discretion of their SCL / DPIC or PIC.
CHILD CENTERED CARE AND SUPPORT
Consultation
* The SCW will be responsible for contributing to Young People’s House Meetings, ensuring that the agenda for such meetings is relevant, creative and responsive to young people and centre current needs.
* The SCW will be responsible as a keyworker for young people. They must ensure that this is proactive, meaningful and in line with young people’s assessed needs. The SCW will countersign keywork records.
Access to Records
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that young people’s right to access their information is promoted and facilitated by the staff team, within the permitted boundaries.
Complaints
* The SCW will be accountable for ensuring that all complaints made during their shift are identified and recorded accordingly in the relevant centre records and registers. The SCW must ensure that young people are encouraged to make complaints and ensure that these are efficiently passed on to the STM/DPIC or PIC for resolution.
* The SCW will be responsible for advocating for young people. This may entail attending professionals’ meetings with or on their behalf, contacting external agencies such as EPIC or communicating complaints to relevant persons.
Contact with Families
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that young people’s families receive the agreed quality and quantity inputs. They will maintain suitable contact with families and ensure that this is adequately recorded.
Supervision and Visiting of Young People
* The SCW will be responsible to ensure that they provide facilitation for family access as delegated to them by their STM/DPIC or PIC. Where appropriate supervision of access visits may be required, they may be required to complete this task.
EFFECTIVE CARE AND SUPPORT
Suitable Placement and Admissions
* The SCW can be tasked with the setting up of young people’s care folders prior to their admission and ensuring that they have knowledge of the referral information. The SCW will participate in the transition and admission process for all new young people and will ensure that this process is recorded appropriately.
Statutory Care Plans / Care Plan Reviews
* The SCW will contribute to relevant reports for Child in Care Reviews and possibly attend such meetings with the PIC or DPIC. The SCW will be responsible for recording minutes at these meetings.
* The SCW will contribute to the development of a comprehensive and achievable Placement Plan in conjunction with their senior manager.
* The SCW will be accountable for the daily implementation of the Placement Plan through Weekly Plans and Individual Work Schedules. Schedules will be devised at the beginning of each week, without exception, and will be SMART and form part of the daily practice.
* The SCW will contribute to the monitoring and review of the Placement Plan; through Weekly Reports, through the monthly Supervision process and also at the end of the six-month period in preparing for the next Child in Care Review.
Race, Culture, Religion, Gender and Disability
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that they follow all guidance set out for them by their senior manager in ensuring these areas are addressed as per Placement Plans.
Accommodation
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that a safe, caring environment within a warm, homely atmosphere is created for young people.
* The SCW will ensure the high presentation of the centre at all times through the full implementation of the centre cleaning schedule and ensure that the grounds are maintained at all times.
* The SCW will ensure the full implementation of the organisational hospitality policy within the centre at all times.
Fire Safety
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that Fire Drills take place in accordance with organisational policy.
* The SCW will ensure that all fire safety equipment is maintained and active throughout the centre.
* All Fire Registers are completed daily without equivocation.
Children’s Case and Care Records
* The SCW will be accountable for the day-to-day quality assurance of care records and care folders. This will entail ensuring records are completed, printed and signed and the SCW will countersign all records completed during their shift.
* The SCW will be accountable for the completion of Weekly Reports for all young people within the centre. These must be collated at the end of every week, distributed accordingly on the specified day and filed.
* When there is no STM on shift, the SCW will ensure that the centre’s Daily Update is forwarded to all relevant persons each morning and that this is accurate in detail and presented to a professional standard.
Preparation for Leaving Care
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that young people are educated on independent living skills in order to prepare them for turning eighteen. They will ensure that where the young person is over 16 years, that the Placement Plan objectives relating to their independent living skills are fully reflected in daily practice via the Individual Work Schedule and Weekly Plan.
Discharges
* The SCW will participate in reflective practice following the discharge of all young people from the centre in order to determine the learning distilled from the placement overall.
Aftercare
* The SCW will advocate for young people in relation to their aftercare process and will contribute to this process where appropriate.
SAFE CARE AND SUPPORT
* The SCW will be responsible for adherence to Child Protection Policy and for the prompt notification of Child Protection and Welfare Concerns, in conjunction with the Person In Charge.
* All SCWs are mandated persons as in line with 2017 Children First legislation.
Managing Behaviour
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that Placement Support Plans are reviewed and signed.
* The SCW should take an active part in contributing to the upkeep and factual accuracy of the Placement Support Plans.
* The SCW should discuss proposed actions regarding sanctions and rewards with their STM / DPIC or PIC.
Restraint
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that Physical Intervention Reports are efficiently recorded, accurate in detail and presented to a high standard. They may be responsible for forwarding all Physical Intervention Reports to the Person In Charge who will be accountable for the final approval, management comment and notification.
* The SCW will be responsible for the filing of Physical Intervention Reports, the associated correspondence and the upkeep of the Physical Intervention Register.
Absence without Authority
* The SCW will be accountable for ensuring that all policy relating to Absence without Authority is adhered to in all circumstances and that the young people’s Absent Management Plans are implemented.
Notification of Significant Events
* The SCW will ensure that Significant Event Notifications (SEN) are efficiently recorded, accurate in detail and presented to a high standard. They will be responsible for forwarding these to the Person In Charge who will be accountable for the final approval, management comment and notification.
HEALTH, WELLBEING AND DEVELOPMENT
Provision of Food and Cooking Facilities
* The SCW will be responsible for implementing the centre Weekly Meal Planner; ensuring that there is a suitable balance of health and nutrition.
Medical Care
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that young people are encouraged and facilitated to attend relevant medical appointments and that such visits are clearly evidenced within the care records.
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that there is a sufficient supply of medication for young people and that this is securely stored within the centre. They will also be responsible for ensuring that medication is dispensed appropriately and that this is clearly recorded within the care records.
Emotional and Specialist Support
* The SCW may be identified as a keyworker for young people and will be accountable for the implementation of the keywork policy.
Education
* The SCW will engage in facilitating educational activities and opportunities for young people.
* The SCW will ensure that all young people are afforded the same Educational standards as all young people in Ireland.
LEADERSHIP GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Legislation Adherence
* The SCW will keep abreast of the National Standards for Children’s Residential Centres (2018), the concomitant organisational Policies and Procedures and all associated national policy and legislation ensuring that they are competent and confident in adhering to this in daily practice. Supporting literature will be regularly reviewed via the Supervision and Team Meeting process.
* The SCW will ensure that the centre's Statement of Purpose is actualised in daily practice and that staff have a full working knowledge of the expectations of this statement.
* The SCW will present themselves as a role model and mentor to staff at all times in reflecting the implementation of the Statement of Purpose.
Risk Assessing
* The SCW will be responsible for the Risk Assessment process on a daily basis, ensuring that the relevant Risk Assessments are completed, where appropriate.
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring the adequate supervision of all young people during their shifts.
* The SCW will be responsible for adherence to Child Protection Policy and for the prompt notification of Child Protection and Welfare Concerns, in conjunction with the PIC.
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that Accident Reports are promptly completed and notified where an accident has occurred on their shift. They are also responsible for ensuring that the relevant Accident Register is updated and maintained.
Individual Care in Group Living / Model of Care
* The SCW will be responsible for working effectively with young people and developing positive developmental relationships. They will be responsible for the implementation of Larsen’s Seven Habits of Reclaiming Relationships, which is the organisational approach to practice. The SCW will evidence this in their daily records.
Management
* In the absence of the STM / DPIC or PIC the SCW will be responsible for the day-to-day overseeing of the residential centre. This may entail being accountable for additional duties and reporting to the Regional Manager in the event that the PIC is not contactable.
Quality
* The SCW will be responsible for participating in completing action plans following receipt of all internal Quality Audit reports and External Monitoring and Inspection Reports. This will entail a critical review of the report feedback and of the associated deficits / recommendations and a formal response will be expected where an SCW task or responsibility has been highlighted as negligent within such reports.
RESPONSIVE WORKFORCE
Staffing
* The SCW will facilitate the staff centre specific induction process where the PIC has deemed them effective to do so. This may entail introducing new employees to the centre's recording systems, infrastructures and provision of an opportunity to shadow staff practice.
Supervision and Support
* The SCW will participate in fortnightly / monthly supervision with the STM / DPIC or PIC which will be practice and learning based. The recording of supervision minutes will be a joint responsibility between the SCW and their supervisor.
* The SCW will attend Team Meetings fortnightly and will have designated accountability for recording minutes promptly, ensuring that these are filed and signed by the staff team.
* The SCW may be responsible for chairing Shift Handover meetings, ensuring that all information is appropriately and fully communicated and that the relevant handover proforma is fully complete.
USE OF RESOURCES
* The SCW will be responsible for the centre’s Petty Cash system. This will entail effectively budgeting per shift, authorising all Petty Cash transactions and compiling the Petty Cash report. The SCW will be accountable for any deficits in Petty Cash which occurred throughout their shift and will be required to respond to queries from Head Office and the PIC in relation to Petty Cash.
Maintenance and Repairs
* The SCW will be responsible for ensuring that all maintenance work is undertaken promptly; this requires a solution-focused response whereby maintenance responses are identified on the same shift.
* The SCW will be accountable for ensuring the appropriate upkeep and maintenance of all centre vehicles. Any repair work will be promptly identified by the SCW.
USE OF INFORMATION
* The SCW will be responsible to ensure that all records kept on the young people are up to date, relevant, accurate and of a high quality at all times.
* The SCW will ensure that the Centre Register is updated upon the admission and discharge of all young people, ensuring that all pertinent information is concisely recorded.
* The SCW must ensure that each young person’s information is protected, and all personal information is treated with respect and confidentiality.
* The SCW will be responsible for all young people's information is shared and transferred in an efficient and timely manner to support decision-making.
The above Job Description is non-exhaustive and where necessary and by appointment of the Person In Charge, Deputy Person in Charge or Shift Team Manager / Social Care Leader the SCW may be expected to take up other relevant duties and tasks.
Essential Criteria
Upon application for this post the applicant must have a minimum of a level 7 qualification in Social Care or another relevant equivalent.
The following relevant equivalent qualifications must be at a minimum of level 7:
* Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy
* Psychology (Level 8)
* Social Work
* Counselling / Psychotherapy
* Addiction Counselling
* Youth and Community or similar
* Social Science / Social Studies
* Family Support
* Teaching (Not TEFL)
* Nursing Studies
* Disability Studies
* Applied Behavioural Analysis
* Early Years Care (where centre caters for children under 12 years)
* BA in Applied Policing or equivalent
* Holder of Higher Certificate in Custodial Care (Irish Prison Service) or equivalent
NOTE: No other qualification will be accepted.
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