Job Title: Children's Service Support Worker (CSSW)
Reporting to: Children's Service Manager
Location: COPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service
Overall Objectives
COPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service provides support to around 500 women and their children each year. Those who use our service are women either at risk from an abusive partner or who have suffered abuse at the hands of a partner in the past.
Our role is to provide a safe space for each woman and her children and then to assist her in exploring options and making decisions which will lead to a better life.
The Service offering is composed of a number of strands:
1. Refuge: Recently re-located to a purpose-built nine-bed refuge. The refuge provides short-term emergency shelter to any woman who is at risk, who is in danger and for whom no other place of safety can immediately be found. The emphasis in refuge is on safety and allowing each woman calm and time to consider her next steps.
2. Outreach: Working with women who continue to live in the community in their homes and who do not avail of refuge, whether by appointment or drop-in. COPE Galway offers outreach provision in Galway City and at various locations in Galway County, and most service users opt to engage in this way.
3. Children's Service: This Domestic Abuse Service offers a dedicated Children's Service, working with mothers and children, to manage the impact of abuse and to support in healing and the building of resilience.
4. Accompaniment: Women using our Service often seek support in attendance at court, engagement with legal aid or legal support, engagement with other agencies, e.g., Intreo, local housing authorities, etc.
5. Training & Awareness: We are committed to addressing the causes of abuse within our community and to challenging the societal norms that can appear to make abuse acceptable. This is done through our Training & Awareness programme, providing training to statutory and voluntary agencies as well as working with schools, colleges, and community partners.
6. Research and Innovation: We are committed to understanding the issue of domestic abuse and to developing preventative approaches as well as initiatives that offer better responses to victims. We engage actively with opportunities to grow our expertise through research and innovation.
7. Advocacy: COPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service operates from a rights-based approach, and espousing a principle of empowerment. Our work involves advocating with and for each woman, to advance her own case, in addition to providing a voice for women in respect of shared issues.
Key Areas
Under the direction of the Children's Service Coordinator and Service Manager you will:
Key working / care planning
* As a key worker to a child and as a support to the mother, this system will involve creating care plans for the individual child.
* Be respectful, courteous and patient with mothers at all times and in all circumstances.
* Empowering the mother to regain her role as a parent.
* Consult and liaise with other voluntary, statutory and professional agencies as appropriate.
* Attend case meetings, child protection case conferences, school meetings as needed.
* Accompany women to meetings, services as deemed appropriate.
* Address issues, concerns and needs which clients may present to you in the course of your dealings with them.
* Update the child's care plan after each session and each interaction.
* Ensure there is good communication with the mother and other support workers.
* Ensure that any discussions and information pertaining to clients is kept strictly confidential in accordance with COPE Galway policies and GDPR.
* Develop support plans in consultation with the mother for her family while engaged with the Service.
Children's Service
* In the event of a crisis admission of a child to the service to have a calm approach, as well as carrying out a needs assessment and have the ability to make decisions under stress.
* Be vigilant for the signs of physical and sexual abuse, as well as neglect, emotional or developmental delay; report and record as per procedure.
* Attend and contribute at staff meetings and partake in daily handover meetings.
* Participate in a flexible and effective roster which will include days, evenings and weekends.
* Advocate for the needs of children who experience DVA in house, within COPE Galway and when attending meetings, network meetings etc.
* Assist mothers with everyday practical tasks as required.
* Work closely with the wider service team in relation to supporting each family.
* Participate in appropriate training events.
* Write reports, letters and make child protection referrals.
* Ensure that data is collected to populate statistics, for the purpose of applying for grants and annual report information.
Playroom
* Participate in the day to day running of the children's service.
* Ensuring that the facilities are friendly, warm, inviting and in excellent repair.
* Ensure that the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene are maintained in the playroom.
* Be knowledgeable of the regulations underpinning early years and afterschool service and contribute to their attainment.
* Be part of the planning process for activities and group work in the setting and have an ability to implement and evaluate the plans.
* Manage the use of the facilities indoor and outdoor to facilitate residents, outreach clients and participants of groups.
Awareness raising and Group work
* Participate in the facilitation of school workshops in secondary schools.
* Participate in the planning, organizing and evaluation of the school workshops.
* Respond to requests from primary schools to facilitate group work with children i.e., "Helping Hands".
* Respond to requests from other voluntary and statutory groups to work with children and young people. Working with the children's team to design tailor-made sessions to meet the group's needs.
* Facilitate, plan, organize and evaluate the children's support group.
* Liaise with colleges in relation to participating in awareness raising events. This will involve planning, meetings and coordinating information.
Health and Safety Personal
Employees are obliged to:
* Take reasonable care for their own safety, health and welfare, and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.
* Co-operate with their employer in relation to compliance with statutory requirements under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989.2005.
* Use protective equipment, clothing or other means for securing safety, health and welfare.
* Respect protective clothing and equipment provided for securing the safety, health or welfare of persons arising out of work activities.
* Report to management, without delay, any defects in the workplace, plant, equipment or systems of work, which may lead to danger.
* Ensure that you regularly review and proactively inform yourself of all health and safety and fire safety procedures on an ongoing basis.
* Be proactive in the area of self-care with regard to identifying any impacts of the work.
General
* Ensure that Health and Safety policy and procedures as per the COPE Galway Health and Safety Manual are fully adhered to.
* Ensure that Health and Safety procedures are understood by workers and residents, and are fully complied with.
* Liaise as appropriate in respect of the Health and Safety maintenance requirements of the service, meeting agreed response targets.
* Carry out Health and Safety duties specifically allocated to you.
Contract type: Permanent
Salary scale: Social Care Point 1 €36,392
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