Ireland’s leading children’s charity is recruiting:

Project Worker - Dublin South Central

Location: Initial Assessment and Family Support Team, Dublin South Central

Contract: Fulltime (37 hours per week) & Fixed Term Contract to December 2024

Salary: €34,213 - €52,883 DOE

Why work at Barnardos?

At Barnardos we seek to ensure that we have the best people working with us to support our work with children and families. The benefits of working with Barnardos are designed to promote continual professional development and a work-life balance for the most rewarding working experience.

• Barnardos offers a competitive salary – recognising the experience you bring to the role
• Generous annual leave entitlements
• Positive working environment with family friendly ethos and work - life balance policy
• Tax saver travel and bike to work schemes in operation
• Employee Pension scheme with employer contribution
• Training and Development
• Health and Wellbeing initiatives including Employee Assistance programme
• Company sick pay scheme

Barnardos Initial Assessment and Family Support service provides a combination of Family Support and Initial Child Protection Assessment work on behalf of our funders Tusla.

Project Workers undertake Initial Family Assessments in partnership with Tusla using the Signs of Safety Approach. Signs of Safety is the national child centered approach for child protection and welfare practice. Barnardos’ assessments are aligned with the model, which is grounded in partnership and collaboration with children, families and their wider networks of support.

Project workers will also offer a variety of family support interventions to children and families including:

• Partnership with Parents, an intensive Barnardos home based one-to-one parenting support programme for parents with multiple and complex needs. The programme focuses on parenting skills and child/parent relationships in order make positive changes in the home.
• Individual Work with Children (This is Me), which is a Barnardos evidence-based, tailored intervention working with children in conjunction with the important people in their lives. This work has a therapeutic focus and is based on the individual child's assessed needs. Its purpose is to build resilience and help children to understand and express their feelings and manage their own behaviour.
• Practical Family Support for parents who are in need of this level of pragmatic, practical and on the ground support. It could include support with household management, budgeting, nutrition, organizing, coordinating appointments and commitments, etc.
• Inclusion of principles of the evidenced based approach to Sensory Attachment Intervention and emotional regulation techniques in the work with vulnerable children and families.
• Some group work programmes such as seasons for growth, circle of security or parenting when separated amongst others.
• Inter-agency and collaborative working, with Tusla, including participation in the delivery of Meitheal, schools and community organisations.

Job purpose

The primary purpose of this post is to conduct Initial Assessments (IAs) on low–medium risk referrals received from Tusla social work department using the Signs of Safety approach to child protection and welfare concerns.

The post-holder, will also implement programmes that respond to the needs of children and families referred to the service for family support work, working in partnership with families and other organisations, community, voluntary bodies and statutory bodies as appropriate.

Initial Assessment Work: To assess risk, determine the safety needs of the children and the protective capacity of the parents and wider family / social network, and in consultation with the Project Leader, make a recommendation to Tusla regarding the family.

Family Support Work: To work collaboratively with families, parents, children and other agencies to enhance parents insight into and capacity to meet their children’s social, emotional, physical, developmental and educational needs whilst supporting the development of children’s emotional literacy, coping strategies, emotional regulation, development, relationships and overall wellbeing.

Personal attributes

• Commitment to the delivery of quality services to children, young people, families and carers.
• Ability to act on own initiative and consult where appropriate.
• Ability to work under pressure, make decisions in consultation with the line manager when appropriate.
• To be committed to adhering to best practice in the work and be innovative and open to change.
• Flexibility and adaptability are essential for this post.
• Ability to form objective relationships with children, young people, families/carers, colleagues and other agencies.

Experience

• A minimum of 2 years’ post-qualification experience of working with vulnerable children and families.
• Experience of working in partnership with families and carers.
• Experience of assessing children’s and families’ needs.
• Experience of planning, implementing and reviewing programmes with children and/or families.
• Experience of interagency working.
• Experience of preparing comprehensive needs led reports on children and families

Desirable Knowledge

• Up to date with evidenced informed thinking with regard to interventions for children and families on an individual and group level.
• Use of Signs of Safety as a tool for screening and assessing risk.
• Experience of Meitheal processes.
• Maintaining electronic records.
• Experience of assessing and managing risk and safety needs for children and families.
• Experience working with highly vulnerable families.

Qualifications

• A recognised third level practice qualification (minimum Level 7 on the NFQ, Course content should include relevant student placements) in one of the following:
  • Social Care
  • Social Work
  • Youth Work
  • Or related discipline (Nursing, Psychology, Early Years’ Education).

A full driving licence and access to the use of a suitably insured car is essential.

The post- holder is initially assigned to work in the Dublin South Central service but may be required in the future to work in other project(s) in the Dublin area in line with Organisational needs/funding allocations.

Barnardos is an equal opportunity employer.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.

For full job description and to apply please visit Current Job Vacancies – Barnardos

Closing date: 5pm on 29th May 2024
Interview date: To Be Confirmed

Shortlisting will apply (please note, CVs are not accepted on their own, candidates must complete and submit our application form through Barnardos website).