General Information

Name of the Project: Barnardos Westmeath Family Support Services,

Office Location: Athlone and Mullingar

Contact Details: 09064 98466

Barnardos Westmeath Family Support Services operates from two project sites Athlone and Mullingar and provides a range of individual and group-based trauma informed services across the county of Westmeath. The services are part funded through a long established partnership with Tusla. The staffing team will comprise of one project leader seven project workers and a team administration. Referrals to the services are received via Tusla, self referrals and through other professionals, schools and community-based services.

The project leader will work closely with the Assistant Director of Children’s Services to ensure the establishment and effective day-to-day operations of the service and the quality of work.

The projects deliver a range of trauma informed family support interventions to individuals and groups.

These interventions can include,

• Partnership with Parents, an intensive, home based one-to-one parenting 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, which is an 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, organising, coordinating appointments and commitments etc.
• Just Right State Programme, using the principles of the evidenced based approach to Sensory Attachment Intervention and emotional regulation techniques.
• Creative Mindfulness Groups- Aims to promote positive mental health and well-being for children whilst equipping them with valuable self-care tools that will last a lifetime.
• Other potential group work programmes such as Seasons for Growth, Parenting when separated for example.
• Inter-agency and collaborative working, with Tusla, including participation in the delivery of Meitheal, schools and community organisations.

A full driving licence and the use of a suitably insured car are essential for this role.

Please note: Applicants must complete our application form below and submit it through our website before the closing date.

Attaching a CV alone will result in the applicant not being considered for shortlisting

Job Description

Job Purpose

• To lead and support the establishment and development of Family Support Services in Athlone and Mullingar.
• To ensure the effective operational running of the service to ensure needs based and outcome focussed service are delivered to children and families.
• To ensure that all key performance indicators are met, quality standards of practice excellence reached and safety of children and families are paramount to service delivery.

Core Job Requirements

Management

• To manage and supervise and support Project Workers across two locations in their delivery of targeted Family Support services.
• To establish monitor and maintain team processes and systems that allow for the effective and efficient running of the service.
• Responsible for the delivery, management, development and review of Barnardos work with children and families within your area of responsibility.
• To ensure all KPIs are met in relation to the work and to manage team throughput and quality standards.
• To undertake the duties of Designated Person for the project under the Children First National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children.
• To ensure that the protection and welfare of children is a primary concern of all staff and that, when child protection issues arise, Barnardos policies and procedures are fully adhered to.
• To participate in budget planning and manage an approved budget(s) for your area of responsibility in line with Barnardos financial procedures.
• To prepare reports on the work as required and to maintain effective working relationships with external funders and internal senior management as appropriate.
• To ensure all individual and collective case, financial and administrative records and files are maintained to a high standard and case records are accessible to service users, seeking permission from third parties as appropriate. For case records, this will mean ensuring all staff case records are kept up to date on our ERK system. For Tusla IA work, this will mean establishing and effectively managing systems for the electronic hand over and return of files between Tusla and the Barnardos staff team.
• To ensure an up to date health and safety statement is accessible and available and is adhered to and any health and safety concerns are dealt with effectively and efficiently.
• To ensure the information for the database is gathered and inputed within the required time scale.
• To develop and facilitate a culture of service users consultation and involvement in all aspects of the work.
• To pursue funding opportunities to support the work and to prepare and submit funding proposals in consultation with the Assistant Director.

Staff and Supervision

• To establish and develop the team relationships and operational processes to assist in the effective running of the staff team and service.
• To provide staff with monthly formal supervision and regular and accessible informal supervision and space to reflect and consult, learn and develop within the service and their line of work.
• To ensure all staff, students and volunteers receive regular and professional supervision and appraisals.
• To ensure training needs are identified and addressed to ensure learning is promoted within your area of responsibility.
• To manage the recruitment process for staff to the service if this was required.
• To support, develop and ensure high staff capacity in decision making and to hold responsibility for case management and team throughput across the staff team.
• To ensure all risk is appropriately and efficiently managed across cases within the team.
• To ensure positive relationships are built and maintained across funder agencies and Barnardos staff teams.

Delivery of Services

• To ensure the effective management of the service and team delivering Family Support Services
• To implement, develop and ensure effective referral, assessment, planning and review processes are in place to meet the needs of children and families participating in family support services within the service.
• To ensure quality and best standards are adhered to in all aspects of the work.
• To ensure diversity and inclusion are promoted and respected in all aspects of service delivery and management
• To maintain appropriate relationships with external agencies, including Tusla in order to ensure that the needs of children and families are met in an integrated and co-ordinated manner.
• To ensure that legislation and statutory guidelines, organisational policy and the corporate plan are fully implemented within your area of responsibility.
• To ensure programmes are planned, delivered and evaluated in response to the needs of children and families attending the service.
• Identify the needs of children and families attending the service that are not being met and to advocate at an individual, service and organisational level for them to be met.
• To ensure that regular contact is maintained with referrers and other relevant agencies to ensure an integrated response to the needs of children and families.
• To ensure the service participates in case conferences and other meetings in relation to the welfare of children and families.
• To ensure all risk and safety needs of children are appropriately assessed and responded to.

Development of the Service

• To develop appropriate relationships with external agencies in order to ensure that the needs of children and families are met in an integrated and co-ordinated manner.
• To pro-actively pursue the development of services to meet the needs of children and families within the catchments area of your responsibility through appropriate participation in community and interagency structures.
• To assist in the development and maintenance of the physical environment within which the team will be working in.
• Identify recruitment needs for the service, review and propose job descriptions and person specifications.
• To participate in the overall development of good practice models within the organisation.

Organisational Role

• To participate in the development of organisational policy and plans to ensure they are implemented within the work of the project.
• To ensure that the service operates in a cohesive way within the region and organisation and to participate in service development for a within the organisation.
• To participate at regional management level and other appropriate groups to contribute to the development of strategies and policies within the organisation.
• To represent Barnardos as appropriate at local / regional or national level, which may involve media and advocacy work.
• To undertake specific regional / organisational tasks in agreement with the line manager.

Requirements specific to the post

• To manage staff who are providing family support services.
• To ensure effective and appropriate assessment and management of risk is occurring across all cases that are open to the service.
• To ensure efficient throughput of family support cases through the service, and ensuring quantum’s are adhered to across all areas of the work.
• To attend and actively participate in referral allocation meetings with Tusla.
• To use electronic record keeping data collection mechanisms to monitor and analyse referral rates, case throughput and case outcomes across the team over time.
• To prepare reports based on electronic record keeping data and present them at relevant meetings internally and externally.
• To ensure high quality report writing, analysis and decision making for all cases engaged with the service.
• To ensure the effective establishment and running of the service.
• To build and maintain positive relationships with Tusla staff, management and other key agencies.
• To support the development of effective communication and procedures for referral, case management, risk escalation and case return.
• To attend Regional Practice Review meetings and training days as available / appropriate to the role.

Requirements of all Barnardos staff

• Commitment to the purpose of Barnardos and to work within the values, policies and procedures of the organisation and in the context of current legislation and regulations.
• To participate in regular supervision with your line manager.
• To actively participate in team and staff meetings and service reviews/ evaluations and to contribute to the development of policy and practice with your area of work and within Barnardos as a whole.
• To report any area of concern to your line manager in a timely manner.
• To show reasonable flexibility in relation to hours of attendance to meet the needs of the work. Work during unsocial hours may be required.
• Have a flexible approach to the work in response to organisational change, development and review of best practice.
• Participate in and engage with a performance management programme.
• Identify training needs with your line manager and participate in training opportunities appropriate to the role.
• To be vigilant to any Health, Safety and Welfare risks in the workplace and bring any concerns to the attention of your line manager or local Health and Safety Officer.
• To be vigilant to any concerns regarding the protection and welfare of children and to bring them to the attention of the Barnardos Designated Person in a timely manner, in keeping with the Barnardos Child Protection policies.
• To participate in the efficient flow of information within the organisation by sharing and seeking information as appropriate.
• To undertake other duties as may be requested by the line manager from time to time.
• To undertake your work in a manner that is friendly, flexible and informal.

Note: This Job Description will be reviewed and updated in line with the needs of the work.

Person Specification

Personal attributes

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage in a dynamic and busy environment
• Teamwork required and the ability to work in collaboration with others
• Ability to lead and manage the staff team
• Ability to prioritise competing demand.
• Ability to work autonomously but see advice as appropriate.
• Ability to manage complexity and diversity.
• Ability to develop, manage and maintain complex internal and external relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to assess needs and identify appropriate service responses.
• Ability to work to standards and work within policy framework and legislation.
• Ability to demonstrate high level dynamic skills of responsiveness, flexibility, creativity and problem solving.
• Ability to be analytical and critical.
• Flexibility and adaptability is essential for this post.

Experience

A minimum of five years’ post qualification experience and demonstrate competencies in terms of management ability essential. Prior management experience highly desirable.

Qualifications

Relevant professional 3rd level qualification essential, for example: Social Work, Social Care, Child Care, Education, Youth and Community Work, Psychology or equivalent. Management training highly desirable.

Full clean driving licence and access to the use of suitably insured car essential.