The Child and Family Agency was established on 1st January 2014 and is responsible for a range of statutory functions including provision of child protection, alternative care, specified regulatory services and a range of family support services. The Agency has commenced a major improvement programme with significant focus on Practice, Culture and Structure.

The Agency currently has responsibility for a budget of circa €1.2billion and delivers its services through over 5,500 people in 259 locations across the Country.

The Child and Family Agency has responsibility for the following range of services:
•Child Protection and Welfare
•Parenting, Family Support and Early Help Services
•Alternative Care
•Birth Information & Tracing and Adoption

•Tusla Education Support Services (TESS)
•Children’s Service Regulation
•Counselling and Therapeutic Supports

Further information is available on www.tusla.ie

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Co-ordinate and quality assure the statutory inspections and regulatory compliance of Non statutory Children’s Residential Care Services in their operational area.
• Manage and quality assures the monitoring of statutory and Non statutory Children’s Foster Care Services in their operational area.
• Provide effective leadership and professional supervision to a team of monitoring and inspection officers in accordance with the service leadership strategy.
• Manage the examination of concerns, notified incidents and disclosures received in respect of relevant alternative care services.
• Oversee and quality assure inspection and monitoring practices including preparation of reports for publication where relevant.
• Under the direction of the National Manager monitor performance and attainment of Key performance indicators in their operational area against benchmarks set by the Childrens Services Regulation Senior Management Team.
• Under direction of National Office CSR prepare and collate data analysis and other reports as required.
• Be part of the National Senior Management Team for alternative care regulation.
• Liaise as appropriate with the NGO sector, service providers and other statutory bodies in relation to service improvement.
• Manage submissions and Quality assurance of reports and referrals to the Residential Care Residential Registration Panel.
• Participate in the decision making of the Residential Care Registration Panel.
• Take a lead role in the design and implementation of all policy, procedures, and standard operating procedures as required by the Head of Regulatory Enforcement CSR.

Additional Duties

• Convene regional interagency meetings to identify impediments at local and regional levels to the effective and efficient progress of inspection and regulation service.
• Ensure and maintain all data collection as a basis for driving high quality statistics and database.
• Monitor and evaluate service provision.
• Be responsible for the overall management and performance of work activity within the designated alternative care service area in keeping with good professional practice and subject to agreed policy directives and priorities.
• Provide professional leadership in the delivery of a high quality service.
• Ensure the implementation of current and evolving legislation, policies and procedures, guidelines, protocols and standardised operating procedures. 
• Ensure anti-discriminatory practice and cultural competence, at individual and service levels.
• Ensure the provision of appropriate professional development of Inspection officers.
• To contribute to and promote an implement the CSR culture statement and maintain a positive working relationship at all times.

Education & Training

• Maintain standards of practice and levels of professional knowledge by participating in continuous professional development initiatives and attendance at courses as appropriate.
• Engage in career and professional development planning.
• Oversee the provision of a framework for the promotion of staff development and training by making recommendations with regard to the ongoing education, mentoring, training and in-service needs of the inspection and monitoring team

Health & Safety

• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards and ensure that staff comply with same.

Management

• Report and advise on staffing needs.

• Participate in the Alternative Care Regulation senior management team.
• To supervise and support where applicable administrative support officers.
• Ensure the inspection and monitoring service complies with relevant HR and CSR policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Contribute to the development of policies, procedures and guidelines in relation to the inspection and monitoring service, engaging staff as appropriate.
• Participate in and contribute to service planning and service improvement initiatives.
• Provide service delivery reports updates as required.
• Ensure compliance standards of documentation collation and management, including service user files in accordance with local guidelines and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
• Oversee service user and data confidentiality.

Collaborate with the National Manager Alternative Care Inspection & Monitoring Service in developing the quality assurance role of through planning, audit

• production of standards, continuing education, quality improvement initiatives and research.
• Any other duties that may be assigned to him/her by National Manager Alternative Care Inspection & Monitoring Service or designated Manager.

Health & Safety

• Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.

• Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the service for example National Standards for Child Protection and Care and comply with associated Tusla – Child and Family Agency protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
• To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office. 

Applicants must by the closing date of application have the following:

• Third level qualifications in Social Work or Social Care or Psychology.
• Have a minimum of five years relevant experience in childcare services.
• Significant experience of working in a management position, as relevant to this role.
• Experience of inspection or quality assurance, as relevant to this role.
• Experience, understanding and knowledge of inter-agency, cross sectoral and multidisciplinary working.
• Must have the requisite professional knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and management ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.

Health

A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character