The Child and Family Agency was established on 1^st 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 in excess of €1.02bn and delivers its services through circa 5,000 people in 350 locations across the Country.

The Child and Family Agency has responsibility for the following range of services:

• Child Protection and Welfare
• Family Support
• Alternative Care
• Adoption
• Tusla Education Support Services (TESS)
• Children’s Service Regulation
• Counselling and Therapeutic Supports

Further information is available on www.tusla.ie

The National CRS Placement Team

Tusla’s National CRS Placement Team was established in 2014. The purpose and function of the Tusla National CRS Placement Team (NPPT) includes the commissioning of CRS residential services for children in the care of Tusla in response to the service led demands for children and young people whose needs cannot be met within the mainstream residential service provision currently provided by TUSLA due to their complex presenting behaviour presentation and underlying needs.

The Placement Team are part of Children’s Residential Services Directorate. The Team is responsible for receiving and processing information which allows for an appropriate residential placement to be identified based on placement resources available.

The placement social care team leader will:-

• take responsibility for a number of placement processes and pathways ensuring that it is operated efficiently at all times.
• provide direct support to other social care workers within the wider team as required.
• have experience and knowledge of a range of presenting behaviours as well as capacity to identify and mitigate risks for young people accessing a residential placement. 
• have significant skills and experience of working collaboratively with all professionals within and across a complex network.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To manage a number of case referrals along the National Placement request pathway in order to source suitable residential placement from available resources.
• To gather, review and analyse information received.
• Make clear and concise evidence-based decisions based on the information available which will support identification of a suitable placement (e.g. Emergency, Medium or Long Term provision).
• Provide regular updates to social care managers or other management as required which might impact on any aspect of the referral pathway.
• To lead and provide support to social care staff within the team/service as designated by the manager.
• To lead the referral process and pathway for priority complex young people as identified by management to source a residential placement as required from available resources. 
• Work collaboratively across a professional network ensuring that communication and updates are provided as required throughout all process stages of a young persons referral, placement and transition as required.
• To collaborate with a professional network providing support in relation to CRS placement in order to maintain a young person’s residential placement as required.
• To communicate with all internal and external stakeholders (e.g. Social Work Departments, CRS Providers, Alternative Care Inspection Monitoring, Significant Event Notification) on all aspects of CRS residential placements as required.
• To attend team meetings and to report to the National CRS Placement Team Manager on matters affecting the delivery of service.
• To make written and verbal reports to the National CRS Placement Team Manager on a regular basis on the progress of identifying suitable placements for young people
• To prepare reports for and to participate in meetings in relation to identifying placement, placing of young people, review of placements and any issues arising within same; ensuring that all records relating to those meetings are maintained to a high standard as appropriate
• To keep abreast of current legislation and current professional childcare knowledge.
• To implement the Child and Family Agency’s procedures and policies.
• To ensure that all required documentation is in place in line with National CRS Placement Team Protocols, relevant Policies and Legislation
• To lead and provide support other social care professionals within the service as requested by management.
• To attend regular supervision with the National CRS Placement Team Manager
• To ensure the appropriate use of resources within National CRS Placement Team.
• To ensure adherence to financial regulations and National CRS Placement Team processes, maintain records as required and ensure appropriate financial information is provided to National CRS Placement Team Management
• To provide reports and statistics to National CRS Placement Team Management, or designate, as required relating to the work of National CRS Placement Team
• To identify risks and escalate risks as required to your line manager regarding any aspect of the referral and placement pathway.
• To provide cover for Placement Team Manager
• To perform any other duties that may be assigned from time to time.

Teamwork

• Participate in working within a team centred consistent approach.
• Deputise for social care leader/management as and when required.

Training & Professional Development

• Participate in regular professional supervision.
• Participate in further training and development as required.
• Undertake ongoing professional training and development.
• Keep abreast of current legislation and current professional childcare knowledge.
• Be responsible for own health and wellbeing in order to carry out the duties of the role / is committed to managing own work / life balance.

Health & Safety

• To report and escalate to the line manager any issues noted in relation to the maintenance and upkeep of the building, its furniture and equipment on an ongoing basis.
•  To adhere to Fire Safety Requirements as specified by the local fire safety authority and the Child and Family Agency Fire Safety Officer.
• 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.

Please refer to the Candidate Information pack attached to this campaign for full and further detail.

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

• Be registered in the Social Care Workers Register maintained by the Social Care Workers Registration Board maintained by CORU.

or

• Hold a CORU approved Social Care Worker qualification and have applied for CORU registration (evidence of application will be necessary)

(https://coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/education/approved-qualifications/social-care-workers/)

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care Practice, Atlantic Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Social Care, Atlantic Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Care, Atlantic Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care Practice, Institute of Technology, Sligo
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Social Care, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Care, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care, Dundalk Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts in Social Care, Munster Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts in Social Care, Institute of Technology, Tralee
• Honours Bachelor of Arts (Social Care), National University of Ireland, Galway
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies (Professional Social Care), Quality and Qualifications Ireland, delivered by Carlow College, St. Patrick’s
• Bachelor of Arts in Social Care, Quality and Qualifications Ireland, delivered by The Open Training College
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Professional Social Care Practice, South East Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts in Professional Social Care Practice, South East Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care, South East Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care, South East Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care Practice, South East Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Care, South East Technological University
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Professional Social Care Practice, Institute of Technology, Carlow
• Bachelor of Arts in Professional Social Care Practice, Institute of Technology, Carlow
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care, Institute of Technology, Carlow
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care, Institute of Technology, Carlow
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care Practice, Waterford Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Care, Waterford Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies in Social Care, Technological University Dublin
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Social Studies in Social Care, Technological University Dublin
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care, Technological University Dublin
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Care, Technological University Dublin
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Social Care, Technological University Dublin
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies in Social Care, Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Social Studies in Social Care, Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown
• Bachelor of Arts in Social Care, Dublin Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care Practice, Institute of Technology, Tallaght
• Bachelor of Arts in Social Care Practice, Institute of Technology, Tallaght
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Care, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies in Social Care, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care Practice, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest
• Bachelor of Arts in Social Care Work, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care Work, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Care, Athlone Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies in Social Care, Athlone Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care Practice, Athlone Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts in Social Care Work, Limerick Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Care Work, Limerick Institute of Technology

or

Be eligible for registration in the Social Care Workers Register maintained by the Social Care Workers Registration Board maintained by CORU (evidence of application will be necessary)

                             and

the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and

ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of office.

                                    and

have a minimum of three years’ experience of working in a Children & Families Service or other relevant environment with a similarly challenging client group. 

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