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
What does our Wexford service do?
Barnardos has been delivering services in County Wexford since 2002.
We offer trauma-informed Family Support services in the Wexford area, which includes a Parent’s Hub and a Young Parents’ Support ProgrammeThe Young Parent Support Programme for pregnant /young parents is a national initiative. Referrals can come from a wide range of professionals as well as self-referrals.
Our family support service takes referrals from Tusla (PPFS) system, which are deemed suitable for a welfare response, as well as self-referrals, to help families meet the needs of children. There is a focus on using brief intervention approaches where possible.
Service interventions aim to stabilise the family situation, promote children’s development, reduce risk from harm and promote the best quality of care in the family, thereby reducing the likelihood of the family requiring intervention from the Social Work Child Protection System.
The interventions offered by the Project include:
- Assessment of the needs of the child and family
- Brief interventions
- Partnership with Parents- Barnardos one to one targeted programme for parents
- Practical Family Support
- Crisis Management
- Parent – child work: to enhance the parent / child relationship
- Family Work: to enhance positive interactions, problem solving strategies and communication as a family.
- Meitheal – full delivery of the Tusla PPFS Meitheal Programme.
- FWC – Barnardos can provide Family Welfare Conferences when requested by the Social Work Department.
In addition to the range of family support services outlined above, we also provide group work parenting support- focusing on the outcomes of improving parenting, reducing social isolation and specific needs-led groups for younger parents.
Job Description
Post: Project Worker
Location: Enniscorthy and North Wexford (covering Gorey, Kilenaugh/ Kilmuckridge, Ferns, Camolin, Bunclody, Coolgreaney, Enniscorthy and surrounding areas).
Responsible to: Project Leader
Works with: Barnardos staff, Service users, and external agencies.
Job purpose
To develop and implement programmes that respond to the needs of children and families referred to the service, working in partnership with families and other organisational, community and voluntary bodies. There will be a focus on implementing programmes of support with children and young people where there is a risk of the child not reaching their educational potential as well as family support referrals and a teen parent support service in Wexford.
Core Job Requirements
- To assess the needs of the children and the families engaging with the project.
- To plan, implement and review programmes for children/young people/carers/families based on an assessment of their individual and group needs.
- To be vigilant for signs of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect and any concerns regarding the welfare of children. To record concerns promptly and accurately. To consult with the Designated Person and take appropriate action in accordance with Barnardos Child Protection policy.
- To work with children/young people/carers/families in a variety of ways, including group work, individual work and family work, centre based and outreach work.
- To key work individual children/young people/carers/families in order to meet their needs and to advocate on their behalf.
- To liaise effectively with families and other statutory, community and voluntary bodies and to attend and contribute to reviews and case conferences as required.
- To work in partnership with other Barnardos services to best meet the needs of children and families by collaborating resources with planned interventions targeting groups/families of shared need.
- To keep regular records in relation to all aspects of work and prepare reports as required.
- To gather information statistics and prepare reports as required, including administration of databases as appropriate to the role.
- To identify and document to the line manager any unmet needs of children/young people/carers/families within the service, and to participate in the advocacy work of the agency.
Requirements Specific to this Post
- To respond to the needs of children, young people and where there are risks of a child not reaching their educational potential.
- To respond to the needs of young parents and their children up to 2.5 years.
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 & Safety Officer.
- To be vigilant to any concerns regarding the protection and welfare of children and to bring them to the attention of a 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
- 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 planning, implementing and reviewing programmes with children and/or families.
- Experience of working with teenage parents.
- Experience of working with children/ young people with school completion difficulties and their families.
Qualifications
A recognised third level practice qualification[1] (minimum QQI Level 7) in one of the following:
- Early Childhood Care and Education
- Social Care
- Education
- Social Work
- Youth Work
- Or related discipline (Nursing, Psychology, Early Years Education).
Note: this list can be varied depending on the specific requests of the post.
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 Wexford Family Support service, Enniscorthy but may be required in the future to work in other locations in the Wexford area in line with organisational needs.
Barnardos is an equal opportunity employer.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.
To apply for this job please visit www.barnardos.ie.