Residential Social Care Worker

POST: Residential Social Care Worker

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Operations Manager

REPORTS TO: Home Manager/Deputy Home Manager

Ashdale Care Ireland is the leading provider of therapeutic residential care for children in Ireland. Join our expanding team as we continue to grow every day We have an exciting opportunity for a 'Residential Social Care Worker' .

JOB PURPOSE: 

To work as a member of a residential team to create a safe and caring environment which meets the individual and  group needs of the children who live there. Residential Care Workers must practice in accordance with relevant childcare legislation, national standards, and Ashdale Care (Ireland) Ltd Policies and Procedures.  

About The Role

Are you passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of children? Do you thrive in a dynamic and supportive work environment? We have the perfect opportunity for you Join our team at Ashdale Care (Ireland), on our journey to transform the lives of young people with complex, emotional and behavioural needs. 

 No two days are the same here in Ashdale Care, this job description is designed to be flexible and adaptable, providing guiding principles for the post holder's work rather than strict limitations. It will undergo periodic review to ensure alignment with evolving organizational needs.   

Key Responsibilities 

• Cultivate genuine and caring connections with the young people, always interact with the young people and their families with dignity and respect, promoting a culture of unconditional positive regard. 

• Contribute to the promotion, creation, and maintenance of a welcoming, safe, caring, stable and therapeutic environment. 

• Advocate for the rights and responsibilities of each young person while promoting physical, emotional, social, cultural, ethnic, and spiritual wellbeing.  

• Ensure that young people are not subjected to any forms of abuse and report any concerns according to policy and procedures. 

• Supervise outings from the home and undertake daily household activities such as cooking and cleaning, as part of positive modelling. 

• Actively participate in working within the Model of Therapeutic Care. 

• To be able to support with challenging behaviours when needed. 

• Provide emotional support during difficult or stressful times and encourage young people's participation in care planning, placement planning, decision-making and service delivery. 

• Integrate understanding of youth trauma and past experiences into practice through specialised training such as Developmental Trauma and Attachment from the Therapeutic Support Team. 

• Collaborate with support networks, including social workers and educators, guardians and family members. 

• Collaborate effectively within a team, engaging in regular communication through daily handovers, team meetings, and various reviews and planning sessions. Give and receive feedback on performance with colleagues and managers. 

• Maintain consistency in execution of childcare plans. 

• Complete and maintain accurate records and reports for each young person in line with statutory requirements and Ashdale Care policies and procedures. 

• Take on key worker duties including the handling of daily petty cash, accurately documenting receipts, securely storing money and valuable items and serving as a primary point of contact for professionals/family/young person. 

• Contribute to community engagement and agency partnerships to enrich residents' experiences and opportunities. 

• To undertake ‘sleeping in’ duties as required. 

What you’ll get in return 

• Competitive pay scales starting in excess of €32, 739 base plus sleep in allowances of approximately 8300 

• Annual Pay Review 

• Competitive annual leave entitlements with long service incremental increases.   

• Employee Pension Scheme. 

• Income Protection 

• Sick Pay 

• Flexible working arrangements  

• Exceptional Training Opportunities both internal and external 

• Accelerated Social Care Leader Programme 

• Management Training Programme 

• Education Assistance Programme 

• First Access to career opportunities as we continue to grow our services throughout Ireland 

Skills Needed

About The Company

Ashdale Care is the leading provider of enhanced and specialised therapeutic residential care for children and young people in Ireland. We care for young people with complex emotional and behavioural needs who cannot be adequately cared for in a mainstream setting.

For over 20 years our focus has always been ‘putting the child first’. Our child-centric ethos consists of compassionate and industry-leading therapeutic care. This is delivered by a skilled in-house team which includes therapists, psychologists, teachers and creative art therapists for the most comprehensive support possible.

We provide a range of essential services for children and young people such as sensory integration, therapy, outdoor activities, education and so much more.

Company Culture

Our core goal is to allow children to create relationships, develop life skills and give them a safe place to grow.

We define ourselves by the care we give to everybody at Ashdale Care. We provide an abundance of training opportunities to all those on the Ashdale Care team. You will have every opportunity to grow in your role, and we reward and recognise hard work and dedication through career progression.

Our commitment to transforming lives is a mission that our team members contribute to daily and a role they are fully supported in.

Desired Criteria

• Level 8 qualification (Honours degree) or above in Psychology

Required Criteria

• Ability to work in regulated activity, care for and supervise young persons
• Full clean driving license
• Flexible – willing and able to adapt to changing circumstances, shift patterns and expectations
• Level 7 qualification (degree) or above in one of the following: Social Care Social Work Health and Social Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy Youth & Community Teaching Nursing Social Science Addiction Counselling Counselling / Psychotherapy Family Support Disability Studies Applied Behavioural Analysis Early Years Care
• Higher Certificate in Custodial Care (Irish Prison Service)

Closing DateMonday 30th September, 2024