Project Worker – Corduff, Dublin 15
Corduff Family Support Project, Dublin 15
General Information
Why work at 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
Name of the Project: Corduff Family Support Service Finglas
Address/Location: 22 Corduff Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Telephone: 01-8262434
At Barnardos Springboard Project in Corduff we provide a combination of Family Support and Initial Child Protection Assessment work on behalf of our funders Tusla and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (ddletb).
Project Workers undertake Initial Family Assessments in partnership with Tusla using the Signs of Safety Approach. Signs of Safety is the national child-centered approach adopted by Tusla for child protection and welfare practice. Barnardos’ assessments are aligned with the Signs of Safety model, which is grounded in partnership and collaboration with children, families and their wider networks of support.
Project workers offer a variety of family support interventions often in response to the Initial Assessment work, as well as receiving referrals from Tusla, schools, Health Care Professionals, community organisations and self-referrals. These interventions include:
- Partnership with Parents (PwP)- a one to one home based parenting programme tailored to meet the needs of parents and their children. The programme focuses on parenting skills and child/parent relationships in order to make positive changes in the home.
- This Is Me programme – an evidence-based programme designed to guide interventions in 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.
- Family Work – Project Workers work to support whole family functioning and to enhance family strengths to reduce family conflict and improve relationships and communication.
- Inter-Agency Work – the team works in partnership with and promotes inter-agency collaboration to ensure positive outcomes for children and their parents. We work closely with the social work teams, the voluntary / community services, PHN, Gardai and Tusla Prevention Partnership and Family Support Services.
- Opportunities Assisting Staying in School (OASIS) programme – the aim of this programme is to prevent or reduce early school leaving. This programme supports children who are referred by their teachers to make the transition from primary to secondary school. This Programme is facilitated by a specifically designated Project Worker and the Programme Assistant.
- Parent and Toddler Programme – the project runs three Parent and Toddler groups which are co-facilitated by Project Workers and/or the Family Support Worker and Programme Assistant. The aim of this Programme is to provide a safe and supportive environment for parents and children to play and interact, to reduce social isolation and to provide advice and support when appropriate.
Part Time (30 hours over 4 days per week including Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
Job Description
Post: Project Worker
Location: Corduff Family Support Project, 22 Corduff Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Responsible to: Project Leader
Works with: Children, parents, families, Barnardos staff, Internal and External Stakeholders including statutory, voluntary and community partners
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.
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 updated electronic 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, using the electronic record system designed for Barnardos.
- 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 undertake initial family assessments using the signs of safety framework on child welfare and protection referrals made to TUSLA social work department.
- Following an initial family assessment to provide short-term interventions to families with children aged from birth to 18 years where appropriate to the identified needs.
- To participate in interagency group consultation meetings on complex family referrals and assessments.
- To provide comprehensive assessment reports, complete TUSLA business processes and input all records electronically.
- To participate in any briefing and training on the implementation of the Signs of Safety practice framework.
- To facilitate a weekly Parent and Toddler Group in collaboration with a Family Support Worker colleague.
- To link into the Corduff and Mulhuddart Communities.
- To implement the Barnardos Partnership with Parents Programme and This Is Me Programme.
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 within 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 Health & Safety Officer.
- 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 assessing children’s and families’ needs.
- Experience of planning, implementing and reviewing programmes with children and/or families.
- Experience of inter-agency working, desirable.
- Experience of preparing comprehensive needs led reports on children and families
Desirable Knowledge
- Up to date with evidenced informed thinking with regard to interventions for children and families on an individual and group level.
- Use of Signs of Safety as a tool for screening and assessing risk.
- Experience of Meitheal processes.
- Maintaining electronic records.
Qualifications
A recognised third level practice qualification[1] (minimum Level 7 on the NFQ) in one of the following:
- Social Care
- Social Work
- Youth Work
- Or related discipline (Nursing, Psychology, Early Years’ Education).
A 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 Corduff service but may be required in the future to work in other project(s) in the Dublin North/City Region in line with Organisational needs.
[1] Course content should include relevant student placements
Barnardos is an equal opportunity employer.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.
Application Procedure
Download your application form
Shortlisting will apply (please note, CVs are not accepted on their own, candidates must complete and submit our application form through Barnardos website).
Candidates who are moved to the 2nd stage of our Recruitment process are required to complete a medical questionnaire and the E-Vetting process. References will also be taken up at this stage.
Vacancy Details
LOCATION
Corduff Family Support Project, Dublin 15
Employment Type
Part-time (30 hours per week) and Fixed Term to end November 2025
Salary
€27,740 - €42,878 DOE (This is the pro-rated salary for 30 hours)
Contact Person
Denisa Rusu on 01-4530355
Closing Date
Interview Date
TBA