Support Worker – Permanent
Job Title: Support Worker – Permanent
Responsible To: Service Manager, Community Based Services
Responsible For:
- Delivery of direct support services to women residing in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown catchment. Including (Outreach, Visiting Support Service and Safe Home) Supported Housing, and/or Refuge services.
- Ensuring best practice in the delivery of services to women in Sonas.
- Ensuring the needs of clients and their children are central to the work of the service.
Location: Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Region
Main Duties:
- To ensure that the service delivery is client centred and needs led, enabling the woman to shape their individualised safety and support plan
- To work to all Sonas Domestic Violence Charity services practices (quality standards), policies and procedures to ensure the delivery of quality, effective and safe services to clients.
- To adhere to the Sonas Outcome model of support work, developing robust risk and needs assessments to enable efficient safety and support plans for every client that accesses the service.
- To participate in local CFSN’s and relevant community forums to build on existing networks in the DLR catchment.
- To participate in briefings and or information sessions to raise awareness of the Sonas service and the prevalence of the abuse in the wider community.
- Ensure progression of clients’ support plan through case management approach.
- To make referrals or support clients in making self-referrals as necessary.
- To advocate for clients when appropriate and by agreement.
- To provide support to clients around safety issues, legal matters in relation to domestic abuse, court accompaniment and housing issues, as appropriate.
- To teamwork with the Children’s Support team and other team members to ensure that women and children are provided with an integrated domestic violence service.
- To maintain all records and files according to the agreed standard and prepare reports as required.
- To adhere to Sonas and Tusla policies on child protection.
- To keep informed of developments in the area of domestic violence including new methods of work, changes in policy, legalisation, additional supports etc.
- To liaise effectively with other statutory and voluntary bodies.
Requirements
- Minimum level 7 degree, preferably Social Care or equivalent
- Minimum of 2 years relevant experience to include a minimum of 1 year post qualification experience
- Minimum of 1 year post qualification experience of key working vulnerable clients essential
- Experience of Case Management and interagency collaboration with local voluntary and statutory agencies.
- Experience of building relationships and networking in the community.
- A clear understanding of domestic abuse, child protection and welfare issues, risk and safety issues.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Strong IT skills, comfortable using databases
- Knowledgeable on legal, housing and social welfare issues (particularly in relation to family law and domestic violence orders)
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team and on own initiative
- Have a flexible approach to the work in response to organisational change, development and review of best practice
- Committed to effective, professional practice
- Full driving licence and access to a car
Desirable
- Experience of working with women and children affected by domestic abuse.
- Experience of working with Salesforce database
- Proven experience in successful collaboration with external stakeholders
- Experience of Training development and delivery in the wider community.
The above Job Description is a guide to the general range of duties and is neither definitive nor restrictive and will be subject to periodic review. Flexibility is a key requirement of this role
Please send your CV, together with a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role, to: hr@sonasdomesticabuse.ie no later than Sunday 17th January, 2021.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Head of Services
Job Title: Head of Services
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Purpose of role:
As Head of Services, you will be a key member of the Senior Management Team, reporting to the CEO.
You will be responsible for the delivery and development of Sonas services, supporting and empowering women and children experiencing domestic violence.
The position is full-time and dependent on annual funding. We work a minimum 39-hour work-week in a healthy environment. The salary will be dependent on skills and experience in line within the Sector. Sonas requires flexibility around the role; the successful candidate will be asked to travel between all locations of the service.
Responsibilities
- Lead Services Managers and associated services’ teams to deliver quality services to best practice standards
- Oversight and operational responsibility for high risk cases
- Work closely with Senior Management Team around operational and strategic planning including HR, Health and Safety, Accommodation (relating to accommodation based services), Property, Information Systems and Finance
- Draft annual operational plan for services, including services budget and expenditure for the year
- Contribute to: identifying opportunities, developing proposals and associated project plans for new and existing services
- Oversee evaluation of services to maintain quality assurance and provide evidence base for ongoing development
- Oversee provision of key statistics relating to service delivery, including KPIs and emerging trends
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
- A relevant third level qualification
- A full clean drivers licence
Training and Experience: Essential
- Extensive management experience gained in front line services’ organisation preferably with a core competency in a specialist area(s) similar to Sonas’s
- Extensive experience in leading and developing teams
- Extensive experience of stakeholder engagement in a services delivery context
- Experience of operational and strategic planning including budget
- Experience of evidence-based practice in a social care context
- Understanding and experience of child welfare and protection issues and system
- Experience of using case management system preferably employing management process
Training and Experience: Desirable
- Relevant experience of working with families who have experienced domestic violence gained either in a specific domestic violence service or service where domestic violence would have been a feature of client experience/ need
- Evidence of designing/participating in the evaluation of projects and services
- Experience of contributing to organisation’s strategic development of services, including programmes
- Experience of representing organisation in networking, policy or stakeholder engagement contexts
Knowledge
- Good understanding of domestic violence and its impact on women and children
- Good knowledge of health and safety requirements relating to social care services including accommodation based service
- Knowledge of relevant rights, entitlements and legislation applicable to victims of domestic violence
- Knowledge of legal, statutory, regulatory and good practice requirements for services
- Knowledge of service delivery policy environment
Skills
- Ability to manage, lead and inspire teams
- Excellent communication skills, oral and written
- Excellent case management skills
- Excellent administration skills
- Proficient IT Skills including databases and Microsoft office
- An open and flexible work style, capable of multi-tasking within competing deadlines
- Demonstrable commitment to the ethos of the organisation and working within organisational values
Please send your CV, together with a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role, to: hr@sonasdomesticabuse.ie by Sunday 17th January, 2021.
Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.