Duty Social Worker

Title: Duty Social Worker, Dublin Office, Five Rivers Fostering.

Reporting to: Senior Social Work Practitioner/Fostering Team Leader.

Qualifications: Qualified Social Worker. Registered Social Worker with CORU.

Working hours: Full time permanent position (37.5 hours). The role requires some flexibility to undertake enquiry calls outside of office working hours.

Salary: Salary: €47-€68k

Benefits: Salary scale, attractive benefits

Head Office Location: Five Rivers Fostering, Unit 4 Block 8, Corporate Business Park 1, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

Work base: Office based. Areas covered by the Dublin Office: Leinster, Cavan and Monaghan.

Travel: Any travel expenses incurred will be reimbursed in line with company policy.

Company Description:

Five Rivers Fostering is an independent private fostering agency and has been in operation in Ireland since 2002. We were the first private fostering agency to be established in Ireland. Five Rivers was originally founded in England before setting up an office in Dublin, Ireland. Our Cork Office has been in operation since January 2011. We also have a team working in the Northwest of the country with an office in Donegal. We work closely with Tusla. We are a social enterprise.

Main duties and responsibilities:

The following are the main duties and responsibilities of the Duty Social Worker:

• Engage in the recruitment of potential foster carers.
• Respond to any enquiries to foster from the general public and begin the process of determining suitability and eligibility for assessment.
• Maintain the enquiries tracker and provide regular feedback to supervisor/Team Leader and Principal Social Worker.
• To make arrangements for initial visits to applicants.
• Manage referrals from Tusla, to disseminate referral information to the wider social work team and to duly report back to Tusla. To update databases appropriately.
• Monitor all referrals and liaise closely with Tusla teams to provide updates in terms of placement options available to them
• Engage in the initial matching of children in care with foster families.
• Provide support and guidance to foster carers in line with legislation, national guidance, policies and procedures.
• Liaise with Tusla on behalf of foster carers and foster children as required.
• Work in partnership with Tusla and other agencies.
• Follow established internal work processes and procedures.
• Abide by child protection procedures and Children First guidance and legislation.
• Work in accordance with legislation governing social work practice and national guidance.
• Record data and information in line with GDPR guidance, company policy and recommendations from Tusla and HIQA.
• Undertake on-call/out of hours duties for the Emergency Place of Safety Service on a rota basis.

Additional duties and responsibilities

• Follow up on emergency placements made via Five Rivers Fostering Emergency Place of Safety Service and Tusla’s National Out of Hours Service and ensure a move on plan with the local Tusla team.
• Liaise effectively with emergency foster carers and keep them updated in terms of placement plans.
• Work in partnership with stakeholders and maintain effective relationships with Tusla’s Crisis Intervention Service Partnership and Tusla’s National Out of Hours Service.

Professional Development

• Actively engage in the agency’s professional development performance appraisal system.
• Prepare for and actively engage in formal supervision.
• Attend and actively engage in team meetings and social work peer support meetings.
• Take responsibility for own continuous professional development.
• Work as part of a team.

**This list of duties is not exhaustive, and the duty social worker may be asked to undertake other duties in line with the needs of the organisation.**

This position would be ideal for a newly qualified social worker or someone looking to return to social work after some time out.

Closing date: 18th October 2024

Please send your Cover Letter and CV to: Joanna.Esmonde@fiveriversireland.ie

Role related queries: cliona.davey@fiveriversireland.ie