Ireland’s leading children’s charity is recruiting:

Programme Assistant Permanent (30 hours) 
 Finglas, Dublin 11

Location: Barnardos Finglas Early Intervention Service, based in St Oliver Plunkett Junior School, St Helena’s Drive, Finglas South, Dublin 11

Contract: Permanent and Part Time (30 hours per week) Monday to Thursday 08:30 – 16:30

Salary: €21,352 - €25,729 DOE (This is the pro-rated salary for 30 hours)

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

What does the Project do?

The project seeks to improve child development outcomes for pre-school children in the Finglas area and maximise the capacity of families to meet children’s needs by offering an Early Intervention Service with targeted support for individual children and bundle of integrated family support services for their families, which includes transport to and from pre-school daily. Specific attention is given to those families where child protection or welfare concerns exist, working with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged families specifically focusing on parenting skills and child/parent relationships in order to reduce subsequent difficulties for children.

Our overall aims are:

• To increase children’s emotional wellbeing
• And to improve children’s learning and development

We do this by providing a range of Hardiker level and 2 and 3 interventions in response to the individual assessed needs of children and their families referred to Barnardos. We work to provide a response that involves interagency collaboration to maximise outcomes for families.

Services in our Finglas centre include Early Years and Pre-school programmes for children based on the Tús Maith curriculum and High Scope approach, Individual work with children, Individual home based parenting work (Partnership with Parents), Parent/Child work, Practical Family Support, Advice Information and Advocacy, and group work with parents.

What will the Programme Assistant do?

The post-holder will work in our pre-school service, helping to provide a safe, child-centred preschool environment/experience to children attending Finglas Early Years’ service (FEYS).

This position will specifically focus on supporting a child/children and their group to engage in the daily routine and curriculum, while also focusing on and supporting the children’s emerging interests. The Programme Assistant will work closely in partnership with the wider preschool team to ensure that the preschool curriculum is implemented and appropriate individual planning & support for children is provided.

Who do we work with?

Referrals are accepted from Tusla, the Health Service Executive (HSE), schools, and other agencies and individuals as appropriate, including other Barnardos services and parents/carers themselves.

All referrals will be responded to and following Barnardos assessment, services will be offered in line with presenting needs, criteria and service capacity.

Where are we based?

Barnardos, Finglas Early Years’ Service, Saint Oliver Plunkett’s Junior School, Saint Helena’s Drive, Finglas, Dublin 11.

Job purpose

To provide a safe, child centred environment/experience to children in the context of the service in which you work and appropriate to the role.

Personal attributes

• Commitment to provide a quality service to children
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Awareness of confidentiality and the ability to deal with sensitive issues, including child protection concerns
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Flexibility and adaptability are essential attributes in this role.

Experience

• Experience of working with children for a minimum of 6 months is essential.
  Relevant voluntary work may be considered.

Qualifications

• Recognised qualification (min FETAC/QQI Level 5) that is approved under the Early Years’ (Pre-school) Regulations.

The post-holder is initially assigned to work in the Early Years’ Service, Finglas, but may be required in the future to work in other project(s) in the Dublin area in line with Organisational needs.

For full job description and to apply please visit Current Job Vacancies – Barnardos

Closing date: 12pm Wednesday 31st July
Interview date: Tuesday 13th August (provisional date – TBC)

Shortlisting will apply (please note, CVs are not accepted on their own, candidates must complete and submit our application form through Barnardos website).

Barnardos is an equal opportunity employer.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.