Deputy Social Care Manager

Reporting Relationship

To the Social Care Manager, the Director of Services

Purpose of the Post

The Deputy Social Care Manager is required to fulfil the running of the service in support of the Social Care manager. The Deputy Social Care Manager is expected to build and maintain high standards of social work practice within the service and ultimately the organisation as a whole.

The Deputy Social Care Manager will share a commitment to the philosophy and objectives of the establishment jointly with the Social Care Manager. The Deputy Social Care Manager will maintain professional standards in the social care centre and facilitate the operation of its day to day functions.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities

• Supporting the manager and team to comply with HIQA standards. The successful candidate will need to be update with current legislation
• Supervisory responsibility: Responsibility for supervising social care staff
• Deputise for the Manager in all operational aspects concerning the running of the establishment.
• Be responsible for the administration tasks including rotas, audits, SEN reporting and medication policy
• Take ownership for educating themselves about each young person within the service.
• Be up to date on Safeguarding and Children First requirements.
• Report and recording and carrying out assessments.
• Be accountable for supporting the day to day running of the service and responsible for the execution and delivery of the therapeutic community approach.
• Be accountable for organising, planning and executing training and development of the staff team through goal setting in supervision or through other communication methods.
• Work as part of a team. The Deputy Social Care Manager will be responsible for leading the team in the absence of management.
• Be responsible for chairing meetings, setting agendas and ensuring actions from meetings are followed up on.
• Supporting staff members in relation to taking ownership of their workload, engaging in supervisions and participating in meetings both within and outside the service.
• The Deputy Social Care Manager may be required to work shift work, weekends and or night duties.
• The Deputy Social Care Manager may be required to be a part of the on-call management rota.
• Responsible for building and maintaining a professional rapport and communicating with Social Workers, families and other personnel as required.
• Adhere to GDPR legislation, ensuring the upmost confidentiality always and role model this to staff members.
• Participate in ensuring that the service is of a high quality and ready for Inspection from HIQA at all times.
• To work alongside the regulations set out by HIQA and the National Standards for Residential Care.
• Ensure that all administration tasks are kept up to date and in line with policies and standards.
• Complete audits and follow up on actions pertaining to these audits.
• Support key workers and that they are keeping their files and administration work up to date and completed at a high standard.
• Complete meaningful plans and goals for the young person, in consultation with their desires and choices.
• Ensure continuous review and improvement through evaluations of the service.
• To oversee that staff are motivating, supporting and encouraging young people to engage in planned activities of their choice.
• Undertake required Health and Safety checks and Risk Assessments and record and report effectively.
• Carry out required Health and Safety related observing and reporting.
• Contribute to Young Person Centred Planning meetings and other relevant meetings pertaining to Service User, follow up on any actions, outcomes from the meetings.
• Endeavour to ensure that young people receive support in their daily lives.
• Support young people to make appropriate choices.
• Report concerns in relation to their welfare inclusive of safety and health requirements.
• Record accurately in line with National Standards.
• To effectively support the young person in managing behaviours of concern, utilise Positive behaviour support plan, individualised to each young person.
• Participate in maintaining a high-quality service by adhering to all internal/ external audits and ensuring that all actions are followed up on.
• Ensure that all quality reporting required are completed in a competent and suitable manner.
• Follow all financial procedures in line with policies, report and record all discrepancies. Work within the budget.
• Develop and maintain professional rapport with co-workers and team to ensure an effective service is provided for the young person. Offer day to day support to your team.
• Create opportunities for young people to be a part of the community.
• Promote opportunities for supporting young people in employment/ educational needs.
• Attend all applicable and mandatory training and any other specified development programmes.
• Have the ability to use your own initiative.
• The ability to organise and prioritise your workload.
• Attend and engage positively to supervision and appraisals, utilising reflective practice to enhance development and skills and to reflect on practice.
• Take ownership of own professional development.
• Endeavour to ensure that any feedback, inclusive of suggestions, compliments and complaints is supported, encouraged, reported, recorded and utilised to enhance the improvement of the service.
• Undertake any other work which may arise within the scope of Deputy Social Care Manager in order to meet the requirements of the service.

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Eligibility Criteria Qualifications and/or experience

• Hold a QQI level 8 qualification in social care with 3 years’ post qualification work experience in a Mainstream Children’s Residential Care setting;
  or
• Have a minimum QQI level 7 qualification in social care and hold or be enrolled in a programme leading to a management qualification suitable for a health or social care setting AND 4 years’ full time work experience in a Mainstream Children’s Residential Care setting post qualification;
  or
• Hold a relevant qualification with 4 years’ full time work experience in a Mainstream Children’s Residential Care setting post qualification;
• Hold a professional qualification in Social Work with the requisite 4 years’ post qualification practice experience AND hold or be enrolled in a programme leading to a management qualification suitable for a health or social care setting.

It is a mandatory requirement that the successful candidate is eligible to register with CORU as a Social Care Worker. If completed, please state your CORU registration number in your application .

Health

A candidate for and any one holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Skills, competencies and/or knowledge

Candidates must demonstrate:

• Sufficient professional knowledge to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the role
• An understanding of theory and practice in the delivery of care to the client group.
• An understanding of therapeutic approaches relevant to the client group based on established best practice and in-depth knowledge of life-span development.
• A good understanding of the root causes of challenging behaviour and how best to respond to same.
• Sufficient awareness of policy, legislative and professional requirements to ensure an appropriate standard of service delivery (e.g. a working knowledge of the Children First Guidelines and National Standards and requirements as related to the function of the role)
• Ability to deliver parenting and other programmes as appropriate to the role e.g. sexual awareness, stay safe programmes.
• Ability to provide therapeutic support to young people in traumatic situations e.g. placement breakdowns, return home, addiction issues
• Ability to facilitate play and enhance child development socialisation skills
• Awareness and appreciation of the service user as expert through experience including promoting the involvement of the service user in care planning, decision making and service development as appropriate.
• Evidence of effective planning and organising skills including awareness of resource management and importance of value for money
• A commitment to assuring high standards and strive for a user centred service.
• Initiative and innovation in identifying areas for service improvement
• The ability to evaluate information and make effective decisions/solve problems especially with regard to young person’s care.
• The ability to effectively build and maintain relationships including the ability to work with multi-disciplinary team members
• Effective communication skills (verbal and written) including the ability to effectively influence others / negotiate with others.
• IT skills relative to the role
• Commitment to continuing professional development

Job Types: Full-time, Graduate

Pay: €57,015.00-€65,240.00 per year

Benefits:

• Comprehensive in-house Training
• Continued professional development and support with further education and training
• Incremental Annual Leave for Length of Service
• Maternity benefits
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Friendly, caring and positive working environment
• Sick pay
• TaxSaver Commuter Ticket Scheme

To apply:

 Send your CV along with a cover letter to the details below

Email: info@donboscocare.ie

Please ensure that your application has been acknowledged as applications will not be accepted after the date

Closing Date: 10 April 2025

If you have any queries, please email info@donboscocare.ie or phone 01-8336009