Children’s Residential – Social Care Leader

Role overview:

As a Children’s Residential Social Care Leader, you’ll play a pivotal role in designing and delivering care packages tailored to individual needs. You'll act as a shift leader, supporting colleagues, mentoring staff, and working closely with management to uphold standards and ensure the home runs smoothly. This is a senior frontline position with leadership responsibilities and a strong emphasis on child-centred care. You will report to the Unit Social Care Manager or Deputy Manager.
What will your responsibilities be?

• Lead and support your team during shifts
• Design and implement Placement and Crisis Management Plans
• Provide educational support to children in and out of school
• Engage in direct residential care to meet identified needs
• Record and document all client interactions and activities
• Maintain regular communication with parents, social workers, and external agencies
• Attend and contribute to team meetings, strategic planning, and policy implementation
• Monitor health and safety, and ensure compliance across the unit
• Support relief staff, trainees, and student placements
• Participate in housekeeping duties and general maintenance
• Assume managerial duties in the absence of management
• Manage finances, petty cash reconciliation, and reporting
• Uphold confidentiality, professional standards, and company values
• Encourage open communication and whistleblowing in line with policy
• Undertake any other relevant duties required to support the home's operations

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• Flexible rostering focused on work-life balance
• Core professional training in essential subjects
• Team-building activities & social events
• Education assistance grants
• Health insurance grant & life insurance
• Incremental pay scale
• Pension contribution match

Qualification requirements:

A minimum Level 7 qualification in Social Care or a relevant and related field that meets the criteria to be registered as a Social Care Worker with CORU.

Relevant alternative qualifications include:

• QQI Level 8 in Psychology
• QQI Level 7 or Professional Practice Qualification in Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy
• QQI Level 7 or Professional Practice Qualification in Counselling / Psychotherapy
• QQI Level 7 or Professional Practice Qualification in Addiction Counselling
• QQI Level 7 in Youth and Community or similar
• QQI Level 7 in Social Science / Social Studies
• QQI Level 7 in Family Support
• Professional Qualification in Teaching (Not TEFL)
• Professional Qualification in Nursing Studies
• QQI Level 7 in Disability Studies
• QQI Level 7 in Applied Behavioural Analysis
• QQI Level 7 in Early Years Care (where centre caters for children under 12 years)
• BA in Applied Policing or equivalent
• Holder of Higher Certificate in Custodial Care (Irish Prison Service) or equivalent
• No qualification or non-relevant qualification but holder of CORU registration as a Social Care Worker

Required criteria:

• Minimum 2 years’ experience working directly with children/young people in a social care setting
• Experience leading teams and working in therapeutic care models (e.g. Therapeutic Crisis Intervention)
• Familiarity with National Standards in Children’s Residential Centres
• Full, clean manual driving license valid in Ireland
• Right to work and live in Ireland

Reasonable adjustments:

If you consider yourself to have a disability or require any reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process or within the workplace, please highlight this at the earliest opportunity by contacting our team. With this information, we will provide appropriate support to you throughout the process and into your work placement.

We are unable to support or accept applications from candidates who are residents within the Red or Amber list of the Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England, based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Workforce Support and Safeguard List.

BH - 197507
GH - 34404