Mental Health Social Work jobs

Job Title: Relief Family Support/ Social Care Worker/Residential Care Worker

Department Parent & Infant Unit/Placement Support Project EPOS House

Applications considered Via: Application Form Only – CV’s will not be accepted

Opening date for Applications: 28th May 2026

Closing Date for Applications: 30th June 2026 @12 noon

Proposed Interview date(s): TBD

- may be subject to change based on volume of candidates and availability of Service resources.

Location of Post: Childhood Matters, Blackrock and EPOS House Ballincollig

Details of Service:

Childhood Matters is a not-for-profit organisation that provides child and family services aimed at supporting positive childhood outcomes, developing parenting capacity, strengthening family resilience, and contributing to healthier, more sustainable communities.

Parent and Infant Unit: Nationwide parenting capacity-building and assessment residential service for complex parents and infant situations where distinct child protection concerns.

CHIPPS: CHIPPS is a specialist attachment-focused, trauma-informed mental health service for children and young people in care.

Young Parents Support Programme: The Young Parents Support Programme (YPSP for short) is the only targeted community-based support service for young parents in Ireland.

The Limetree Project: Therapeutic community-based family support and family contact project, in partnership with South Lee & West Cork Social Work Department to include out of hours service.

Supervised Contact: Contact Service provides structured supports and interventions for children who are in the care of TUSLA to have contact with their parents, siblings and other family members.

Placement Support Project: This project is aimed at stabilizing at-risk foster placements, and supporting family reunification through intensive multidisciplinary support over a 10-week period, and the provision of a stability roadmap specifically tailored to the family. Emergency place of safety (EPOS) and Aftercare is incorporated into this project

Crèche & Preschool: Award-winning Community Crèche and Childcare facility to include afterschool programme with a current capacity of 124 children.

Secondary School One Year Leaving Certificate programme in partnerships with Cork Education and Training Board, providing parents opportunity to advance education when using clinical family services

Employment Support Service: Vocational training for long term unemployed individuals within therapeutic and trauma-informed environment.

Purpose of Role: The relief role is across two services; the Parent and Infant unit and the EPOS residential House.

The Parent and Infant Unit is a residential support and assessment service for parents with infant children. While living on the unit, parents take part in a parenting assessment while also engaging in a programme of therapeutic support and key working tailored to meet their individual needs. The Social Care team provide assistance, developmental guidance and monitoring to each of the families though their residential bespoke placement.

The Emergency Place of Safety (EPOS House) is based in a suburb of the city centre, it is a residential house where we provide care and accommodation for children in the care of Tusla for a maximum of 29 nights. The house can accommodate up to 2 yp at any given time. We are a trauma informed team who prides itself on providing child centered, solution focused, safe and nurturing care in a home like environment so that every young person in our care feels valued, listened to, supported and encouraged to achieve their full potential.

Reporting Relationship : The Relief Family Support/ Social Care Worker/Residential Worker will report to the Parent & Infant Unit Manager and the EPOS Manager

Duties and Responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Support, understand, and record parents’ ability to meet the emotional, physical and basic care needs of their children whilst working according to psychologically-informed care plans
• Implement care plans, ensuring the written and verbal reporting of general needs and individual concerns of the clients well being.
• Arrange and actively engage in age appropriate education, play and other activities with the children in our care.
• Understand, support and engage with young people out of home, offering them care and boundaries relevant to their age and stage of development.
• Work in partnership with our multidisciplinary team in the development and progression of individualised care plan for clients
• Impart formal and informal feedback aimed to help parents adjust to parenthood and develop their parenting skills and emotional connection with their children
• Undertake assigned parenting development intervention to include group play, baby sensory work, parenting demonstration, psycho education on developmental awareness/attachment/mentalizing capacity
• Work in partnership with the wider team in the context of understanding resident adults, infants, children and adolescents
• To provide childcare for children
• Contribute toward trauma informed working environment for both clients and colleagues
• Demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm to developing skill set in niche area of service provision within Irish context though ongoing professional development and reflective supervision
• Contribute to team discussions and Actively participate in team meetings.
• Cleaning duties

Administration and Accountability

• To make written logs on a regular basis on the progress of development of the children and their families.
• Reporting and recording any incidents, that may happen to the / children and their families or are caused by them.
• Ensure Child protection procedures are followed
• To keep abreast of current legislation and current professional child care knowledge.
• To implement the Childhood Matters procedures and policies.
• To undertake ongoing professional training and development.
• To attend regular supervision with the designated supervisor.
• To perform any other duties that may be assigned from time to time.

Team Work /Training & Professional Development

• Participate in working within a team centered consistent approach.
• Participate in further training and development as required.
• Working with other professionals and external stakeholders
• Participate in regular team meetings, reflective practice, complex case discussions etc Engage in reflective and evidence-based practice.
• Be responsible for own health and well-being in order to carry out the duties of the role / is committed to managing own work / life balance.
• Keep abreast of current legislation and current professional child care knowledge.

Health & Safety:

· Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.

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.

Eligibility Criteria Qualifications

Applicants must by the closing date of application have the following:

· Minimum of NFQ Level 5 qualification social care, social science, Early Years, psychotherapy, Counselling, Psychology or equivalent is required.

· Verification of garda Clearance

· Validation of three references.

Other requirements of the role

Essential

Experience;

• Experience of working therapeutically with clients
• Experience in conflict resolution mediation
• Experience in lone working
• Experienced in record keeping and report writing

Skills, knowledge and abilities;

• Ability to work in a people centered and needs led manner
• Knowledge of child development and family dynamics
• Understanding of the relevant legislation, best practice and issues relevant to the area of Children’s services and Family Support
• Excellent communication, IT and report writing skills
• Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Adaptable and flexible with regard to service development and working hours

Desirable

• Experience of legal responsibilities with regard to child protection and child care
• Knowledge around Trauma informed Care approaches
• Trained in Parenting Programmes or other relevant training to the post

A full clean driver’s license

Tenure

The current vacancy available is a Relief post

Remuneration

The Salary for this post is: €17.73 Hourly rate

Working Week

Hours are a mix of day and night shifts, and can be eight-hour shifts (7am-3.30pm; 3pm-11.30pm and 11pm-7.30am) or 12hour shifts (7.30am to 7.30pm and 7.30pm to 7.30am) on rolling roster to include weekend work) and flexibility to undertake additional hours when reasonably required.

Annual Leave

The annual leave associated with the whole time equivalent of this post is: 8% of hours worked

Probation: N.A

Additional Benefits

• Comprehensive annual CPD schedule
• Staff parking

Job Types: Fixed term, Specified-purpose

Pay: €17.73 per hour

Benefits:

• On-site parking

Education:

• Advanced/Higher Certificate (required)

Language:

• English (required)

Work authorisation:

• Ireland (required)

Work Location: On the road