Principal Social Worker | Ability West

Ability West; Galway; On-site; EUR 79,359 - 97,597; Full time

Job summary

Ability West in Ireland is seeking a Head of Social Work to oversee social work services across Galway. You will manage casework, safeguarding, and the Home Sharing service while leading a team of social workers.

The role includes admissions, service planning, crisis response, and ensuring high standards of governance. A CORU-registered social worker with leadership experience is required.

Qualifications

• Must hold recognized professional qualification in Social Work and be eligible for CORU registration.
• Experience delivering social work services to adults and children with intellectual disabilities and their families.
• Strong administrative and managerial experience; leadership capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for social work provision across Ability West services, including casework, safeguarding, and Home Sharing.
• Supervise relevant Social Work staff and Home Sharing Coordinator; manage safeguarding system and training.
• Lead admissions, short breaks, service planning, and crisis response; manage referrals and complex cases.

Job description

Ability West provides a wide range of high-quality services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities and autism across Galway City and County. Services provided are day, residential, short breaks, community support, rehabilitative training, and multi-disciplinary support. The ethos of service provision is underpinned by our Vision, Mission, Core Values and Strategic Plan, which is to empower people with disabilities to live self-directed lives in an equal and inclusive society. Each person is supported and valued within an environment which promotes their overall autonomy, health and wellbeing and enables them to reach their potential.

The Role:

• Overall responsibility for the provision of social work to Ability West services inclusive of (1) Casework (2) Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults against Abuse and (3) the delivery of a Home Sharing service.
• Supervision of the relevant Social Work staff and the Home Sharing Coordinator.
• The management of the Designated Officer/Safeguarding system, delivery of Safeguarding training, the management of a busy Duty Social Work system and responding directly to crisis situations.
• Taking a lead role with delegated functions on behalf of Client Services Directorate such as admissions and short breaks, service planning etc.
• The Head of Social Work will hold an agreed caseload of complex cases and will provide guidance and respond to cases directly in addition to the management of referrals to Social Work.
  
  

Essential Criteria:

• Hold a recognised professional qualification in Social Work prescribed under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended) or, have a Letter of Validation issued by CORU/National Social Work Qualifications Board.
• Be eligible for registration with CORU.
• Possess satisfactory experience working with children and adults with intellectual disability and their families.
• Possess a high standard of administrative and management experience.
• Full current driving license with access to your own vehicle.
  
  

Desirable:

• Sufficient clinical and professional knowledge to carry out the duties of the role.
• Budget Management experience (relevant to Home Sharing service delivery).
• Effective supervision and leadership skills.
  
  

Pay: €79,359-€97,597 per annum - depending on experience

Hours: 35hrs per week

Closing Date for applications: 31st July 2026

INAW