Relief Family Support/ Social Care Worker/Residential Worker

Childhood Matters; Cork; On-site; EUR 20,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff parking

Training opportunities

Flexible working hours

Health care plans

Pension contribution

Job summary

Childhood Matters in Ireland is seeking a Relief Family Support/Social Care Worker for Blackrock and Ballincollig. The role covers Parent & Infant Unit and EPOS Residential services, requiring therapeutic and record-keeping duties, with a rolling day/night shift pattern.

The post emphasizes trauma-informed practice, safeguarding, and collaboration with a multidisciplinary team. A NFQ Level 5 qualification and Garda clearance are required, with staff training and development supported.

Qualifications

• Minimum NFQ Level 5 qualification in social care, social science, Early Years, psychotherapy, Counselling, Psychology or equivalent is required.
• Verification of Garda Clearance
• Validation of three references
• Experience of working therapeutically with clients
• Experience in conflict resolution mediation
• Experience in lone working
• Experienced in record keeping and report writing

Responsibilities

• Support parents’ emotional, physical and basic care needs.
• Engage with young people, provide care and boundaries.
• Develop individualised care plans with the multidisciplinary team.
• Record progress in written logs and incident reporting.
• Ensure child protection procedures are followed.
• Attend regular supervision and ongoing professional development.
• Participate in team meetings and reflective practice

Skills

Child development

Family dynamics

Trauma-informed care

Child protection

Multidisciplinary team

Communication skills

Parenting programmes

Education

NFQ Level 5 qualification (Social Care / Social Science / Early Years / Psychotherapy / Counselling / Psychology)

Job description

Relief Family Support/ Social Care Worker/Residential Worker

Hours Rolling roster (Day/Night shifts)

Salary €17.73 Per hour

Position Relief Family Support/ Social Care Worker

Location Blackrock and Ballincollig

About the role

Who we are:

Childhood Matters is a not-for-profit organisation aimed at improving developmental and life outcomes for children 0-18 years old. We also work directly with parents and foster carers to support and develop parenting in challenging contexts. As an organisation we strive to positive impact the wider professional network we operate within through external training, research and professional development opportunities.

We are committed to embedding an evidence-based culture of trauma-informed care and therapeutic practice and hold ourselves to high standards in all engagement with service users, colleagues and stakeholders alike. We are committed to research and evaluation and continually assess the effectiveness of our service through independent research and partnership with third level institutions. We strive to be a positive place to work, providing staff with reflective practice, regular supervision and a training budget.

With current offices and services in Blackrock, Blackpool, Clonakilty and Farranree we employ 130 staff across all departments. We offer competitive salary packages as well as benefits including enhanced maternity leave; pension contribution scheme; health care plans; flexible working hours; internal and externally provided training opportunities, and competitive annual leave entitlement.

Job Title: Relief Family Support/ Social Care Worker/Residential Worker
Department: Parent & Infant Unit/ EPOS
AVAILABLE AT https://childhood-matters.ie/

Opening date for Applications: 28.05.2026
Closing Date for Applications:
Proposed Interview date(s): TBD
Location of Post: Childhood Matters, Blackrock and EPOS House Ballincollig

Role requirements

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 EPOS supports families where children under age 18 are on the edge of care or their care placement is at risk of breakdown.

The service engages with Tusla and professional networks to provide intensive support to children and their carers both in clinic and in the community. The service also provides emergency respite to a small number of young people.

Reporting Relationship: The Relief Family Support/ Social Care 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

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 child(ren)

Undertake assigned parenting development intervention to include group play, baby sensory work, parenting demonstration, psychoeducation 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 skillset 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.

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 wellbeing 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 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

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

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 trainings to the post

Tenure: The current vacancy available is a Relief post

Additional information

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.

Remuneration: €17.73 Per hour

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

Additional Benefits:

Staff parking

Who we are and why work with us

Why work with us

At Childhood Matters, clinicians are supported by peer consultation, ongoing professional development, and a caseload that respects sustainable practice. We invest in our people because we know that sustainable practice requires it.