The Child and Family Agency was established on 1st January 2014 and is responsible for a range of statutory functions including provision of child protection, alternative care, specified regulatory services and a range of family support services. The Agency has commenced a major improvement programme with significant focus on Practice, Culture and Structure.
The Agency currently has responsibility for a budget of circa €1.2billion and delivers its services through over 5,500 people in 259 locations across the Country.
The Child and Family Agency has responsibility for the following range of services:
* Child Protection and Welfare
* Parenting, Family Support and Early Help Services
* Alternative Care
* Birth Information & Tracing and Adoption
* Tusla Education Support Services (TESS)
* Children's Service Regulation
* Counselling and Therapeutic Supports
Further information is available on
Purpose of role:
The Assessment, Consultation and Therapy Service (ACTS) is a multidisciplinary clinical service within Tusla – Child and Family Agency with the remit of supporting young people who are at severe risk of harm and at risk of placement in special care or detention.
ACTS work in collaboration with other agencies to address the risk of harm leading to referral, using a practice framework informed by Adaptive Mentalization-Based Integrative Treatment (AMBIT). This means that ACTS teams work to integrate systems of support, including supporting key relationships in young people's lives, while also working therapeutically directly with young people. ACTS work toward therapeutic goals as defined and monitored with young people and the networks of family and professionals involved in their lives.
ACTS teams operate at regional level, accepting referrals through social work services within each region. Services are provided through regional Tusla Therapy structures managed by Regional Therapy Managers and overseen by Clinical Team Managers. Clinical governance is provided across all ACTS MDTs through nationally integrated management and supervision structures.
The purpose of the post includes provision of a psychology service to young people who are placed in secure care under Special Care Orders due to concerns for their safety and wellbeing. The work also includes support to at-risk young people within Tusla, who are at high risk of harm within the community, including those who are at risk of placement in special care or detention. Psychology services are delivered as part of the ACTS multidisciplinary team structure based in Palmerstown.
The Senior Psychologist on the team is responsible for the organisation and delivery of the psychology service to the young people and their families in line with Tusla policies and within established professional standards, guidelines and policy.
The Senior Psychologist also works as part of a national ACTS psychology department that includes all psychologists working nationally within ACTS teams. The department functions as a service and practice development forum for ACTS psychology services, under the management of the ACTS Principal Psychologist.