The Professionally Qualified Social Worker will:
• Provide a direct point of access for the local community and offer initial and holistic social
assessment and intervention to children, youths, families and groups.
• Provide an initial assessment service to the care group and to develop referral procedures with
other social work networked services.
• Identify service users' individual and collective needs in partnership with them and co-create
early interventions and/or social action strategies to meet those needs.
• Manage and prioritise a caseload appropriate to the post.
• Provide supportive counselling, emotional and practical support, and information to service
users and their families.
• Adopt a holistic approach aimed at enhancing the quality of life, health and social well-being of
all persons within the service area.
• Promote independence, self-reliance, self-determination and empowerment with persons in
their environment, with families and local groups.
• Make it possible for service users to advocate for their own needs, or where appropriate
advocate on behalf of service users.
• Plan, deliver and engage in systemic interventions as appropriate with children, youth and
families, groups, organisations and communities.
• Participate and take leadership in community needs assessment and ongoing community
involvement including initiating and participating in prevention and health promotion
activities.
• Deliver social work service in collaboration with other disciplines / agencies as required, in
appropriate settings reflecting the needs of the service user.
• Assess where social conditions are a major factor in health and social wellbeing, consult and
plan with the service user/ relevant team/ service and arrange appropriate social services for
those who need them.
• Monitor and evaluate outcomes of person-centered care plans for individual service users.
• Actively participate as a member of the relevant team/ service in team building and change
management initiatives.
• Attend case conferences, meetings and other relevant fora as required.
• Attend court, tribunals etc as required.
• Work within current legislation, relevant policies and procedures, guidelines and protocols as
laid down by the employer.
• Incorporate Social Work values and ethical principles in planning, developing, implementing
and reviewing interventions.
• Implement models of best practice / evidence based practice.
• Work within a key worker / case worker system, providing a co-ordinating role for case
management where appropriate.
• Take direction from his / her line manager.
• Take an active role in an appropriate level of planned professional supervision, in accordance
with the local/ national Supervision Policy.
• Promote a culture that values diversity and respect in the workplace.
• Keep the Team Leader fully informed and up-to-date on all significant matters.
Education & Training
The Professionally Qualified Social Worker will:
• Maintain standards of practice and levels of professional knowledge by participating in
continuous professional development initiatives and attendance at courses as appropriate.
• Engage in career and professional development planning in collaboration with the Social Work
Team Leader / Principal Social Worker.
• Keep up to date with advances in Social Work research, and ongoing review and evaluation of
literature relevant to the assigned area.
• Keep abreast of developments in national policies and strategies and international best
practice.
• Keep up to date with organisational developments within the Irish Health Service.
• Act as a resource by participating in the induction, education and training of Social Work
colleagues, other health professionals and service user groups as required.
• Participate in the practice education of student Social Workers.
• Support and train other staff in accordance with professional standards as appropriate.
• Foster an understanding of the role and contribution of social work by providing professional
consultation and education to other members of the service.