Social Care Worker/ Autism Practitioner

In Gheel, we focus on supporting individuals with autism through their life journey and enabling them to have fulfilling life experiences, while having autonomy and control over their choices and decisions. Gheel Autism Services provides a wide range of services for adults with autism including day and vocational opportunities, outreach support, and a variety of supported living options. Across our services we consider how each person thinks, learns, and processes information to develop a personalised plan of support. Considering individuals strengths and motivations, we enable people to obtain outcomes that are meaningful to them. Our committed practitioners receive regular training and they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to enable each individual to have positive and meaningful life experiences. All staff are involved in changing the culture of supporting people into a more inclusive, independence-focused style of support – where people are encouraged to be partners in, not recipients of their service delivery.

Benefits

• Access to Educational Support Scheme
• Company pension with company contribution (including income protection and death-in-service benefits)
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Paid Maternity & Paternity Leave (dependant on service)
• Up to 27 days of Annual leave
• Bike to Work scheme
• Training and development (CPD)
• Option to join the Health Service credit union

Social Care Worker/ Autism Practitioner – Residential Services, 1.00 WTE, Specified Purpose Contract – Co. Kildare

This residential service, in North Kildare, currently is based just outside Maynooth town Centre. Our Service Users attend here for community based residential supports. These are busy homes with individuals supported enjoying a mixture of home and community-based activities. As the ideal candidate you will be proactive and imaginative when it comes to service provision. Excellent report writing skills, experience, and the ability to work on your own initiative as well as a part of a team are a must.

Staff must have the awareness and skillset to support those who experience sensory differences, therefore, enabling them to maximise their experiences both within their own home and the community. Staff are required to promote the wellbeing of all those supported, across all locations ensuring that they achieve a high quality of life while working under HIQA guidelines and standards.

Practitioners will be expected to produce, implement and evaluate practical resources and strategies to support a person with Autism’s communication and thinking, alongside assessment documentation for social, healthcare and personal development. Staff will also maintain a comprehensive understanding of the working file/support plan and supporting tools ensuring that details collated are of value and then utilised to support and develop progress plans.

The Support Workers will in conjunction with the work of the Practitioners assist in the development of independent living skills, education and employment possibilities and social and leisure groups.

Applicants must have full, clean driving licence. The successful candidate will be expected to work across Monday to Sunday and will be expected to attend monthly meetings and training additional to this.

Essential Qualifications for Social Care Worker/ Autism Practitioner post:

• Level 7 award in Social Care/Studies delivered by an Institute of Technology, DIT or National University of Ireland
Or/
• A relevant qualification received outside the State recognised by NARIC as equivalent to the Irish Level 7 award.
Or/
• Relevant third level qualification at degree level i.e. social work, psychology, and/or allied health.
Or/
• Post-graduate qualification in Autism Studies

Essential Criteria for this post:

• Experience of supporting individuals with a diagnosis of ASD and knowledge of Autism
• At least one-year recent experience in the social care sector
• Access to own vehicle for personal use and a full, clean drivers licence (Manual)
• You must be eligible for CORU registration.
• Excellent organisational skills
• IT Proficiency
• A thorough understanding of the HIQA regulations and other related regulations for the area

Desirable Criteria for this post:

• Excellent communication & engagement skills
• Possess an ability to recognise potential and opportunities for development with individuals supported in the area, providing the guidance and supports required to work towards this goal which are tailored to the individual’s needs.
• Ability to promote and enhance individuals independence development
• Experience of case management

The individuals supported in the area are seeking support staff with the following skills:

• A person who can support with my activities and routines
• Help learning new things
• Assistance with personal care
• Someone who can have fun
• Someone who is patient, kind and caring
• Someone who is interested in lots of things like music, baking, and crafts and will help me find new things to do also

Salary Scale:

• Successful candidates will be paid in line with the Gheel Autism Services CLG Social Care Worker pay scale point 1; €35,216 – point 12 (LSI); €50,954 per annum - annual increments are included.
• There are 27 days annual leave/210.6 hours per annum.

To apply for this position please submit your cover letter and up to date CV. Please ensure to detail support role title (eg relief) and needs/Diagnosis of persons supported under experience detailed in CV (eg Autism).

Applicants will be shortlisted for interview based on the evidence and criteria outlined in their C.V.

The closing date for receipt of all completed applications Wednesday, 6th of November 2024 at 5pm. Late applications will not be accepted, and Garda Vetting is a requirement of the recruitment process. Interviews will take place shortly thereafter.

A panel may be formed from which future vacancies may be filled.