SOLIS mmc Children�s Services Limited

							                                                       SOLIS mmc Children’s Services Limited

To All Applicants


RE: IMPORTANT INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE APPLICATION.


Thank you for your interest in employment with SOLIS mmc Children’s Services. We would like
to advise all applicants to carefully read the Job Description prior to completing the application
form. Completed application forms must reflect the job description and demonstrate that the
applicant meets the criteria in terms of minimum qualifications and experience. Please note that
the Garda Vetting Form must be fully completed and returned accompanying the Application.


Short-listed applicants should receive notification of their interview date within five working
days of the application closing date.


Please refer to the website for application form and Garda Vetting form:
                                        WWW.SOLISMMC.COM


All application forms should be returned to the Central Office:
                                 SOLIS mmc Children’s Services
                                        7B Messines Terrace,
                                            Pennyburn,
                                          Derry, BT48 7QZ


Or via email to:
                              catherine.mcgonagle@solismmc.com


We look forward to receiving your application.


Regards
SOLIS mmc Children’s Services
                                                   SOLIS mmc Children’s Services Limited




                                 JOB TITLE: UNIT MANAGER




THE ORGANISATION


SOLIS mmc Children’s Services, in partnership with Solis Trust, was established in 2005 and
provides responsive, quality services to children and families who are assessed as being in need.
We do so through the provision of a continuum of services that integrates emergency residential
respite, medium and long-term children’s residential homes and community based services.


MMC is committed to developing solution focused services for young people and families.




OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE


The Unit Manager will be responsible for a service aimed at meeting the needs of young people
within a residential setting. The post holder will be responsible for all aspects of the running of the
unit, including the safe and appropriate care of the young people, the support and supervision of
staff, the maintenance and upkeep of the premises and the budget for the unit.


The post holder will have an integral and active role, and will be present at the unit four days per
week as well as holding an on-call duty for additional support. They may have the support of the
Deputy Manager within whom the post holder may work in partnership with. They will delegate
the required tasks to the Deputy Manager or Team Leaders to ensure that the direct work with
young people is to the best quality standard.
                                  MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES


Organisational efficiency
   Have clear knowledge and understanding of the National Standards and the concomitant
    organisational policies and procedures, as well as all relevant legislation, having an awareness of
    how this translates to practice.
   Ensure that the staff team have clear knowledge and understanding of such standards, policies
    and procedures and legislation and an ability to implement and uphold this in order to promote
    best practice.
   The post holder will be responsible for ensuring a detailed induction process is completed by
    each employee and that the employee feels equipped with the relevant knowledge and
    understanding to commence the practical role within the unit.
   Develop a clear understanding of the organisations ethos and expectations concerning best
    practice and communicate this to the staff team.
   Contribute to the development of the organisational corporate plan; preparing an individualised
    corporate plan for the given unit and communicating this plan to the staff team, demonstrating
    how this will impact on practice.
   Attend management meetings and contribute to the formation of policies and procedures for
    MMC
   Keep abreast on all legislation and policies as well as child care theories and approaches in order
    to provide the best quality of support to the staff team and young people.
   Place quality service at the heart of all thinking and decision making within the unit. This means
    tackling the causes as well as the symptoms of problems or difficulties as they arise. It also calls
    for the post holder to take a plan-do-check approach to all aspects of the running of the unit.


Effectively working with young people
   At the referral stage, liaise closely with the referring social worker and ensure that all relevant
    information is sought on the young person prior to admission i.e. a referral form is completed
    and sent as well as the young person’s ICMP and Care Plan, when relevant.
   Conduct a risk assessment on young people prior to admission, ensuring that the unit can
    adequately meet the needs identified by the referring social worker.
   Arrange, when possible, a pre-admission visit for each young person, insisting that they are
    accompanied by the social worker or parents / carers. Facilitate this visit, introducing the young
    person to the unit, staff and other residents.
   Facilitate the initial contract meeting at the commencement of the placement, in conjunction
    with the identified key-worker.
   Establish and continuously develop positive developmental relationships with young people and
    provide staff with guidance and encouragement on how to further their professional
    relationships with young people.
   Ensure that all young people and their parents / carers, if appropriate, receive the agreed
    quality and quantity inputs.
   Provide a safe, caring environment for young people and ensure that the staff team reflects this.
   Ensure that the staff team is conducting appropriate assessments of need.
   Designate a key-worker to each young person, ensuring that the key-worker is fully adhering to
    the required duties and review this regularly.
   Develop a comprehensive and realistic placement plan based on the assessed needs in
    conjunction with the young person, the key worker, social worker and other relevant parties.
    Communicate this to all staff ensuring they are aware of how to practically implement the plan,
    perform allocated tasks and how to consistently adhere to this.
   Monitor the progression of the placement plan through discussion with staff, observation,
    feedback from professionals, interaction with the young person and through documentation
    such as daily logs, shift reports and monthly reports, which should clearly identify and address
    the placement plan.
   Review the placement plans regularly, providing the staff team with feedback on how it is
    practically progressing and give guidance and support on how to further implement.
   Advocate for the young person when necessary, liaising closely with the social workers and
    other relevant professionals.
   Attend all professional meetings with the young person, providing support, or attend on the
    young persons behalf.
   Ensure the staff team is applying a strengths-based approach; promoting young people’s self-
    esteem and independence.


Professional Competence
   Liaise closely with staff team, displaying effective communication skills and providing guidance,
    direction and encouragement to assist with the everyday running of the unit to met best
    practice standards.
   Liaise in a professional manner, with all relevant parties, including, parents/carers, social
    workers, teachers and psychologists, and promote a positive image of the organisation. Take
    responsibility for passing on significant information pertinent to the young person, with the
    urgency the information requires.
   Ensure that complaints, allegations, untoward incidents, disclosures and all other significant
    information is recorded effectively and managed promptly and professionally. The information
    should be forwarded accordingly, and the post holder must liaise with the relevant social
    workers, professionals, MMC Child Protection Officer and to the HSE Monitoring Officer,
    amongst others, to ensure the best standard of care and practice is provided to the young
    person.
   Ensure that all staff engage in professional and appropriate recording practices as outlined in
    the MMC policy and procedures.
   Uphold confidentiality at all times.
   Complete professional, practice-based supervision with all permanent staff on a monthly basis.
    Ensure that this is accurately recorded and that the supervisee fully participates. This
    supervision will be practice and learning based and the post holder will provide relevant
    literature for reading discussion.
   Participate in professional supervision with allocated line manager a minimum of once per
    month.
   Arrange team meetings on a fortnightly basis and chair these meetings accordingly or nominate
    an appropriate chair within the team. The post holder should also welcome an external chair to
    the meetings when necessary.
   Provide regular constructive feedback to the staff team on performance and progression,
    keeping them updated on changes linked to the unit and MMC.
   Participate and contribute to staff appraisals and performance reviews.
   Contribute to and partake in team building exercises when identified.
   Complete any essential training, identified by the line manager, to effectively comply with the
    responsibilities of the role.
   Continually reflect on own practice and performance and take action to develop.
   Be accountable for the staff team rota and ensure that adequate cover is provided daily, with
    the staff teams consisting of qualified, experienced staff.
   Ensure that all relevant paperwork and documentation are signed by staff and countersigned by
    Team Leaders daily. Verify these recordings weekly.
   Ensure consistency amongst the staff team in relation to practice and the daily routines of young
    people. Inconsistencies will be identified through recordings and observations and the post
    holder should address such inconsistencies.
   Regularly inspect the unit, certifying that the standard of cleanliness is upheld at all times, that
    medication is stored safely and that food hygiene is upheld.
   Monitor fire safety and delegating trained staff to undertake planned fire drills regularly.
   Demonstrate efficient budgeting skills and ensure that petty cash is accurately accounted for by
    the Team Leaders. Regularly evaluate petty cash, ensuring that quality is delivered within the
    finances available, and make recommendations to improve the petty cash system.
                                       ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


Hours of Work
The average working hours will be 40 per week, including agreed breaks. Travel time to the unit or
elsewhere will not be accounted for in these hours. The post holder is required to be present at the
unit a minimum of 4 days per week. The other working day will be spent in the designated office.
The post holder must remain flexible in these hours. The post holder must work in conjunction with
the Deputy Manager in order to ensure that adequate managerial cover is provided to the unit daily.


The post holder will provide an on-call system to the unit and to the organisation as an entirety, in
co-operation with other unit managers. There will be an additional allowance for this on-call duty
which will be distributed between the post holder and the Deputy Unit Manager, based on their on-
call allocation and at the post holder’s discretion. Should be post holder delegate the on-call duty to
any other staff member in extenuating circumstances, they must ensure that the staff member is
qualified and experienced to deal fully with this duty.


Holidays
The post holder will be entitled to 24 working days for holidays and additional working days are
allocated for bank holidays. This usually equates holiday entitlement to 33 days per year. All leave
must be submitted to line managers four weeks in advance for approval.


Training
Should the post holder be without mandatory qualification, training may be provided by MMC and
may include Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), First Aid, Children’s First or Fire Safety. Such
training will be required it in order for the post holder to effectively uphold the job duties and
responsibilities and perform to the best quality standard.
                                      JOB SPECIFICATION


                 Essential Criteria                            Desirable Criteria
                A professional qualification in child care,   A management qualification
                social work, youth work, teaching,
Qualification
                nursing, or another relevant comparable       Training / qualification in Leadership and
                discipline, which included supervised         team building
                professional practice placements.
                Minimum required – Degree in Social           Supervision training
                Care)
                                                              Training / Qualification in First Aid
                A full clean driving license and access to
                a car, with willingness to have business      Training in Therapeutic Crisis
                insurance. (Consideration will be given       Intervention (TCI)
                to candidates without a car who can
                propose alternative travel                    Qualification / Training in Children’s First
                arrangements.)

                A minimum of 5 years post qualified           Experience managing a residential
                experience in working with young              Children’s home or similar
Experience
                people with challenging behaviour. 3
                years of the experience must be in a          Experience at a strategic level within
                residential setting                           health and social care services

                Experience of competently leading a           Experience working with the Irish
                team effectively and successfully             Residential Care Standards

                Experience in delegating tasks                Experience working with young people
                                                              with mild / moderate learning needs
                Experience of supervising staff
                professionally                                Experience working with young people
                                                              from traveling communities

                                                              Experience / knowledge of working with
                                                              young people engaged with alcohol and
                                                              drugs

                Knowledge of relevant child care              Knowledge on self-harm and depression
                legislation and policy specific to Ireland    among young people
Knowledge
                Knowledge of child protection policies        Knowledge on attachment issues with
                and procedures                                young people

                Knowledge on effective theoretical            Knowledge on working with individuals
                approaches for working with young             with cultural diversity
                people

                Knowledge of leadership styles and
                approaches
               Knowledge of effective budgeting

               Motivated, committed, dedicated,
               loyalty and determination
Personal
Competencies   Supportive and empathetic

               Good time management skills

               Flexible

               Approachable, open and honest

               Aptitude for team work

               Excellent leadership skills

               Budgeting skills

               Self-awareness, flexibility, sensitivity,
               enthusiasm and creativity