Donegal group Spraoi agus Spórt are seeking a Childcare Lead (Manager).
Location: Inishowen
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, 52 weeks (flexibility can be given)
Criteria: Level 8 Childcare (minimum Level 7) and 5 years’ experience in a managerial role within a childcare setting.
Salary: Excellent salary in line with experience.
Responsible To: CEO
Responsible For: Childcare services in Spraoi agus Spórt
Closing Date: 29th February 2024, please email your CV to hr@spraoiagussport.ie
The Childcare Lead (Manager) means a worker who is the primary designated person in charge of the service who carries out the day-to-day management duties and responsibilities for the service. The Lead (Manager) may also work directly with children in addition to their day-to-day managerial duties and responsibilities.
ERO Definition (September 2024)
Job Purpose
This is a role of full responsibility and accountability delivering and supporting the operation of the childcare and breakfast club/afterschool businesses. The Childcare Lead will deliver and be responsible for supporting childcare staff to deliver a high-quality childcare and breakfast club/afterschool service. The Childcare Lead will ensure that all good practice standards are met in the delivery of childcare and breakfast club/afterschool.
The childcare practice in the full day care and breakfast club/afterschool should be regularly reviewed and evaluated to ensure high quality standards are continuously developed and maintained.
The Childcare Lead will be responsible for supporting the Spraoi agus Spórt management team in the efficient financial management and operations of the Childcare service. This role may also require the Childcare Lead to liaise with the local Childcare Committee Tusla-The Child & Family Agency and other relevant organisations.
Key Responsibilities:
Overall Duties
- Deliver childcare and breakfast club/afterschool in one location and support staff in the other locations to deliver childcare and breakfast club/afterschool care.
- To report to the CEO.
- Be responsible, for recruitment, management, training, motivation, and performance of all staff.
- Ensure a dynamic emergent curriculum is delivered to meet the individual needs of children attending with a focus on outdoor play and activities.
- Monitor and ensure that all agreed quality and safety standards are maintained always.
- Monitor day-to-day financial transactions, budgets, maintain income and expenditure, carry out banking duties, petty cash, supply a monthly budget update to the CEO.
- Monitor all child protection issues; parents’ issues; complaints, near-misses, incidents, and accidents to ensure that any necessary remedial action is taken immediately. Ensure all issues and actions are recorded. Report Child Protection concerns to the Tulsa Social Work Team using the Children First Guidelines.
- Carry out the role as the Tusla Designated Person in Charge and Designated Child Protection Person for the service.
- Develop the service to its full potential ensuring that all opportunities in sourcing additional funding are enabled and applications completed in a timely manner.
- Keep up to date on matters relating to childcare and educations generally, i.e., media/emails, networking etc.
- Uphold, implement, and regularly review all policies and procedures of the service in partnership with the staff team.
- Administer the Department of Children Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Childcare Funding programmes so that the service is compliant with all funding obligations.
- Establish, develop, and maintain professional working relationships with all external agencies, including TUSLA, the Early Intervention Team, DCCC and Pobal.
- Review and monitor occupancy levels, to ensure they are maintained to maximum capacity levels in line with service ethos and objectives and to ensure financial sustainability.
- To ensure the building(s) is maintained to a high level of hygiene.
- To be the Designated First Aid Person.
- To be the Fire Safety Person.
- To be available to the Inspector if an inspection takes place and to ensure all appropriate information is supplied during an inspection.
Operational
- Deliver childcare and breakfast club/afterschool in one location and support staff in the other locations to deliver childcare and breakfast club/afterschool care.
- Ensure the ongoing successful management and financial viability of the full day care and breakfast club/afterschool business is maintained.
- Ensure that the full day care and breakfast club/afterschool services operate at full capacity.
- Efficiently manage the registration of all new children and waiting lists in line with the ‘Admissions’ Policy and Procedure.
- Ensure that all locations are maintained to the required standards and that any maintenance work is completed in a timely manner.
- Ensure that accurate and up-to-date records for all aspects of the business are kept, and easily retrieved, as per the necessity to the running of the full day and afterschool services in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991 [Early Years Services] Regulations 2016 and [School Age Services] Regulations 2018, the Child Care Act 1991, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, 2011 and the Department of Health and Children ‘Our Duty to Care’.
Financial Responsibilities
- Operate the company within the given financial budget.
- Be fully conversant with the childcare business concerning maximising effectiveness of funding received and ensuring equitable fee income.
- Completion of all aspects of grant applications including compilation of all details for same.
- Completion and management of Core Funding, NCS and CCSP.
- Completion and management of funding systems.
- To have a sound knowledge and understanding of various funding schemes and conduct or organise any necessary training for staff as required.
- Monitor general cost and spending and look for cost savings methods of operation.
- Ensure parental fees are paid and implement credit control procedures for non-payment of fees as required.
- Provide business planning for the company and appropriate projections.
- Ensure that the company is delivering a service in line with requirements under contract to DCEDIY/Pobal.
Childcare Practice
- Work with childcare staff as required in reviewing and evaluating the curriculum for each room within the service ensuring that the activities and programmes are linked to Aistear, the National Curriculum and Síolta, the National Quality Framework.
- Ensure that the curriculum and activities carried out suitably meet the developmental needs of the children.
- Ensure the curriculum is age and stage appropriate and promotes the children’s’ development within the in-door and outdoor environment.
- Ensure that all practice is child-centred and responsive to the individual needs of children.
- Have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of equality issues and different customs, cultures, and family structures and to ensure that equality and diversity is recognised and celebrated through the curriculum.
- Ensure regular developmental observations are appropriately carried out by the services on all children and recorded correctly.
- Ensure that developmental programmes for each child are implemented based on the observations in each of the rooms.
- Ensure that observations are used to develop individual learning plans for each child and to ensure that the unique need of each child is reflected in the curriculum programme.
- Conduct and advise on child development evaluations/assessments as may be required.
- Ensure that an appropriate care plan is developed and implemented for children with special needs. To ensure that appropriate Individual Learning Plans are developed to meet the needs of children with special needs.
- Develop quality improvement strategies within the service to enhance the quality of experiences for all children and staff.
- Ensure that all elements of the work are delivered within the remit of the Child Care Act 1991 [Early Years Services] Regulations 2016, and [School Age Services] Regulations 2018, Síolta, the National Quality Framework, Aistear, the National Curriculum, and the National Standards for Preschool Services and any other legal or best practice standards.
Child Protection
- Ensure that all staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to child protection concerns in the full day care service and the breakfast club/afterschool and that they act appropriately if they have a child protection concern and understand the child protection policy and procedure.
Working in Partnership with Parents
- To promote the service by giving a good professional image to parents and visitors.
- To meet parents, when necessary.
- To ensure staff members greet and meet parents in an appropriate manner.
- Build relationships with parents and ensure all staff engage and communicate with parents.
- Ensure an effective communication system with parents/guardians is maintained and to carry out any viewing and induction meetings with parents as may be required.
- Ensure regular parent/carer meetings are held.
- Organise and manage parent and information evenings/events.
- To ensure feedback is given to parents in a constructive and encouraging manner.
- Ensure that parent/carer meetings and ‘moving room/transition’ meetings take place at regular intervals.
- Organise and manage seasonal and family/social events.
Staff Management
- Develop, deliver, and maintain a ‘Best Practice’ culture as outlined in Síolta, Aistear
- Maintain the staffing requirements as set out in the Child Care Act 1991 [Early Years Services] Regulations, 2016 and [School Age Services] Regulations 2018
- Act as a positive role model and provide leadership to the staff in relation to all elements of childcare practice so that they can effectively fulfil their roles within the full day and the breakfast club/afterschool services.
- Ensure that staff have the right attitude and are motivated in their work.
- Ensure that quality standards are maintained in relation to the professionalism of staff as set out in the standards established.
- Effectively manage their staff, including recruitment of staff, staff induction and orientation, staff training, development, staff support, and supervision as required.
- Monitor staff performance, attendance and punctuality and maintain records of same as part of Personnel files as required.
- Manage, support, and supervise Childcare Students on placement through the year in conjunction with relevant Staff. This will include completion of garda vetting, induction, monitoring student’s performance, feedback to students and the college and completing reports as required.
- Manage all staffing issues including grievance and discipline issues and to conduct such matters in line with the ‘Grievance’ and ‘Disciplinary’ Policies and Procedures
- Identify staff training needs and sourcing of training opportunities.
- Ensure that all staff adhere to contract obligations, duties outlined in Job Descriptions and compliance with Terms and Conditions as laid out in the Employee Handbook, including all Policies and Procedures of the full day care and breakfast club/afterschool services.
- Arrange regular staff meetings, providing an agenda, recording meeting notes and circulate same for staff on with staff and hold on file.
- Manage a detailed staff rota system, including adequate cover for breaks and leave.
- Work in harmony as part of a full team and liaise with staff in the delivery of all services within the full day care service and breakfast club/afterschool.
- Ensure that all staff have up-to-date mandatory training as appropriate to the position, First Aid, Fire Safety, Food Hygiene, Manual Handling, Child Protection and HACCP.
Administration
- Record any incidents or accidents.
- Record any fees paid.
- Record any visitors or phone calls.
- Maintain up to date necessary records in compliance with the most recent legislation and guidance.
- Monitor staff attendance.
Health & Safety
- To be responsible for the health, safety, and well-being of the children.
- Complete risk assessments, for daily activities, outings, activities, resources and equipment.
- Ensure that a high standard of cleanliness, health and safety is maintained in line with relevant legislation in each building.
- Ensure that the building is in excellent condition always in compliance with the Child Care Act [Early Years Services] Regulations 2016 and [School Age Services] Regulations 2018, the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 2005, and in line with all Policies and Procedures of the full day care service and the breakfast club/afterschool.
- Manage Fire Safety procedures for all locations as set out by the Fire Safety Act 1997 and Child Care Act 1991 [Early Years Services] 2016 and [School Age Services] Regulations 2018.
Training
- To attend and participate in training (e.g., First Aid, Manual Handling) as required.
- To encourage other staff members to participate in training or staff meetings.
Meeting and Reporting Responsibilities
- Present progress reports (Operational, Human Resources, and Finances) to the CEO/Board of Directors when requested or required.
- Ensure accurate records of meetings with staff are kept and to ensure staff follow through on same.
- Ensure that regular planning and progress meetings are held with staff.
- Organise and facilitate regular management meetings and to ensure that minutes are recorded.
Policy Development
- To keep abreast of all policy issues and new developments within the sector.
- To ensure that services are supported with maintaining overall compliance for Tusla – Child and Family Agency Early Years Inspections, Pobal inspection and any other relevant agencies inspections always.
- To ensure that the full day care service and the breakfast club/afterschool meets all its obligations as stipulated in the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
- Maintaining a Health and Safety Statement for the buildings
- To ensure that all policies and procedures [childcare, employment, financial and health and safety] of the full day care service and breakfast club/afterschool services are implemented and updated as required.
- To ensure that the Childcare Policies and Procedures for the Centre are reviewed and updated as required.
Marketing
- To ensure maintenance and promotion of social media – Facebook, Twitter for services carried out.
- To maintain and promote the website if and as required.
Communication
- To represent the service in a positive way at events
- To liaise with external agencies/ personnel as appropriate (PHN, special needs organisations, national voluntary agencies etc.) as required.
- To engage in networking as a business development strategy.
- To communicate with all relevant personnel, frequently, in a straightforward, accurate and professional manner.
Confidentiality
- To keep confidentiality in line with the Confidentiality Policy and Procedure of the service and the Data Protection Acts 1988-2018.
- The person appointed to this job shall not during the period of employment or at any time after the termination of employment disclose any confidential information in respect of the employer or information relating to the work, children, parents, or staff participating or working in the service.
Other Related Duties
- To be knowledgeable of all policies and procedures and ensure the staff team follow them.
- To do a site walk morning and evenings [as well as other times during the day, time permitting] to ensure both inside and outside of the building are in perfect order and children and staff are safe.
- To take on other responsibilities as reasonably requested by the CEO/Board of Directors.
- To support and assist with Multi-Activity Camp delivery during school holidays.
- To introduce, support and deliver where necessary afterschool activities such as Lego, Arts and Crafts, Chess etc.
This job description may be reviewed, updated and/or amended from time to time in line with the needs of the service and as required by the Board of Spraoi agus Spórt.
Closing Date: 29th February 2024, please email your CV to hr@spraoiagussport.ie
Spraoi agus Spórt is an equal opportunities employer.
