Inspection and Registration Manager, Early Years Inspectorate

Job Summary

The Child and Family Agency was established on 1 st 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 in excess of €800m and delivers its services through circa 5,000 people in 350 locations across the Country.

The Child and Family Agency has responsibility for the following range of services:

• Child Protection and Welfare
• Family Support
• Alternative Care
• Adoption
• Tusla Education Support Services (TESS)
• Domestic Sexual and Gender Based Violence (DSGBV)
• Children's Service Regulation
• Counselling and Therapeutic Supports

Further information is available on www.tusla.ie

Post Specific Service: About Tusla's Quality Assurance & Regulation Directorate

Tusla's Quality Assurance Directorate is concerned with promoting continuous improvement and effective risk management in services for children and families. It delivers its functions though the following functions:

Children's Services Regulation

Early Years' Inspectorate

The Early Years' Inspectorate is the independent statutory regulator of Early Years' Services and is responsible for registering and inspecting pre-schools, playgroups, crèches, day care, childminders, school age care and similar services. Its role is to promote the quality, safety and appropriate care of children by robust regulation of the sector.

Alternative Education Assessment

Children who are educated at home or who attend a non-recognised school (i.e. a school that is not funded by the Department of Educational and Skills) must be registered with Tusla by their parents/guardians. The registration process requires that an assessment or assessments be carried out to determine whether the child is receiving a certain minimum education and therefore can be placed on the statutory register of children educated outside of a recognised school. Children who are educated in an independent school setting can also be placed on the register where it is determined that the school is providing a minimum education to the pupils who are enrolled there.

Alternative Care Regulation

The team monitors and reports on alternative care settings for children who cannot live with their families. The service is responsible currently for the registration and inspection of non-statutory residential care settings for young people, as well as the monitoring and audit of non-statutory foster care providers.

Child Safeguarding Statement Compliance Unit (CSSCU)

The CSSCU has a national centralised function for the receipt and processing of referrals and notifications of failure to furnish Tusla with a copy of a relevant agency's safeguarding statement made under Article 12(1) of the Children First Act 2015. The office is also responsible for appropriately supporting relevant agencies to achieve compliance under section 12 (1) - (5) of the legislation.

The Enforcement Department manages the National Registration Enforcement Panel (NREP), a quasi-judicial body for law enforcement and regulatory investigations within Tusla's Children's Services Regulation. It addresses concerns about services, Garda vetting, prosecutions, and the suitable person's panel, applying proportionate actions guided by safeguarding, compliance promotion, transparency, and accountability principles.

Regulatory Practice Development

The Regulatory Practice Development Team is responsible for a range of functions to provide support to Children's Services Regulation. There are five distinct functions which are; management and analysis of data and business process design and re-design, implementation and maintenance of the Quality Management system across Children's Services Regulation, co-ordination and delivery of Learning and Development, provision of expert advice and guidance on matters relating to children attending early years services and management of Children's Services Regulation communications which includes the website and the publication of inspection reports.

Other functions within Tusla's Quality Assurance Directorate :

Service Experience, Governance and Risk Systems

Service Experience and Feedback

Part 9 of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 governs complaints procedures and reviews, complainants' rights, referral to the Ombudsman, and annual report requirements. "Tell Us" is Tusla's policy governing feedback and complaints. The team is responsible for managing Tell Us, including training other Tusla staff nationwide, collecting metrics, channelling complaints and feedback, and dealing with individual complaints. The team is also involved in encouraging participation of children and listening to the voice of the child in Tusla and Tusla-funded

Risk and Incident Management

The team is responsible for the corporate risk register, and all aspects of risk and incident management systems within the Agency. The team aims to ensure Tusla is aware of the nature of its risks, their status and how they are being managed.

Practice Assurance and Performance Systems

Performance Reporting and Information

The Performance Reporting and Information team collates analyses and reports on quality and risk data relevant to the child and services. It identifies trends and performance data to support accountability and transparency, inform policy development and legislative reform, to demonstrate where standards and targets are being met, and identify risk and support decision-making at all levels of the organisation.

Quality Assurance and Monitoring

The team monitors and reports on service delivery against standards, regulations and legislative requirements, and seeks to ensure that service improvement activity takes place in response to reviews. The post holder will have accountability and responsibility for the effective planning, design, implementation and delivery of Tusla regulatory inspections and assessments. Tusla is the statutory regulator of the early year's sector, child safeguarding statement compliance and alternative care and education settings.

Job Objectives

• Manage the statutory inspections of Early Years Inspectorate in their operational area.
• Manage the investigation of complaints received in respect of all registered Early Years Services in collaboration with the registration office.
• Monitor performance and attainment of performance indicators in their operational area against benchmarks set by the National Office.
• Work closely with the National Inspection Manager and Early Years management team, Inspectors and others as appropriate.
• Liaise as appropriate with the NGO (Non-Government Organisations) sector, service providers and the other statutory bodies in relation to service improvement.
• Line management of Early Years Inspection Team.
• Oversee the planning of Inspection Schedules.
• Lead, motivate, support and supervise teams of inspectors to deliver high quality inspections that promote the safeguarding and well-being of children.
• Ensure quality assurance processes are in place that support the delivery and implementation of an effective inspection service.
• Manage external relationships with other regulatory bodies and key stakeholders
• Provide editorial oversight, guidance and advice to inspectors regarding the production of Inspection Reports and ensure all reports are prepared to the highest standards for public dissemination.
• Ensure compliance with all relative HR policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Take a lead role in the implementation of all policy, procedures and Standard Operating Procedures as agreed by the National Office.
• Assist the Senior Management Team and the Early Years Management team within the Early Years Inspectorate in the programme of service improvement of the National Early Years Inspection Services
• Convene regional interagency meetings to identify impediments at local and regional levels to the effective and efficient progress of the inspection service.
• Ensure and maintain all data collection as a basis for driving high quality statistics and database.
• Monitor and evaluate service provision.
• Be responsible for the overall management and performance of work activity within the designated Early Years' service area in keeping with good professional practice and subject to agreed policy directives and priorities.
• Ensure the implementation of current and evolving legislation, policies and procedures, guidelines, protocols and standardised operation procedures.
• Provide professional leadership in the delivery of a high quality service.
• Ensure anti-discriminatory practice and cultural competence, at individual and service levels.
• Ensure the provision of appropriate professional supervision to all relevant staff in your area.
• Avail of appropriate supervision to ensure own on-going competency to supervise other staff.

Education and Training

• 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.
• Oversee the provision of a framework for the promotion of staff development and training by making recommendations with regard to the on-going education, mentoring, training and in-service needs of Early Years Inspectors.

Management

• Report and advise on staffing needs as well as Plan for and manage recruitment activity and vacant roles.
• Ensure the Early Years' service complies with relevant early years inspectorate SOPS and other policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Contribute to the development of policies, procedures and guidelines in relation to the Early Years' Service, engaging staff as appropriate.
• Oversee the Implementation of all agreed policies and procedures in their operational area.
• Participate in and contribute to service planning and development.
• Provide service delivery reports as required
• Ensure that there are appropriate systems in place to gather relevant information.
• Take appropriate responsibility for all aspects of the regulatory framework, including registration, compliance and enforcement as required.
• Ensure compliance with a high standard of documentation, including service user files in accordance with local guidelines and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and Data Protection Act.
• Oversee service user and data confidentiality.
• Collaborate with the National Inspection Managers Early Years Services and the Head of Inspection and Assessment in the developing the role of the Inspection Registration Manager and the team e.g. through planning, audit, production of standards, continuing education, quality improvement initiatives and research.
• Any other duties that may be assigned to him/her by the National Inspection Managers, Early Years Services or designated Manager.
• Ensure designated team complies with HR policies as appropriate.

Finance

• To assist in ensuring expenditure is controlled within budget and identify potential for savings through improved practice and innovation.

Health & Safety

• Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.
• Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the service for example National Standards for Child Protection and Care and comply with associated Tusla - Child and Family Agency protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
• To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Skills Requirement

Applicants must by the closing date of application have the following:

• A relevant professional qualification which can include, but not limited to, psychology, social care, education, social work, nursing or other relevant qualifications at level 8 or above.

• At least three years' experience in a management role, with demonstrable decision making in a health or social care service; regulatory or other setting relevant to the post advertised.

Or

• At least five years' post qualification experience in a regulatory setting relevant to the post advertised.

• Able and authorised to drive and have access to your own transport.

• Experience, understanding and knowledge of inter-agency, cross sectoral and multidisciplinary working.

• Have the requisite knowledge for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.

Health

A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.