Brothers of Charity
Southern Services


   


Southern Services - Social Work Department: Early Intervention

The six Early Intervention Clinics in Cork and Kerry deliver two core functions which provide the context to Social Work practice:-

- Assessment Diagnostic Teams of which Social Work is a component.
- Pre-school which provide Special Pre-School Services


In fulfilling the Social Work Role in Early Intervention various professional and multi-faceted roles are adopted by the Social Worker i.e:-

  • Assessment
    (a) An initial assessment at referral stage.
    (b) Participation in a multi-disciplinary assessment, post referral concluding with a decision as to whether the service will be engaging with the child and its family.
    (c) Ongoing family needs e.g. entitlements, information, support services, counselling
    (d) The family's needs at the pre-discharge stage.

  • Information Giving
    Such information covers a broad spectrum inclusive of entitlements, support services, respite and any locally based services that may be of help to their child and family, locating themselves at the interface between the Service and the Family.

  • Advocacy
    The Social Worker operates at the interface between the family and the professional services. Through their input with the family they are in an ideal position to ascertain the family's needs. The Social Worker liaises and advocates for those needs with the various appropriate sources of assistance whether financial, professional or otherwise.

  • Respite – Support
    Social Worker can engage with other agencies that are in a position to assist namely Fostering Departments in the relevant Health Board, the Carers Association and the Home Help Services, With regard to the Brothers of Charity Respite Services the Social Worker can communicate an individual family's need for respite to the appropriate personnel.

  • Counselling
    Since the majority of Social Worker time is spent working with parents the Social Worker is often best positioned to become aware of any counselling needs in a family.

    The Social Worker either engages in that counselling or having completed a satisfactory initial assessment of counselling needs will duly refer the party or parties requiring counselling onwards to the appropriate service.

  • Child Protection and Welfare
    The Social Worker has a leading role to play where child protection concerns exist. That involves completing an initial assessment, liaising with relevant professional parties and line management during it and then if necessary referring onwards to the Health Board.

    Within this context Social Workers often attend multi-disciplinary, inter-agency meetings in relation to the child in question. Such meetings have an assessment, planning and intervention focus. They can include Case Conferences, Child Care Reviews and Strategy Meetings..

  • Networking
    Effective networking is most central to the role of Social Work in Early Intervention. It is relevant to each family situation and indeed to each issue in relation to each family.

  • Group Work
    Sometimes a group can be facilitated by the Social Worker and at other times an inter-disciplinary co-facilitation arrangement is deemed appropriate. The Social Worker can at any time be operating in the following Social Work group contexts:-
    - Parent Workshops
    - Parent Information Group Sessions
    - Sibling Groups
    - Groups for Mothers
    - Groups for Fathers


    – Special Education
    – Adult Services
    – The Social Work Department

    Contact:
    The Head of Social Work Department
    Brothers of Charity (Southern Services)
    Lota
    Glanmire
    Co. Cork
    Phone (021) 4821012



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