Job Description
ABC Start Right Limerick Infant Mental Health and Well-Being Specialists x 2
Background:
The Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is jointly funded by the Department of Children &
Youth Affairs and Atlantic Philanthropies and is nationally managed by the Centre for Effective
Services (CES) and Pobal. The Programme aims to break the cycle of child poverty within areas
where it is most deeply entrenched and where children most experience disadvantage. There are 13
ABC Programmes nationally, of which the ABC Programme in Limerick City is one.
ABC Start Right Limerick is an early intervention and prevention initiative focusing on the ante-natal
to 6 years age-group in the city centre and north side of the city. The programme works to enhance
child development and well-being, provide capacity-building supports to parents, and tackle
educational disadvantage using evidence-informed approaches and interventions. The programme
works in partnership with multiple services and agencies to ensure that children and families in the
programme areas have access to integrated services.
At a local level, the ABC Programme is strategically managed by the Limerick Children and Young
Person’s Services Committee (CYPSC). An operational group consisting of representatives directly
involved in the implementation of programme activities, called the Project Management Committee
(PMC) provide operational management. The day-to-day programme staff and activities are
managed by the programme’s lead organisation, PAUL Partnership Limerick CLG. PAUL Partnership
promotes social inclusion in Limerick city and works with communities that have benefited least
from economic and social development.
The core element of ABC Start Right’s work is the development and implementation of a Community
Wraparound process to enable children in the ante-natal to 3 years age-group and their families,
access to integrated services with the ultimate aim of improved outcomes in health, social and
emotional behaviour. This model of service delivery is a shared, child-centred approach rather than
being expert-driven. In response to identified needs, the Community Wraparound team is now
expanding to include two Infant Mental Health and Well-Being Specialists.
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Overall Purpose of the Position(s):
As part of the Community Wraparound team, the Infant Mental Health and Well-Being Specialists
will build capacity in infant mental health among parents, practitioners and local services.
Main Duties:
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Parents
To develop and deliver training workshops/programmes for parents which:
Focus on the infant in the context of the parent-child relationship
Promote secure attachment and bonding between infant and parent(s)/caregiver, through
the encouragement of nurturing relationships
Encourage and supports parents to observe and interact meaningfully with their baby
Strengthen parental capacity to provide appropriate stimulation to encourage development
Teach problem-solving and decision-making skills
Enable parents to identify feelings and understand reactions, to understand emotional
regulation and to develop coping strategies and healthy patterns of interaction
Help parents to understand the need for social support and to connect to relevant
information and sources of support
2. Practitioners
 To develop and deliver a training programme for frontline practitioners, drawing from best
practice in infant mental and well-being promotion and up-skilling
 To provide mentoring and support specific to the promotion of infant mental health to local
practitioners
 To provide reflective IMH supervision and mentoring for relevant clinical, Early Years and
Family Support practitioners
3. Local Services
 To promote infant mental health and well-being across relevant statutory and community
services, in partnership with relevant partners (i.e. parent support services, Family Resource
Centres etc.)
 To develop thematic information literature for distribution across services
4. Community Wraparound (CW) Team
 To work in a collaborative, flexible and responsive way as part of the Community
Wraparound team
 To ensure that infant mental health and well-being is an embedded component of the CW
model
 To both provide and undertake up-skilling of CW team and partners, including clinical and
community partners
 To work collectively towards the full implementation, evaluation and mainstreaming of the
CW model
 To attend to any other reasonable duties/tasks in support of the aims of the ABC Programme
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Person Specification:
1. Knowledge and Qualifications
Essential:
 A professional postgraduate qualification in psychology, social work or directly related
field of study
 A specialist, validated qualification in Infant Mental Health
 Comprehensive understanding of child and family health and family support issues in
areas with high levels of social and economic disadvantage.
Desirable:
 Knowledge of agencies that have responsibility for child support and well-being in
Limerick and/or areas of socio-economic disadvantage
2. Experience
Essential:
 Proven experience working in an IMH or similar setting
 Minimum of 3 years working in a community setting
 Experience of delivering training
Desirable:
 Experience of multi-agency working
 Knowledge of parenting programmes
 Experience of developing materials for training and information purposes
3. Skills
Essential:
 Ability to adapt behaviour to suit context
 Able to respond quickly and effectively as required
 Ability to listen effectively
 Ability to communicate constructively
 Group facilitation skills
 Computer skills, including use of Microsoft Word, Excel, email systems and the use of
the internet as a research tool.
4. Attributes
Essential:
 Respectful of others
 Committed to continuous professional development
 Honest in dealings with others
 Hard-working and self-motivated
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Terms and Conditions:
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The posts are full-time (35 hours) for one year. However, flexible working
arrangements will be considered
The posts will be line managed by the ABC Programme Manager
The salary for each post is €53,465 pro rata
Closing date for applications is Wednesday, December 14th at 5pm
Candidates may be placed on a panel for future positions within PAUL
Queries should be directed to Maria O’Dwyer, ABC Programme Manager at
[email protected]
Completed application forms should be sent by e-mail only to PAUL Partnership to
[email protected]
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