Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in CARI volunteer Child Forensic Accompaniment Officer role. This document is to provide some additional information on the role and training of a Forensic Accompaniment Officer with CARI.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job purpose

The post holder will provide on call support through a forensic examination

Main duties and responsibilities

All volunteers will be expected to undertake on call support and be able to attend the Unit within the determined time of the Clinical Manager.

To engage with children, young people and their families/carers taking into account their needs, background, rights and current circumstances.

To contribute to the support worker on call rota, providing initial support through the examination process.

To participate in case conference review when required. To participate in regular supervision.

To participate in and promote the development of the service according to policies, protocols and guidelines as stated by the Management.

To work as part of a team of forensic physicians, paediatricians, counsellors, crisis workers and support workers in the delivery of high standards of service.

To liaise with the multidisciplinary team in the provision of support services.

To follow Child Protection Policies and Procedures.

This role requires the post holder to work in partnership with criminal justice agencies; children and families, forensic physicians and designated and named child protection professionals and requires highly developed communication and mediation skills.

The post holder will be required to provide support and communication to children and families/carers. To prioritize, assess, plan, evaluate and deliver all relevant aspects of care to an agreed and expected high standard, work closely with the multi-disciplinary team and contribute to the clinical governance process.

BASIC PROCESS OF AN ACCOMPANIMENT OFFICER WHEN CALLED TO UNIT

The hospital is contacted and arranges an appointment for a child to attend the unit for a forensic examination. The forensic nurse on call will contact the Accompaniment Officer, who is rostered.

The Accompaniment Officer will make their way to the unit and there they will support the child and family. When the family leaves the unit, the Accompaniment Officer is then finished their shift. Accompaniment Officer is debriefed by a CARI care worker, at an arranged time and also will receive monthly Clinical Supervision, which is mandatory and must be attended.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Event / Date / Location
Open night / To be decided / To be decided
Interviews / To be decided / To be decided
Training first weekend / Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th January / Merlin Park Hospital
Training second weekend / Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd January / Merlin Park Hospital

Please note that attendance to both weekends training is mandatory.

Candidates will be informed if they are successful in their application after the training has been completed.The training is part of the recruitment process.

TIME COMMITMENTS

The Galway unit is a 24-hour service.

Shifts are as follows: AM – 9am-5pm & PM – 5pm-9am

Successful candidates will be asked to offer a minimum of 4 shifts a month. This means that you are on call for that time, however you will only be called into the unit if there is a child scheduled for a forensic exam. Candidates will be given a 3 month blank rota whereby you will choose which shifts you would like to be on call for.

If you are still interested, please forward your C.V. and we will be in contact in due course regarding the Open Night. The Open Night, interviews and training will all take place in the Merlin Park Hospital.

Kind regards.