Oasis Childcare Centre Freshford

JOB TITLE: Early Years Practitioner

LOCATION: Oasis Childcare Centre, Tobernapeastia, Freshford, Co Kilkenny

MAIN JOB PURPOSE

To provide quality early childhood care and education to children.
To, guide, observe, stimulate, and supervise children in a safe and caring environment.
To work in close co-operation with the Manager and the other team members
To act as a key worker to specified children.
Ensure the safety, security and well-being of all children in your care.
To assist in the planning and implementation of an age-appropriate stimulating Programme of activities which will enhance the child’s natural growth and development.
To ensure all quality and safety standards are always maintained in the service.

Care and well-being

To be attentive to the children in your care
To deal with issues as they arise in relation to the well-being of children.
To communicate to children at their level
To use positive strategies in supporting children through challenging behaviour
To maintain a safe sleep environment, where appropriate
To provide personal care if necessary (nappy changing, nose cleaning, toileting, washing)
To carry out planned and unplanned observations using the observation system and materials
To report any concern, you might have about the welfare of a child to the Designated Liaison Person for Child Protection

Parents

To greet parent and child in a friendly positive and courteous manner.
To liaise with parents who are the prime carers of the children to keep them informed of the children’s progress and well-being.
To record information/messages from parents, as appropriate
To prepare for and attend parent/teacher meetings out-of hours, if necessary
To refer any complaints from parents to the manager.

Food

To prepare and serve food to children.
To encourage good eating habits and personal hygiene
To encourage self-feeding where appropriate
To use mealtime as a social occasion, enjoyable time with the children

Curriculum/Activities

To participate and assist in the planning and implementation of a curriculum underpinned by Aistear, the national curriculum framework.
To support children’s emergent interests
To introduce children to the play equipment based on their individual needs.
To provide opportunities for self-directed play

Health and Safety

To report any safety hazards/risks to Management immediately
To refrain from engaging in any activity that poses a risk to you, other members of staff or children.
To have a good knowledge of fire and safety procedures within the Service
To maintain a safe, clean, and healthy environment
To keep your workspace clean and hygienic
To participate in cleaning duties as required
To use equipment/machines according to Management instructions
To maintain a safe and clean outside environment (to carry out an outdoors risk assessment)
To maintain a good appearance with attention to uniform, hair, make-up and jewellery in accordance with the terms and conditions as outlined in the Contract of Employment

Administration

To maintain appropriate records and documents in compliance with the Child Care 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. Records may include the child’s progress, recording observations, accidents records, medicine records etc.

Member of Staff Team Responsibilities

To be a member of the childcare team engaging with the other members of staff working in the in the service.
To work in close co-operation with the Room Leader, Manager and other staff members.
To ensure that you respect the rights of children in your care.
To work as part of a team, fostering good working relationships within the team
To have a neat and tidy appearance, wearing the uniform provided and adhering to the dress code.

Communication

To communicate frequently with the team members/ manager/ and parents as appropriate
To communicate in a straightforward, accurate, and professional manner and not to engage in unnecessary social conversations when working and supervising children.

Flexibility

To be flexible in regarding working in the different children’s rooms

Training and Meetings

To undertake first aid training, fire safety and manual handling, food handling courses, as required
Undertake training if requested by your Manager.
To attend and participate at meetings as required.

Other Duties

To be familiar with all policies and procedures of the service and implement them.
To train student workers and to assist new staff with induction.
To adhere to the Child Care 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, and all other relevant legislation and Regulations.
To ensure all quality and safety standards are always maintained in the Service in accordance with Síolta, the National Quality Framework for early Childhood Education.

Job title: Room Leader

Location: Oasis Childcare Centre,

Tobernapeastia, Freshford, Co Kilkenny

Accountable to: Management

Main Job Purpose:

To be the room leader in the room and to take responsibility for ensuring high quality and best practice standards are maintained in the designated room and in the service generally. This is a key supervisory position of accountability. This role involves close co-operation with the Manager and the Childcare Practitioners in relation to the overall delivery of the service provided by the Service. The post-holder should also understand the links between the service and the various activities provided by the Centre as part of the overall Centre management.

Overall Duties:

To report to the Manager
To act as a positive role model and lead the staff team in the room in the delivery of a Programme of the highest standard and in accordance with Aistear and Siolta both indoors and outdoors.
To, guide, observe, stimulate, and supervise children in a safe and caring environment as part of the childcare team.
To act, if required as a key worker to specified children
Ensure the safety, security and well-being of all children in your care.
To adhere to the Child Care 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, the Child Care Act 1991, and all other relevant legislation and Regulations.
To adhere to good practice guidelines in relation to Aistear, Siolta, and policy documents
Ensure the safety, security and well-being of all children in your care.
To ensure all quality and safety standards are maintained in the Service at all times with specific responsibility for your designated room
To be knowledgeable of all policies and procedures and to follow them accordingly.

Staff

Provide direction and support to the other childcare practitioners in your room.
To ensure the staff: child ratios are compliant with the most current Early Years Regulations at all times.
To monitor and supervise the practice of practitioners in the room.
Give constructive formal and informal feedback to staff regularly based on your observations in the room (one to one meetings, room meetings)
To report any issues in relation of staff members to the Service Manager
To manage room rosters in conjunction with the Service Manager, as may be required.
To be responsible for supporting students in your room under the direction of the Service Manager.
To encourage staff and support the Service Manager to maintain a good working atmosphere in the Creche.

Member of Staff Team Responsibilities

To be a member of the childcare team engaging with the other team members and fostering good relations
To ensure that you respect the rights of the children in the care of the service.
To present a professional appearance and adhere to the dress code.

Management/Administration

To be the contact point for all information related to your room.
To ensure Room Registers are completed, up-to-date and amended when a change occurs.
To be fully versed in all issues relating to the room (children, staff, parents)
To be the main decision maker in the room and take appropriate actions and to communicate to the childcare practitioners and Service Manager in line with your responsibility as Room Leader.
To be responsible for the completion of all paperwork in the designated room
To do a daily check that the room team have completed all records appropriately and to sign-off on observations, accident/incident report forms, information forms for parents etc.
To maintain up to date necessary records in compliance with the most recent Childcare Pre-school Services Regulations, role book, accident report book, when necessary.
To monitor staff attendance in your room and ensure weekly attendance sheet is filled in
Ensure that observations are linked to the Aistear themes and back into the individual development plan for each child.
To ensure the implementation of policies in accordance with the policies of the Service and in accordance with the Preschool Regulations.
To ensure that students are supported and directed within the room as agreed with the Service Manager
To ensure that all new staff are inducted as directed by the Service Manager

Health and Safety

To be responsible for the health, safety, and well-being of the children
To carry out a scheduled risk assessment of the designated room and outdoor area as may be required.
To bring any possible hazards or risks to the attention of the Service Manager
To refrain from engaging in any activity that poses a risk to you, other members of staff or children.
To have a good thorough knowledge of fire and safety procedures within the Creche
To ensure the room team maintain a safe, clean and healthy environment
To keep your workspace clean and hygienic
To participate in cleaning duties as required
To use equipment/machines according to Management instructions
To maintain a safe and clean outside environment To maintain a good appearance with attention to uniform, hair, make-up and jewelry in accordance with the terms and conditions as outlined in the Contract of Employment and/or Policies and Procedures

Curriculum/Activities

To design and implement a stimulating Programme underpinned by the Aistear curriculum and in accordance with Siolta.
To plan and implement developmentally appropriate learning activities for children with regard to their age and stage of development.
To ensure that opportunities are provided for children to learn in an holistic way at group and individual levels
To ensure that the Programme is inclusive and supports equality and diversity.
To introduce children to play equipment based on their individual needs.
To provide opportunities for self-directed play
To ensure that observations are carried out by all team members in the room recorded and linked to Aistear themes.
To ensure that observations are used to create individual children’s development plans.
To ensure that all members of the team are linking Aistear themes to the curriculum, art displays and other areas as appropriate.

Care of Children

To ensure the protection of children in accordance with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2011.
To be attentive to the children in your care
To deal with issues as they arise in relation to the wellbeing of children.
To report to the Service Manager and to ensure that the staff team are encouraged to report any child protection concerns.
To communicate to children at their level
To provide personal care if necessary (nose cleaning, toileting, washing)

Parents

To promote the service by giving a good professional image to parents and visitors.
To liaise with parents to keep them informed of the children’s progress and well being.
To ensure staff members in your room greet and meet parents in an appropriate manner.
To ensure that all parents receive formal and informal feedback regularly by all staff members.
To ensure feedback is given to parents in a constructive and encouraging manner.
To prepare for and attend parent meetings out of hours, if necessary

Training and Meetings

To undertake first aid training, fire safety and manual handling, Child protection courses, as required.
Undertake training if requested by the Service Manager and/or the Centre.
To attend and participate in meetings as required.
To encourage other staff members to participate in training or staff meetings.

Flexibility

To be flexible in relation to undertaking the tasks of the Room Leader position.

Communication

To communicate with all relevant personnel, frequently, in a straightforward, accurate and professional manner and not to engage in unnecessary social conversations when working and supervising children.
To communicate frequently with the team members and parents as appropriate

Confidentiality

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 centre.

Other Duties

To take on other responsibilities as reasonably requested by the Service Manager and/or as may be required by the Centre Management.

These job descriptions may be reviewed, updated and/or amended from time to time in line with the needs of the Service and as required by the Management.

Contract Duration: Permanent from July/August 2023

How to Apply: Email CV & Cover Letter to Cliona Woodford at [email protected]

Closing Date for Applications: Open

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