Job Title: Family Liaison Officer (FLO), Permanent Contract covering North Dublin (odd postcodes) and Kildare
Department: Family Liaison Team
Salary: €40,000 per annum
Reports to: CEO
Nature: Full-time 35 hour per week
Location: Hybrid working from our National Resource Centre, Clondalkin and from home.
Date: March 2025
Purpose of job
The role of the Family Liaison Officer is to ensure that anyone affected by spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus in the North Dublin (odd postcodes) and Kildare regions is fully supported and can gain access to all necessary assistance.
The Family Liaison Officers at SBHI fulfil their roles through a combination of face-to-face meetings, email correspondence, social media interaction, phone support, and in facilitating meetings and events where appropriate.
The role demands experience and professional training to deliver the best service possible and to ensure that those interacting with SBHI receive life-enhancing support on a whole-life basis.
Key tasks
· To provide personal contact and support to persons affected by Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, and their families, who reside in the region where you are designated to work.
· To facilitate and implement a person-centred service, appropriate to the needs and requirements of your clients.
· To refer clients to the appropriate clinical, medical, para-medical, social, employment, and local authority services as needed.
· To ensure clients are afforded dignity, respect, and due care and attention in an atmosphere of confidentiality and equality and respecting the right of the client to make choices for themselves.
· To promote the concept of independent living and personal assistance to clients, and to encourage them to participate in opportunities for employment and education, suitable for their needs.
· To promote the organisation of respite services and care as appropriate.
· To assist SBHI from time to time with its various projects in and outside your designated region including seminars, training, workshops, Family weekend, grant applications, and the provision of cover of the other Family Liaison Officers when they cannot attend to a client due to leave, illness, or high workload.
· To network and advocate on behalf of your clients with others, including the CEO, Manager, other SBHI employees and volunteers, service provides, and Government departments and agencies as appropriate.
· To develop and maintain good productive working relationships with the relevant staff (and management where necessary) in all the maternity hospitals in your region and attend the Spina Bifida clinic in Temple St. on a quarterly basis.
· To help local SBHI Branches as appropriate.
· To assist the Family Liaison Team & Management to understand the issues you are facing and the caseload you are dealing with via meetings, the provision of reports, the use of e-mail and other office technology, and is providing a high standard of service to its clients.
· To help promote a positive image and reputation for SBHI National Resource Centre among Donors, Members and their families, the NEC, State departments and agencies, and the public–at-large.
Skills, experience, and personal qualities
· A relevant third-level qualification in social care, nursing, education, disability, social work, outreach, or equivalent.
· Experience of working in, or a significant commitment to working in, the charity sector.
· Good planning and organisational skills.
· To be proficient in report writing and record keeping in the context of supporting service users.
· Excellent interpersonal skills, warm and encouraging telephone manner.
· To be polite, clear, and considerate in all communication.
· To be punctual.
· To be proficient in the use of standard office software including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Outlook.
· To be able to use a smartphone and appropriate social media apps proficiently.
· To prioritise work in an efficient manner and ability to work on own initiative.
