Embarking on a career in enhanced residential care is about providing support to others while also assisting personal and professional growth. At Ashdale Care, we prioritise investing in our team members’ development to ensure they have the skills, knowledge and support they need to show up as their best self in their roles.
Join us as we share how Ashdale Care prioritises the professional development of our team members, empowering them to grow in their careers and make a meaningful impact on the lives of the children and young people we care for.
At Ashdale Care we put particular focus on making sure each of our team members has the opportunity to grow in their career. To do this, we offer a range of different programmes to assist in supporting the team in their roles.
Progression Pathway
The first way we offer support to our team is providing them with a clear progression pathway. This pathway is supported by excellent, consistent, internal and external training. We believe in home-grown talent, and we support our colleagues to progress within the organisation. This progression pathway is open and transparent and encourages those who want to grow and achieve to do just that, with opportunities to upskill and learn along the way.
Social Care Leader Programme
We believe in our people and we want to see them grow and evolve when they join the team. We encourage our staff to stay and grow with us. Taking part in our accelerated Social Care Leader Programme allows them to receive the training and mentoring necessary to make the next step up to a role as a Social Care Leader. This then forms the springboard for moving up through the organisation to the positions of Deputy Manager, Home Manager and Regional Manager. We have had many of our team grow in their roles at Ashdale Care including Jean, who joined us in 2010 as part of her student placement and is now part of the integral team at Ashdale Care.
Jeans Story – “I first joined Ashdale Care back in 2010 as part of a student placement. I initially found the role challenging but the endless support from my teammates and the satisfaction I received from my role made it impossible to leave!
Ashdale Care helped me discover my true potential in management. After working as a residential social care worker for three years I moved into the role of Senior Practitioner in 2013. Next came the appointment to Deputy Home Manager in 2013 and the exciting new opportunity of opening one of Ashdale Care’s new homes. Less than a year later I was back in the home where I first started out on my journey, this time in the capacity of Home Manager where I remained until 2019. This was followed by the appointment to Regional Manager in 2021. Ashdale Care places a strong emphasis on ‘your’ personal development, providing continued training and upskilling of our people. This has created the pathway for Ashdale Care becoming the leading provider of therapeutic residential care in Ireland.
Our vision is to try and reach as many children and young people as possible who need the specialised services and support that we offer.”
Continuous Learning at Ashdale Care
Ashdale Care is an organisation with training at our heart. We believe that a comprehensive training programme is essential to help our colleagues continue to grow and to ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge to help and support our young people. We invest heavily in our induction training in order to equip new staff with the necessary knowledge and skills as they start their career journey with us.
Our Training Delivered by the Therapeutic Support Team
Ashdale care provides regular internal and specialist training for all staff to enhance personal and organisational development. We uphold the core principles of a therapeutic model of practice through the provision of in-house developmental trauma training to promote a better understanding of why children and young people and ourselves behave and relate in the ways we do.
In conjunction with the TCI and CARE Programme, this in house developmental trauma delivered by our Therapeutic Support Team, contributes to an understanding of the presentation of the child and young person and how best to intervene or support children and young people with complex and psychological needs.
Children & Residential Experiences (CARE)
Creating Conditions for Change (CARE) is framework for practice, based on a valid theory of how children change and develop, it motivates both children and staff to adhere to routines, structures and processes, minimising the potential for interpersonal conflict. This framework for practice provides consistency in the message and approach with the children and harmony throughout the organisation.
Regular Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI)
Regular Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) is provided by our in-house certified TCI Trainers. The TCI training consists of a full five days when you first join Ashdale Care and is followed by a one-day refresher course on a six-monthly basis.
Mandatory Training
Mandatory Training is provided by Ashdale Care. Programmes include but not limited to; First Aid, Children First and Fire Safety. We also provide training in Safe Talk, Assist, Report Writing, Post Crisis Response and Medication Training.
External Opportunities
Education Assistance is offered to allow staff the opportunity to apply for financial support with Further Education Programmes that enable and encourage professional development.
As Ireland’s leading enhanced residential care agency, we are committed to supporting the professional development and growth of our team. By investing in comprehensive training programmes, mentorship and support, continuing education and career progression opportunities, Ashdale Care assists its team members to grow in their careers and make a positive difference in the lives of those they support.
If you would like to be part of a team that is committed to positively changing futures, get in touch today, we’d love to hear from you. https://www.ashdalecare.com/careers/