Child Care Assistant

Would you like to work for a great employer? Enable Ireland is an organisation that makes a real difference to the lives of children and adults with disabilities in Ireland, and is named as one of Ireland's Irish Independent 150 Best Employers 2025.

Enable Ireland, as an equal opportunities employer, proudly maintains a Silver Award in Diversity from the Irish Centre for Diversity. We vigorously advocate for fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion, and engagement, and are dedicated to ongoing enhancement in these areas.

We are currently seeking a highly-motivated Child Care Assistant to join our team in Kilkenny Children’s Services.

Contract Type: Short term and Permanent contracts available

Contract Hours: Part-time (20 hours per week)

Salary Scale: €34,382 - €41,607 pro rata per annum.
Salary scales are subject to LSI’s (Long Service Increments)

Annual Leave Entitlement: 30 pro rata per annum

This pay scale is subject to increases in 2026 in accordance with the recent WRC agreement towards enhanced pay adjustments in Section 39 organisations.

Overview of the Post

The person appointed will work in the specialised Preschool in Kilkenny. They will carry out a range of duties under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Child Care Worker and Multidisciplinary team to provide the highest standards of quality care to our service users. The Child Care Assistant will be responsible to the Services Manager, report to the Preschool Coordinator and be supervised by the Senior Child Care Worker.

Duties

Planning and Organising

- The Child Care Assistant will work as a member of the special Preschool team providing person centered services to children and their families within the Kilkenny area.

- The Child Care Assistant will, in consultation with the Senior Child Care Worker and the team work to deliver a high quality child care and education programme including play activities to promote and encourage the social, emotional and cognitive development which targets the individual needs of the children.

- Implement therapy programmers.

- Have direct responsibility for the care and hygiene standards within the preschool rooms.

- Ensure that equipment, toys and furniture must be maintained in good order; any breakages/damage must be reported to the line manager immediately.

- Record and report on a daily basis any contact messages, etc. to the line manager promptly.

- Act as bus escort in the transportation of children to/from home or to any other venue, as requested by the line manager and to also assist in the planning of daily activities/excursions.

- To take responsibility for the service users personal belongings, ensuring that they go home with them.

- Understands the importance of time management for themselves in particular by organising their assigned caseload effectively on a daily basis.

- Maintaining a disciplined and professional level of performance even under sustained or situational pressure.

- To provide challenging and enjoyable experiences, so that all children can grow and develop as competent learners within a loving and nurturing environment.

Service Delivery & Communication

- To work in partnership with service users, parents, families/carers and others, as appropriate, to address the needs of the service user.

- To maintain the person’s and family’s right to a relationship of mutual trust, privacy, confidentiality and responsible use of information, especially in regards to new GDPR regulations.

- Have the functional and technical knowledge and skills to make a meaningful contribution to the service.

- To be familiar and comply with health and safety procedures.

- Strive to achieve quality results at all levels of the service in line with the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), as adopted by Enable Ireland.

- Takes initiative to move the service forward and shows a willingness to try out new ideas under supervision that add service delivery value.

- Is committed to achieving evidence-based goals and the continuous improvement of the service.

- Shows evident enthusiasm and a high level of motivation in their work and in completing projects.

Professional Development and Standards in the Service

- Is adequately aware of policy, legislative and professional requirements to ensure appropriate standards in their area of responsibility.

- Ensures that all records and technical data are up to date and available, if required.

- Ensures strict compliance with health and safety standards.

- Ensures strict compliance with all of Enable Ireland’s policies and procedures.

Integrity & Decision Making

- Holds an appropriate and effective set of professional values and beliefs and behaves in line with professional standards as set down by Enable Ireland and relevant professional bodies.

- Ensure delivery of a quality service to each individual, providing personal assistance in all aspects of everyday living skills, carrying out any duties necessary to ensure the comfort and hygiene of the service users.

- Makes decisions in a well-judged and timely manner, bringing all relevant information to bear.

- Uses logical analysis to break complex problems into their component parts.

- Promotes and consistently supports the demonstration of evidence-based service delivery.

- Direct involvement in risk assessment and managing child protection in conjunction with the Designated Person.

Team Working

- Ensures that all interaction with service users is approached with dignity, respect, equality and incorporates choice.

- Forms strong working relationships across all areas of the service; built on a common understanding.

- Demonstrates a supportive and reciprocating work style, including strong empathy with service users.

- Communicates effectively with parents of service users, so as to provide a children and family-centered service.

- Attend and actively participate in any relevant team meetings.

- Participate in training and developmental opportunities, as identified and agreed, to the benefit of both themselves and the service. Support and contribute to research initiatives, as required.

This description is not restrictive and the post holder may be required to carry out other duties as requested by the Services Manager.

GDPR compliance, in the course of carrying out the duties of this job and working with others which will include but is not limited to compliance with all Enable Ireland GDPR policies and procedures, attending all GDPR training sessions, ensuring personal responsibility for implementing safeguards and measures as directed, to minimise exposure to breach of GDPR.

The successful candidate will have:

Essential Criteria:

- Hold a DYCA recognised Child Care qualification.

- Experience working with children with additional needs.

- Candidates must have current eligibility to work in the state.

Desirable Criteria:

- Experience of inter/multidisciplinary working Experience working with children with ASD Current First Aid Course.

- Demonstrates an awareness of services for people with disabilities in a community based setting.

- Experience in making decisions in consultation with team members.

- Current Back Care and Patient Handling.

If you feel you would fit the role then please submit your application today.

If you believe you would fit the role then please submit your application today.

Benefits

As a staff member of Enable Ireland, you will have access to a wide range of benefits, including:-

· Excellent internal and external training opportunities

· Generous annual leave entitlements

· Flexible Working

· Long service reward scheme

· Pay adjusted Maternity Leave

· Pay adjusted Adoptive Leave

· Pay adjusted Paternity Leave

· Wellbeing benefits

· Pension

For a full list of our benefits & conditions, please click here:

What now?

To apply, please download the Job Description and Person Specification for your information and complete the online application form. CVs will not be accepted.

Enable Ireland welcomes applications from candidates who will be eligible for Professional Registration in the coming months. In the event that candidates are considered for appointment pending their Professional Registration, they may initially be appointed to an assistant grade post.

Closing date for applications: Friday 6th February

A panel may be formed from this vacancy for any similar vacancies, which may arise during the next 12 months.

· The post will be subject to reference checks and may be subject to Garda vetting/police clearance, as relevant.

· Due to the large volume of applications, we are not in the position to provide individual feedback to applicants who are not shortlisted for interview.

· Applications are invited from suitably qualified applicants from all sections of the community.

· The above information serves only as a guide to the advertised position. Enable Ireland, at its discretion, reserves the right to change this prior to appointment.

· Please review Enable Ireland’s Rezoomo Privacy Policy here: https://enableireland.ie/resources/publications/rezoomo-privacy-policy

· Please review the Enable Ireland’s External Data Protection Notice available at https://www.enableireland.ie/privacy-policy for details on how Enable Ireland processes applicant’s personal information. Please note if you are invited for interview, we will share your personal data with:

1) Any virtual service provider we use to host the interview; and

2) the interview panel (if applicable). Your information will be stored for this purpose in line with our retention policy