Welcome to Pathways Ireland

Hello and Welcome

Welcome to Pathways Ireland where we take steps towards a better future and brighter outcomes for our young people and their families.

Pathways Ireland is a children’s residential service provider based in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. We offer medium to long-term residential placements, outreach and family support services in four locations in counties Carlow, Kildare, Meath and Offaly. Our qualified and trained management and staff teams endeavour to provide young people them with the highest quality support and care. Young people are encouraged and facilitated to achieve their optimal personal goals in crucial areas, including education and training, socialisation and the development of positive relationships, life skills and competent independence.

Our Therapeutic Model of Care

Our model of care is trauma informed, which includes current research and interventions that are key to understanding the complexity of developmental trauma.

We recognise that helping children to overcome developmental trauma is an integral part of the work we do.

We apply the following foundational strategies to inform our practice. Through the application of these strategies and supports we strive to help children build on their strengths, to overcome their experiences and difficulties of their formative years, and find healthier ways of building resilience, self worth, wellbeing & healthy relationships.

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Our History

Pathways Ireland was established in 2013 and currently have residential centres in Carlow, Kildare, Meath and Offaly. Our service works in direct partnership with the Child and Family Agency, (Tusla) to implement individualised care packages for young people and their families. The service is run by a Board of Directors, Service Director, Service/Compliance Manager, Social Care Managers/Deputy, Social Care Leaders and a highly trained and experienced team of Social Care Workers. Pathways Ireland continues to grow, and plans are already in place to increase the number of services we can offer in the coming years.

Our Mission

Our mission at Pathways Ireland is to deliver the highest standards of individualised medium to long-term residential care to young people by providing:

  • A place of safety in a warm, caring and nurturing environment in a domestic and homely setting.
  • Contact with family, friends and significant others as deemed appropriate for the best interests of the young people in our care.
  • Support for the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of the young people in our care.
  • Educational and training supports and opportunities for the young people in our care.
  • Support and access to the resources necessary for young people to attain agreed placement goals and objectives.
It is our objective to achieve these aims by ensuring that care and support is delivered by well-trained, supported and supervised management and staff teams who act in accordance with evidence based best practice, which is underpinned by a verified, outcomes-based model of care in a manner that ensures each young person’s safety and wellbeing, and enables them to access the supports and interventions necessary to successfully address the identified aims of their placement in our service.

Our Staff Teams

We regard our management and staff teams as our most important and valuable resource. Pathways Ireland are committed to the professional development of all members of our care teams. We ensure that each team member receives regular training, supervision and support with all aspects of their role as social care managers, team leaders and social care workers.

As part of our induction programme all new employees receive training in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, Fire Safety, Manual Handling, Child Protection and Medication Administration. Further training is provided on Key Working, Drugs Awareness, Communication Skills, Report Writing, Supervision and Data Protection to support employees to develop a full range of professional skills. Centre specific training is also provided to the care teams depending on the needs of the young people. Recent training provided includes working from an attachment perspective and supporting young people who have experienced extensive trauma.

At Pathways, we strive to empower our team members to develop the skills necessary to engage in positive self-care strategies. We provide a range of support services, including peer support, regular supervision and team debriefs as well as our employee assistance programme.

Pathway's Policies and Procedures

The work undertaken by the care teams in each of our centres is informed by the Pathway’s Policies and Procedures for Children’s Residential Centres. This document was developed in full consultation with the centres’ management and staff teams and any of the young people who accepted the invitation to be involved in the process. The policies and procedures reflect the rights, responsibilities and obligations imposed on residential centres by legislation, national standards, and local, national and international childcare policies.

The policies are designed to be practical, accessible and user-friendly. We update our policies regularly to ensure that our work with young people reflects the most recent research developments in best practice and changes to national and international childcare legislation.

Work is due to commence shortly on the review of the Pathway’s policies and procedures. A copy of the completed version is always available to young people and their families and to placing social workers. Copies of the policies and procedures may be made available to others on request.

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Pathway’s Safeguarding Statement

Pathways Ireland is fully committed to the safeguarding and protection of all young people in their care to the best of their ability and as far as is practical. Pathways Ireland recognises and promotes that all children have equal rights to protection from harm. Pathways corporate managers, centre managers, social care worker and the designated liaison person are held equally responsible and accountable for supporting the protection of children and young people. Pathways Ireland as an organisation, understands and works within their duty of care to all children and young people with whom they are in contact. The safeguarding of all children and young people permeates all aspects of direct and indirect work with children and young people and is so reflected in all the centres policies, procedures, and training.

The goal of Pathways Ireland’s Child Safeguarding Statement is to ensure the protection of children and young people from physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, exploitation, or any form of abuse and to offer support and guidance to children and young people who may have experienced historical abuse. All suspicions, concerns, knowledge or allegations of current or historical abuse will be responded to sensitively, respectfully, actively and in a timely manner. All actions on child safeguarding are taken in the best interests of the child or young person, and will, without hesitation be referred to the statutory bodies, The Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) and An Garda Síochána.

Pathways Ireland Safeguarding Statements are available upon request.

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Pathways Ireland Governance Structure

Governance Structure in Pathways Ireland
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Useful Links

Useful Links

Our Children’s Residential Centres

Our Centres

Pathways Ireland Kildare
Kildare

Pathways Ireland Kildare

Pathways Ireland Kildare was opened in 2013 the centre has occupancy for three young people on a medium to long term basis. The urban location of the centre makes it particularly suitable for those young people who have begun their preparations for leaving care to engage in greater levels of independence and development of these skills while still having the support of a fully qualified staff team.

The centre is a safe, homely and well-maintained environment for young people and is comprised of four en-suite bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen/dining area and a comfortable, tastefully decorated sitting room. The sitting room has double doors leading to a well-sized rear garden where the young people are encouraged to enjoy outdoor activities, including the recent development of their own vegetable patch. Space is provided within the centre for young people to have visits from friends, family members or social workers that is private and will not disrupt the rest of the centre.

The young people in the centre have access to Wi-Fi, and a comprehensive variety of Sky television programmes, including Sky Sports. Young people have full access to a landline telephone, which may be used to phone family, friends and social workers etc. Pathways Irelands activity co-ordinator develops plans with the young person which aim to increase learning and development opportunities for young people by encouraging and supporting them to engage in activities in the centre and their local communities.

Pathways Ireland Offaly
Offaly

Pathways Ireland Offaly

Pathways Ireland Offaly is a large detached house located in a small townland approximately 6kms from Portarlington and Mountmellick. The centre is a fifteen-minute drive to the M7 motorway and the large town of Portlaoise, which gives quick and easy access to a wide range of shops, schools and other educational and recreational amenities.

The centre can accommodate up to four young people on a medium to long-term basis. The centre sits on one acre and includes four en-suite bedrooms for residents, two sitting rooms, a large dining room, conservatory, kitchen and separate laundry room. There are spacious gardens to the front and rear of the centre, including a designated recreational area and a fruit and vegetable garden.

The young people in the centre have access to Wi-Fi, and a comprehensive variety of Sky television programmes, including Sky Sports. Young people have full access to a landline telephone, which may be used to phone family, friends and social workers etc.

Pathways Ireland Meath
Meath

Pathways Ireland Meath

Pathways Ireland Meath has been in operation since 2015 and offers placements for up to four young people in a medium to long term centre. The centre provides a domestic, residential setting in a spacious detached house on the outskirts of a large rural town. Each of the young people in has their own private, en-suite bedroom. Young people have full access to the kitchen, lounge/dining area, and to a comfortable sitting room that provides a private and confidential setting for various meetings. There is a WC and staff offices located on the ground floor, and four bedrooms, additional storage space and a bathroom with shower, whb and wc situated on the first floor of the centre.

The young people have access to sizeable, safe, secure and well maintained front and back gardens, and a sufficient number of house cars are available for staff to deliver and collect young people to and from a wide range of recreational amenities located approximately fifteen minutes from the centre.

The young people in the centre have access to Wi-Fi, and a comprehensive variety of Sky television programmes, including Sky Sports. Young people have full access to a landline telephone, which may be used to phone family, friends and social workers etc.

Pathways Ireland Kildare
Kildare

Pathways Ireland Kildare

Pathways Ireland is a modern, bright, spacious detached property in a semi-urban setting. The centre is a well-lit, heated and ventilated property possessing well- proportioned and spacious living areas with excellent natural light. The centre comprises of five spacious en-suite bedrooms and one single bedroom, a fully equipped kitchen/dining room to high domestic standards, large living room and expansive sunroom overlooking well maintained gardens and scenic views of the Wicklow Hills. There are spacious garden areas surrounding the centre with ample room affording the young people space to engage in outdoor activities, play areas, and gardening should they wish. Space is provided within the centre for young people to have visits from friends, family members or social workers that are private and undisturbed from the rest of the centre. There is a short driveway leading to the centre with ample parking areas surrounding the centre and a separate double garage.

Pathways Ireland Laois
Laois

Pathways Ireland Laois

Pathways Ireland Laois is a large, detached house, that compromises of five bedrooms. The Centre is a short drive from the M7 Motorway which allows for easy accessibility to local amenities such as shops, schools and recreational activities. The Centre is a safe and homely environment that can accommodate up to three young people on a medium to long-term basis. The Centre includes a large sitting room, an open plan kitchen and dining room, separate laundry room. There is a very spacious garden to the front and the rear for designated recreational uses. The young people in the Centre have access to Wi-Fi, and a comprehensive variety of Sky television programme. The young people have access to a unit phone to maintain relationships with family, friends and significant people in the young person life.

Pathways Ireland Kildare
Kildare

Pathways Ireland Kildare

Sona House is a Children’s Residential Centre (CRC) and is situated on the grounds of The Willows, Newbridge, Co.Kildare. The centre is an attached annexe with a separate entrance, parking and two outside spaces and was constructed in 1989. Sona House is a single occupancy centre that cares for one young person for a medium to long term duration.

Sona House has a warm and loving environment with a care team who are dedicated and work from the highest professional standard. Sona House has the added convenience of being situated in an urban area with ample resources surrounding it. The quiet environment that surrounds Sona House is ideal for any young person that requires a calm and nurturing home to support them in flourishing and developing in their lives.

Our Team

Who’s Who in HQ?

Fiona Hennessy

Service Director
Fiona is responsible for overseeing the care delivered to all the young people placed in Pathways Ireland residential Services. Fiona provides governance and oversight in the centres by completing announced and unannounced audits, supervising the Manager and ensuring all Pathways Ireland employees and services are adhering to their regulatory and legislative requirements and to all local and national policies, procedures and protocols. Fiona was appointed Service Director in May 2017 and has supervised the care delivered to all the young people placed in Pathways Ireland’s three centres and has successfully provided exceptional placements for children and young people referred by the National Placement Team. Fiona’s academical background is in Social Care and Psychotherapy and is currently undertaking an MBA. Fiona has worked in Social Care for over a decade and a proven track record of providing successful placements for young people and children.

Keith Beattie

Development Manager
Keith is responsible for scheduling and delegating tasks required to successfully complete Pathways Irelands initiatives. Keith works with senior management and centre management teams to establish project milestones and work to complete projects effectively. Keith undertakes an integral role in policy development, training development and is the company’s SAM’s and Manual Handling Trainer.

Sinead Whiteley

HR Administrator
Sinead has worked in Human Resources for the past nine years. In her previous role she was part of a four-person HR team within an international company which employed over 600 staff. Sinead joined Pathways Ireland in February 2015. Sinead’s main responsibilities are to maintain and enhance Pathways Irelands recruitment process and maintain the work structure by updating job requirements and job descriptions for all positions. Sinead ensures planning, monitoring, and appraisal of employee work results, whilst ensuring all personnel files and records are up to date. Sinead is the Data Protection Officer for Pathways Ireland and manages day to day duties in our head office.

Michelle Byrne

Compliance Officer
Michelle is Compliance Officer and has been employed with the company since 2014. Prior to Michelle taking on her current role she was a Centre Manager within the service and has worked in residential services for a decade. Michelle is responsible for ensuring the environment is conducive to young people with challenging behaviour to make progress towards their eventual discharge, ensuring that programmes are properly evaluated, that other appropriate agencies are involved and to ensure that all plans and statutory recording documents are maintained to a high standard. In addition to the Service Directors, Michelle is also responsible for ensuring that centres are compliant with all local and national policies and procedures.

Stephen O’Donnell

Activity and Training Co-ordinator
Stephen comes from a Psychology & Counselling background and has worked in the field for over 18 years firstly with Youth Justice and from there into the Social Care setting. Stephen has been with Pathways Ireland for the last five years and previously held roles as both Social Care Team Leader and Deputy Social Care Manager. Stephen currently holds the position of “Training and Activities Co-Ordinator” for Pathways Ireland and is responsible for ensuring that all team members within the organisation have completed the necessary training to ensure that the highest level of care is being provided to the young people in our care. Stephen also works closely with each of the organisation’s centres to plan and co-ordinate activities.

Clodagh McCabe

Service Manager
Clodagh McCabe is the Service Manager and comes to Pathways Ireland with extensive experience in the social care sector. Clodagh’s career in private children’s residential services spans over twelve years in various roles and her academic background is Social Care and Leadership. Clodagh provides governance and oversight in all our centres, completes compliance visits and issues a compliance report every month for all our children’s residential centres. Clodagh ensures all Pathways Ireland employees and services are adhering to their regulatory and legislative requirements and to all local and national policies, procedures and protocols.

T E A M

Careers

Careers

If you are interested in working in a supportive, well-structed social care environment that offers competitive rates of pay, annual leave and extensive training and career opportunities, we would like to hear from you! Send your CV to: Sinead Shiel or give Sinead a call on: 045 461711

We also welcome applications from 2nd and 3rd year students, who are studying the BA in Applied Social Care, who wish to join us for their final placement.


Download Application Form




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