Role: Addiction and Sexual Health Worker (Health Promotion Officer)
0.6 WTE
Who we are:
Childhood Matters is a not-for-profit organization aimed at improving developmental and life outcomes for children 0-18 years old. We also work directly with parents and foster carers to support and develop parenting in challenging contexts. As an organization we strive to positively impact the wider professional network we operate through external training, research and professional development opportunities.
We are committed to embedding an evidence-based culture of trauma-informed care and therapeutic practice and hold ourselves to high standards in all engagement with service users, colleagues and stakeholders alike. We are committed to research and evaluation and continually assessing the effectiveness of our service through independent research and partnership with third level institutions. We strive to be a positive place to work, providing staff with reflective practice, regular supervision and a training budget.
With current offices and services in Blackrock, Blackpool, Clonakilty and Farranree we employ 130 staff across all departments. We offer competitive salary packages as well as benefits including enhanced maternity leave; pension contribution scheme; health care plans; flexible working hours; internal and externally provided training opportunities, and competitive annual leave entitlement.
Job Title
Addiction & Sexual Health Worker– Estuary Way.
Department
Estuary Way
Applications considered Via
Please note, only completed application forms will be accepted.
Please forward your completed application form by post to: HR Department, Childhood Matters, Blackrock, Cork or email [email protected]
Opening date for Applications
04.08.2026
Closing Date for Applications
14.08.2026
Proposed Interview date(s)
TBD
Location of Post
Childhood Matters, Estuary Way, Mahon.
Working Pattern: 0.6 WTE (3 days)
Details of Services
Childhood Matters is a not-for-profit organisation that provides child and family services aimed at supporting positive childhood outcomes, developing parenting capacity, strengthening family resilience, and contributing to healthier, more sustainable communities.
· Parent and Infant Unit: Nationwide parenting capacity-building and assessment residential service for complex parents and infant situations where distinct child protection concerns.
· CHIPPS: CHIPPS is a specialist attachment-focused, trauma-informed mental health service for children and young people in care.
· Young Parents Support Programme: The Young Parents Support Programme (YPSP for short) is the only targeted community-based support service for young parents in Ireland.
· The Limetree Project: Therapeutic community-based family support and family contact project, in partnership with South Lee & West Cork Social Work Department to include out of hours service.
· Supervised Contact: Contact Service provides structured supports and interventions for children who are in the care of TUSLA to have contact with their parents, siblings and other family members.
· Placement Support Project: This project is aimed at stabilizing at-risk foster placements, and supporting family reunification through intensive multidisciplinary support over a 12-week period, and the provision of a stability roadmap specifically tailored to the family. Emergency place of safety respite is incorporated into this project. We are expanding this service into County Kerry and are recruiting for this MDT.
· Crèche & Preschool: Award-winning Community Crèche and Childcare facility to include afterschool programme with a current capacity of 124 children.
· Secondary School One Year Leaving Certificate programme in partnerships with Cork Education and Training Board, providing parents opportunity to advance education when using clinical family services
· Employment Support Service: Vocational training for long term unemployed individuals within therapeutic and trauma-informed environment.
· Estuary Way: A new trauma-informed supported accommodation service providing integrated housing and wraparound supports for young adults transitioning to independent living.
· Child Court Advocate: Independent advocacy and court accompaniment service supporting children and young people to navigate legal proceedings in a safe, child-centered, and trauma-informed manner.
Purpose of Role:
To provide harm-reduction-informed addiction support and sexual health promotion to residents, building protective knowledge, skills and access to specialist services.
Reporting Relationship
The successful candidate will report to the Service Manager
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide one-to-one support, brief interventions and care pathway navigation for residents experiencing substance use difficulties.
- Deliver age-appropriate group programmes on substance use, sexual health, consent and healthy relationships.
- Develop referral pathways with HSE addiction services, sexual health clinics and community organisations.
- Contribute to risk assessment, support planning and MDT reviews.
- Support staff training and policy development in addiction and sexual health.
- Maintain records and contribute to outcome measurement.
- Undertake such other duties as may reasonably be assigned, consistent with the grade and purpose of the post. This job description will be reviewed during the pilot phase as the service develops.
Person Specification – Essential
- Relevant qualification in addiction studies, health promotion, nursing, social care or related discipline.
- Experience delivering addiction or sexual health interventions with young people or marginalised groups.
- Knowledge of harm reduction approaches and local service pathways.
- Non-judgemental, engaging facilitation style.
Person Specification – Desirable
- Training in motivational interviewing, SAOR or CRAFT.
- Experience in homeless services.
Tenure : The current vacancy available is a permanent, Part-Time post 0.6WTE
Remuneration
The Salary scale for the whole time equivalent of this post is aligned to HSE Consolidated Pay Health Promotion Officer
Working Week
The standard working week applying to this post is: 22.5hrs
Annual Leave
Annual leave entitlement is 25 days pro rata
Probation
A probationary period of 6 months will apply
Additional Benefits
- Defined contribution pension scheme.
- Enhanced maternity and paternity benefit
- Additional Annual leave days
- Comprehensive annual CPD schedule
- Financial support for further education
Benefits:
- Bike to work scheme
- Company pension
- Employee assistance program
- On-site parking
- Private dental insurance
- Private medical insurance
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
