The Organisation

Sensational Kids is a social enterprise and charity dedicated to making vital therapy services accessible and affordable for children with additional needs across Ireland.

Our mission is to ensure that no child is left waiting for life-changing therapeutic support. We believe every child should have the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of financial or geographical barriers.

Sensational Kids supports children with additional needs, including those children who are autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic or have Downs syndrome, ADHD, sensory processing differences or developmental delays that might require additional support or accommodations at home or at school. We identify and support developmental differences at a young age allowing a child to truly realise their potential in all environments.

Sensational Kids operates four provincial child development centres across Ireland, offering subsidised occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, psychological assessments and play therapy in counties Kildare, Mayo, Cork and Monaghan.

Sensational Kids also operates play, develop and learn store, an online learning platform and also fundraises, with all proceeds helping to fund therapy services for children.

Sensational Kids is currently embarking on its most ambitious project to date, to build a 17,000 square feet National Child Development Centre on a greenfield site in Kildare Town.

 

The Role

Sensational Kids is seeking a voluntary Vice Chair of The Clinical Governance Committee with experience in the Clinical Governance Sector

The Clinical Governance Subcommittee is an advisory Subcommittee reporting to the Board of Directors but may consider issues on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or clinical and operational staff.

The purpose of the Subcommittee is to provide advice to the Board, Chief Executive Officer and or clinical and operational staff on issues relating to clinical risk management, clinical effectiveness, child and family centred services, continuous improvement of service and scope of practice for Sensational Kids CLG.

 

The Subcommittee will demonstrate a solution-orientated, proactive role in advising on clinical issues and encourage best practice and innovation.

Clinical Governance is a tool to support clinical staff in Sensational Kids CLG to deliver quality services and ensure children and families receive quality services.  Sensational Kids CLG aims to differentiate the service from other private providers with a demonstrable and robust clinical governance framework.

 

Subcommittee Scope and Functions

In performing this role, the Subcommittee will;

• Develop a clinical governance strategy and annual plan for approval by the board.
• Provide guidance to the Board and CEO regarding issues related to its’ purpose including but not limited to; adverse event reporting, quality and risk management and presence of adequate systems and processes across Sensational Kids CLG services.
• Report to the Board on issues of clinical governance and activity of the subcommittee as
• Provide guidance to the Board and CEO regarding use of evidence based or evidence informed practice, research and development of practice, measurement of outcomes and the development clinical audit tools.
• Provide guidance to the Board and CEO regarding programmes for improvement of clinical skills and services, adherence to professional standards and training and development opportunities for clinical staff.
• Provide guidance to the Board and CEO to assist standardising practices and pathways of care.
• To make recommendation relating to flow of patients through the service; transfers of care and joint care and general service delivery across the Sensational Kids sites.
• Provide guidance to the Board and CEO in order to establish robust clinical governance framework adapted to the needs of the business.
• Provide guidance to the Board and the CEO relating to documentation and practices required to operationalise good clinical governance structures.
• Assist the Board and the CEO in the review of clinical incidents and act in an advisory capacity to ensure systematic improvements in clinical practice identified as a result of clinical incident review are
• Develop and maintain a clinical risk register to ensure oversight of known clinical risks to the organisation, monitor risk controls and advise on the implementation of risk
• Make recommendations regarding the implementation of quality improvement initiatives
• To recommend to the Board on the level of compliance with national healthcare standards as part of the national declaration requirements.
• Make the clinical governance documentation publicly available for the assurance of funders, donors, volunteers, service users and other stakeholders thereby enabling the organisation to stand up to any scrutiny and potentially opening up new sources of revenue or funding.
• Provide advice and/or recommendations on any other clinical issues at the request of the Board, CEO, clinical or operational staff.

 

Clinical Governance Committee Meetings

The Clinical Governance Subcommittee will meet quarterly, achieving no less than 4 meetings per year.

Meetings take place in a hybrid format, at Sensational Kids, Kildare for those who can attend in person and online for those who cannot attend in person.

The Chairperson of this committee is responsible for setting the agenda, ensuring the meetings are conducted effectively, and overseeing the follow-up on action items.

Total Time Commitment: four meetings per year plus time to review documents in preparation for meetings.

Occasionally shorter single item agenda meetings may be held between regular scheduled meetings if the need arises to progress a particular matter.

 

Applications 

Applications by email to CEO & Founder, Karen Leigh by email Karen@sensationalkids.ie