News Archive: January - July 2020
New article published entitled Working in the shadows, under the spotlight – Reflections on lessons learnt in the Republic of Ireland after the first 18 months of more liberal Abortion Care
Dr Catherine Conlon, Assistant Professor of Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin has published a new article in Contraception entitled Working in the shadows, under the spotlight – Reflections on lessons learnt in the Republic of Ireland after the first 18 months of more liberal Abortion Care co-authored with Prof Aoife Mullally, Dr Trish Horgan, Dr Mike Thompson, Brendan Dempsey and Prof Mary Higgins.
Journal pre-proofs are now available at first preview at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001078242030189X
15 July, 2020
University Times article on the new Generation Covid research project – looking for additional participants!
The Generation Covid research project @GenerationCOVI1 want to hear from 2020 university graduates aged 25 or younger about their pandemic experience and future plans. Participants receive € 20 digital gift voucher as a gesture of appreciation for their time on the online interview that lasts about one hour. Get in touch with jogreene@tcd.ie
Here's a link to a University Times article about the project:
http://www.universitytimes.ie/2020/06/the-generation-covid-a-tale-of-graduates-entering-the-unknown/
25 June, 2020
Assistant Professor Dr. Stan Houston and PhD student Calvin Swords have published an article in the Journal of Social Work Practice: Psychotherapeutic approaches in Health, Welfare and the Community.
Dr. Stan Houston and PhD student Calvin Swords have published the article entitled ‘Analysing a parent’s capacity to change: towards a model for child protection social workers’ in the Journal of Social Work Practice.
Focusing on the C-Change Model Approach, the article identifies the critical importance of not only cognitive-behavioural perspective when assessing parenting capacity, but a psychodynamic orientation. The latter section of the article provides a practical application for practitioners and students. This article can be found at https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2020.1769581
22 June, 2020
An article featuring the research of Adjunct Professor Suzanne Cahill on Covid-19 and Dementia
Research by Adjunct Professor Suzanne Cahill, on Covid-19 and Dementia has been featured in the Irish Times.
The full article can be found https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/up-to-250-people-with-dementia-may-have-died-in-care-homes-during-covid-19-1.4275966
12 June, 2020
Introducing Our New Online Practice Teacher Training Workshop
We are delighted to announce our new online Practice Teacher training workshop which will take place in August 2020. For more information or to register click here
11 June, 2020
Amy Stapleton has been announced as a laureate award winner of a new High Level Scientific Mobility Grant scheme
Amy Stapleton has been announced as a laureate award winner of a new High Level Scientific Mobility Grant scheme, as part of the Grants of the French Government, to strengthen scientific cooperation between Ireland and France.
Under the awards scheme, Amy will be funded to spend one month at the Centre for Sociological Studies and Economic Research (CLERSE) at the University of Lille later this year. Details of the award can be found at: https://ie.ambafrance.org/2020-SSHN-Results.
08 June, 2020
Masters in Social Work student, Diane Ihirwe, has article published in The Journal: 'Racism is the knee on our neck, making it hard to breathe
Read the full article here: https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/diane-ihirwe-black-lives-matter-george-floyd-5114377-Jun2020/
05 June, 2020
SWSP COVID-19 Series #9: Presenting an article by Dr Susan Flynn entitled Adolescence Disrupted: Covid-19 and Protecting Teenagers
The next article in the SWSP COVID-19 series is now available. Dr Susan Flynn has written an article entitled Adolescence Disrupted: Covid-19 and Protecting Teenagers
03 June, 2020
SWSP COVID-19 Series #8: Presenting a blog by Dr Louise Caffrey entitled Face-masks and the limits of “evidence-based” health policy
The next article in the SWSP COVID-19 series is now available. Dr Louise Caffrey has written an article entitled Face-masks and the limits of “evidence-based” health policy.
The full article can be found here
or you can read the piece here
02 June, 2020
SWSP COVID-19 Series #7: Presenting an article by Dr Catherine Conlon entitled Pregnancy in a Time of Crisis
The next article in the SWSP COVID-19 series is now available. Dr Catherine Conlon has written an article entitled Pregnancy in a Time of Crisis.
Professor Virpi Timonen collaborates with Portuguese colleagues in new research project on Older People's Experiences of Solitary Home Confinement in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Further information on the project is available to read here
25th May, 2020
SWSP COVID-19 Series #6: Presenting an article by Dr Stephanie Holt and Dr Ruth Elliffe entitled Making visible the invisible [youngest] victims of domestic violence and abuse
The next article in the SWSP COVID-19 series is now available. Dr Stephanie Holt and Dr Ruth Elliffe have written an article entitled Making visible the invisible [youngest] victims of domestic violence and abuse
You can read it here
25th May, 2020
SWSP COVID-19 Series #5: Presenting a blog piece by Dr Camille Loftus entitled When is an essential worker not essential? When they’re a childcare worker
The next article in the SWSP COVID-19 series is now available. Dr Camille Loftus has written a blog piece entitled When is an essential worker not essential? When they’re a childcare worker
The full article is available to read here
18th May, 2020
JOB VACANCY - Research Assistant Generation COVID Research Project
Professor Virpi Timonen is seeking a Research Assistant for the Generation COVID Research project. Full details of the post and how to apply can be found here
18th May, 2020
Grandparenting practices around the world published in paperback edition
Increasing numbers of grandparents worldwide are coexisting and interacting for longer periods of time with their grandchildren. This unprecedented phenomenon is analysed in this in-depth and up-to-date collection, now available in paperback (as well as hardback and e-book formats). This exciting book considers topics that have so far received relatively little attention, such as transnational grandparenting and gender differences in grandparenting practices. It is the only collection that brings together theory-driven research on grandparenting from a wide variety of cultural and welfare state contexts - including Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Building on the success of Contemporary Grandparenting, this book deepens our understanding of how social structures continue to shape grandparenting across a wide range of cultural and economic
Grandparenting Practices Around the World is out now in paperback and available at 20% discount for a limited time from Policy Press.
18th May, 2020
SWSP COVID-19 Series #4: Presenting an article by Prof Robert Gilligan entitled Unwinding the Lockdown – Let’s not Forget the Children
The next article in the SWSP COVID-19 series is now available. Prof Robert Gilligan has written a piece entitled Unwinding the Lockdown – Let’s not Forget the Children.
You can find a link to it on Business Post website:
14th May, 2020
SWSP COVID-19 Series #3: Presenting a blog piece by Dr Susan Flynn entitled Children with Disabilities and their Families during the Covid-19 Pandemic
We are delighted to announce that the third piece in the SWSP COVID-19 series is now available. Dr Susan Flynn has written a blog piece entitled Children with Disabilities and their Families during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
11th May, 2020
SWSP COVID-19 Series #2: Presenting a blog piece by Dr Luciana Lolich entitled Aged by Covid-19
We are delighted to announce that the second piece in the SWSP COVID-19 series is now available. Dr Luciana Lolich has written a blog piece entitled Aged by Covid-19.
8th May, 2020
Presenting the first in our SWSP COVID-19 Series - Learning from the Nordic approach to pandemic management by Prof Virpi Timonen
The School is proud to launch the first in our SWSP COVID-19 Series which is a article from Professor Virpi Timonen entitled Learning from the Nordic approach to pandemic management. The full piece can be found here
For those of you who missed it you can listen (link below) to Professor Virpi Timonen speaking with Matt Cooper on the Last Word on what Ireland can learn from the Nordic approach to pandemic management.
6th May, 2020
Congratulations to Senior Freshman Bachelor in Social Studies student Lorraine Vaughan on her Foundation Scholarship award
The School of Social work and Social Policy would like to extend our congratulations to BSS Senior Fresh student Lorraine Vaughan. Lorraine was one of fifty seven new Scholars elected in 2020 on the result of the Foundation Scholarship examination held in Trinity term. The Foundation Scholarship is the most prestigious undergraduate award in the country, awarded to students of outstanding ability.
27th April, 2020
Exciting opportunity regarding the Online Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy and Practice from Trinity College Dublin
We will be holding a webinar (online information session) about the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy and Practice (Online) from Trinity College Dublin at 5pm on Wednesday 13th May where we will provide information and answer all your questions. All welcome!
This fully online course is a one year full-time programme that provides students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of the role that social policies play in developing functioning and just societies. Students will be exposed to the arguments for developing policy interventions in areas such as social security, health and housing, crime and family policy and the challenges of implementing and changing policy in these areas at a national and global level.
The course can be used as a conversion course giving a foundation in social policy for graduates who do not hold a social science degree. It will be of interest to people considering specialized Master programmes, such as Social Work and Social Research, and those who currently work or wish to work in a social policy field in and out the EU.
Eligible students who complete the HDip can apply to study for a further year to achieve the MSc in Social Policy & Practice. To register for the webinar please register here:
https://bit.ly/socialpolicytcd2020
You can find out more about the course on the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy and Practice website, by emailing at OCALLAJW@tcd.ie or by phone at +353-1-8963593.
22nd April, 2020
Maeve Foreman, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Social Work, and Dr. Muireann Ní Raghallaigh, School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, UCD publish article in Social Work & Social Sciences Review
Congratulations to Maeve Foreman, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Social Work, and Dr. Muireann Ní Raghallaigh, School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, UCD on the publication of their article 'Transitioning out of the asylum system in Ireland: Challenges and opportunities' in the latest issue of Social Work & Social Sciences Review, and to Adjunct Assistant Professor Dr. Gloria Kirwan who edited the issue - part 2 of a 3-part special issue on research with hard to reach populations.
https://journals.whitingbirch.net/index.php/SWSSR/issue/view/153
14th April, 2020
PhD student Calvin Swords, supervised by Dr Stan Houston and Dr Trevor Spratt, publishes two articles.
The first article ‘Recovery and Co-Production: Understanding the Diverging Paradigms and Potential Implications for Social Workers’ was published in the peer reviewed Irish Social Worker. The article is based on some of the initial findings from Calvin’s PhD literature review. The article focuses on providing the reader with a greater understanding of the relationship between recovery and co-production in mental health services. This is available in hardcopy from the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW). Otherwise, it will be made available in 6 months’ time through Lenus, the Health Service Executive (HSE) open access.
The second article is co-authored with Dr Stan Houston. It is entitled ‘Exploring the Concept of Recovery in Irish Mental Health Services: A Case Study of Perspectives within an Inter-Professional Team’. This research was based on the findings of Calvin’s Masters Dissertation which was also supervised by Dr Stan Houston. It explores whether the different disciplines within a multidisciplinary team could work together in implementing a biopsychosocial approach to recovery-orientated practice. This was published in the peer reviewed Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies. Available at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijass/vol20/iss1/4
9th March, 2020
Social Policy research ranked in top 100 in the world
The QS World University Rankings by Subject ranks the world’s top universities in individual subject areas, covering 48 subjects. Each of the subject rankings is compiled using four sources. The first two of these are QS’s global surveys of academics and employers, which are used to assess institutions’ international reputation in each subject. The second two indicators assess research impact, based on research citations per paper and h-index in the relevant subject. These are sourced from Elsevier’s Scopus database, the world’s most comprehensive research citations database.
It is a real testimony to the quality and impact of Social Policy research in the School that our staff have achieved this positioning at a time of severe under-funding of the third level in Ireland and in an extremely competitive global environment.
9th March, 2020
Publication of Book Chapter 'Campaigning for Choice: Canvassing as Feminist Pedagogy in Dublin Bay North
Dr Kate Antosik-Parsons is delighted to announce the publication of her co-authored book chapter: 'Campaigning for Choice: Canvassing as Feminist Pedagogy in Dublin Bay North' in Kath Browne and Sydney Calkin's edited collection After the 8th: Rethinking Abortion Politics (London: Zed Books, 2020) co-authored with Niamh McDonald, Karen E. Till, Gerry Kearns and Jack Callan. Kate is Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the School of Social Work and Social Policy working with Asst Prof Social Policy, Dr Catherine Conlon on the HSE funded Unplanned Pregnancy and Abortion Care study. Kate is a co-convener of the Dublin Bay North Repeal the 8th Research Working Group. Dublin Bay North Repeal the 8th, established in August 2017, was a consensus-based, largely female-run grassroots campaign that mobilised between 400-500 volunteers at its height. This article is drawn from survey data collected from 125 members who participated in the campaign. It argues that the approach to canvassing adopted by the group can be understood as a form of feminist pedagogy
2nd March, 2020
DOMESTIC HOMICIDE REVIEWS: CONSIDERING BEST PRACTICE
The School of Social Work & Social Policy is delighted to host a free public lecture on Domestic Homicide Reviews. The event will take place in: Room 3074 Arts Block TCD on March 24th 6-7pm.
Speakers: Davina James Hanman and Frank Mullane MBE
Davina James Hanman
Davina has been involved with DHRs for over a decade, instigated the process in the Metropolitan Police in advance of UK legislation, has chaired and authored over 30 DHRs, delivered training on DHRs both to Chairs and Report Authors as well as more generally, involved in the quality assurance process in England and Wales for DHRs. She is currently involved in several separate research studies on DHRs. Drawing on this experience, she will reflect on what she has learned about how to undertake an effective DHR and pitfalls to avoid.
Frank Mullane MBE
Frank is the CEO of AAFDA a centre of excellence for reviews after domestic homicide and for specialist peer support. Frank helped ensure Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) became law, helped develop the model and continues to work closely with the Home Office to enhance the methodology. He is also a ‘reader’ of DHRs (advises the QA Panel via detailed assessments), trains people to chair DHRs, is frequently published on domestic abuse, and is an honorary fellow of the University of Gloucestershire where he is a visiting lecturer. Frank developed a model for helping families to be integral to reviews after domestic homicide, thought to be unique in the world. Frank will argue for a progressive outlook on DHRs that liberates the community and professionals to come together to examine the antecedents of the homicide/s to make the future safer. Frank will also describe AAFDA’s model of helping families to be integral to reviews, rather than just involved. This model is thought to be unique in the world.
Booking via Eventbrite
24th February, 2020
PhD student Alison Spillane, supervised by Dr Catherine Conlon, has just published an article in a special issue of Best Practice & Research: Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology
PhD student Alison Spillane, supervised by Dr Catherine Conlon, has just published an article in a special issue of Best Practice & Research: Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology. The article is co-authored with Maeve Taylor (Irish Family Planning Association) and Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran (St George’s, University of London). It explores key processes in the long campaign to repeal Ireland’s constitutional ban on abortion and analyses the changing ways abortion has been framed in political discourse over time. Despite substantial legal reform since 2018, the authors argue that continued advocacy is needed to ensure that the state meets international human rights standards and that access to abortion care and abortion rights is fully secured within the law.
24th February, 2020
Exciting opportunity regarding the Online Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy and Practice from Trinity College Dublin
Here is information about an exciting opportunity regarding the Online Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy and Practice from Trinity College Dublin that you might be interested in.
This course is a one year full-time programme delivered online that provides students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of the role that social policies play in developing functioning and just societies. Students will be exposed to the arguments for developing policy interventions in areas such as social security, health and housing, crime and family policy and the challenges of implementing and changing policy in these areas at a national and global level.
I’ve attached a press release that provides further information. You can also find out more about the course on the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy and Practice website, by emailing at OCALLAJW@tcd.ie or by phone at +35318963593, and at the following upcoming event:
- Social Policy and Practice webinar on 25th February, 6.30-7.30 pm (Western European Time). To register for the webinar, please click register.
18th February, 2020
School of Social Work and Social Policy researchers delivered a paper on disability and migration at the National Disability Authority, Ireland
School of Social Work and Social Policy researchers, Dr. Edurne García Iriarte and Ms. Ann Swift, delivered a paper on disability and migration at the National Disability Authority in February. The paper presents the results of a secondary data analysis study using the child cohort of the Growing Up in Ireland study and explores differences in socio-emotional outcomes for children with disabilities and of migrant background and their typically developing peers. This study uniquely examines the intersection between disability and migration in Irish children, which have been often explored separately. The study findings highlight that children with disability and migrant background do not experience worse socio-emotional outcomes than their peers without disability and without migrant background, however, having a disability significantly increases the likelihood of having worse socio-emotional outcomes. Other socio-economic variables such as parents’ level of education and household income significantly influence socio-emotional outcomes of children with disabilities. The researchers recommend that educational and social services are aware of the higher likelihood of children and adolescents that may require mental health services in addition to other disability specific accommodations. This is even more important for children living in lower income households and whose parents have lower levels of education.
Dr. Edurne García Iriarte, PhD, is Assistant Professor and Director of the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy and Practice at the School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin
Ms. Ann Swift, MSc, is a graduate of the MSc in Applied Social Research and a current PhD student at the School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin
A copy of the presentation is available to download from: https://www.growingup.ie/pubs/G01-ASwift-Presentation-Final.pdf
Other members of the research team include: Dr. Philip Curry, Prof. Roy McConkey, Prof. Robbie Gilligan and Marisa Antunes
This study has received funding from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Benefactions Fund & by the Trinity Immigration Initiative, Trinity College Dublin
18th February, 2020
ACEs Academic and Practice Forum - Domestic Violence
The IASW Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Associate Group is teaming up with Professor Stephanie Holt from The School of Social Work and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin and David McDunphy, Lead Practitioner from Dublin Safer Families Service to facilitate the first ACEs Social Work Academic and Practice Forum on Domestic Violence. The TCD ACEs Forum will be held on Monday, March 2nd 2020 from 9am-1pm, in Room 3074 in the Arts Block. This is a FREE cross-sectoral social work event and participation is open to all social work academics, students and practitioners. Please see attached poster for details. To book into this event please use the link below, spaces are limited so only those booked in will be able to attend:
https://iasw.ie/events/214-aces-academic-and-practice-forum-domestic-violence
6th February, 2020
Congratulations to graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy & Practice 1819
Huge congratulations to graduates of the PGDip in Social Policy & Practice who graduated last Thursday!
Applications for this year's cohort now open. For further details please see: https://www.tcd.ie/swsp/postgraduate/Social-Policy-Practice/
5th February, 2020
Congratulations to Louise Caffrey on recent publication in the Journal of Children & Youth Service Review
Fresh off the press! A new article from Dr. Louise Caffrey, published in the Journal of Children & Youth Service Review is available for free here for a limited time only. The article, titled “How everyone’s business can become no one’s business: A systems study of interprofessional referral to child contact centres”, uses complex adaptive systems thinking to illustrate the challenges of interprofessional working in Children’s Services.
Using the case study of interprofessional referral to child contact centres, it demonstrates the limitations of tools and protocols in addressing the challenges professionals experience in this context. The research shows how, in a system requiring interprofessional working, the work of protecting children, which is rhetorically, ‘everyone’s business’ can, in practice, become to be seen as ‘no one’s business’. It argues the importance of studying the ‘local rationalities’ that underpin professionals’ behaviour and identifying ‘systemic role contradictions’, which can contribute to unsafe practice.
5th February, 2020
Congratulations to Virpi Timonen, Catherine Conlon and Catherine Elliott O'Dare on recent publication in the Canadian Journal on Aging
Virpi Timonen and Catherine Conlon, with lead author Catherine Elliott O’Dare (UCD Social Policy), have just published an article in the high-ranking journal Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement. Using findings from Elliott O’Dare’s PhD research on intergenerational friendship (Timonen and Conlon acted as PhD supervisors) the article challenges the idea presented in extant literature that similarity in age is the necessary component for friendship formation and maintenance in older age i.e. age homophily. A new rendering of homophily is proposed in the article, a homophily of doing-and-being; intergenerational friends are brought and bound together in friendship through sameness beyond age; interests, identities and in sharing attitudes and approaches to friendship and life. Additionally, ‘differences’ are a positive element of interest between intergenerational friends. Read more here:
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980819000618
4th February, 2020
Congratulations to Dr Derina Johnson and Professor Robbie Gilligan on their new article “Youth agency in everyday precarity: the experiences of young migrants and refugees growing up on the Thailand-Myanmar border
Congratulations to Dr Derina Johnson and Professor Robbie Gilligan on their new article “Youth agency in everyday precarity: the experiences of young migrants and refugees growing up on the Thailand-Myanmar border” published in the Journal of Youth Studies https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13676261.2020.1713307. The article explores the pervasive insecurity, vulnerability and uncertainty characterising the young people’s worlds, as well as the ways they strive to manage their circumstances and confound any simplistic narratives of passive victimhood. It draws from the findings of Dr Johnson’s PhD research which which was supervised by Prof. Gilligan.
20th January, 2020
School staff and PhD graduates advance transformative research methods agenda
Catherine Conlon and Virpi Timonen, together with Catherine Elliott O’Dare (Social Policy, UCD), Sorcha O’Keeffe (Social Work, Beaumont Hospital) and Geraldine Foley (Occupational Therapy, TCD) have just published an article in the leading research methods journal Qualitative Health Research. This article reflects the authors’ intrepid and original translation of different strands within the Grounded Theory method into a more unified re-interpretation that draws out their underlying commonalities. Elliott O’Dare, O’Keeffe and Foley are all PhD graduates from the School of Social Policy and Social Work in Trinity, highlighting ongoing collaborations with our successful PhD students. The article draws on path-breaking research projects where Conlon and Timonen were Principal Investigators, and on the PhD research projects of Elliott O’Dare, O’Keeffe and Foley.
The article can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732319899139
22nd January, 2020