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Ms. Sinead Tobin

Adjunct Assistant Professor (Sch Office - Social Work & Social Policy)
      
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Ms. Sinead Tobin

Adjunct Assistant Professor (Sch Office - Social Work & Social Policy)

 tobins7@tcd.ie

 


Sinéad is an Assistant Professor in Social Work in the School of Social Work and Social Policy in Trinity College Dublin. She holds a Masters in Applied Social Research from Trinity College Dublin (2014), and a BSS from Trinity College Dublin (2006). Sinéad's dissertation research was a qualitative study investigating young peoples lived experiences of foster care placement breakdown. The study gave an important voice to this vulnerable, often hard to reach population. Sinéad holds an innovative joint appointment position between Trinity College and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. In her appointment to the School of Social Work and Social Policy, Sinéad brings 20 years experience working as a Social Worker, Social Work Team Leader and Principal Social Worker predominantly in the fields of Child Protection and Welfare and Children in Care. Throughout her time as a practitioner Sinead has worked positively with vulnerable children and their families, in a range of complex situations. Sinéad also has experience as Principal Social Worker leading a regional Adoption and Birth Information and Tracing Service. In her role as Assistant Professor within Trinity, Sinéad teaches 'Child Protection Practices' on the Postgraduate Diploma in Child Protection and Welfare. She also delivers `Introduction to Work with Children and Families' and `Report Writing in Child and Family Social Work' on the Master in Social Work programme. Sinéad teaches 'Introduction to Child Protection' on the undergraduate BSS (Social Work) degree programme. In addition, she delivers lectures on Social Work Skills as part of Social Work Practice Module to third year undergraduate BSS students.
Project Title
 Lived Experience of Foster Placement Breakdown
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To
Summary
Project Type
Scoping review
Project Title
 Lived Experience Admission to Care
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Summary
Project Type
Scoping Review

Details Date From Date To
Member of the Irish Association of Social Workers 2006 current
Trinity Research in Childhood Centre (Board Member) 2023 present
Tobin, S., Caffrey, L., Brady, E., Whiting, S., Sheaf, G., Gilligan, R., Mayock, P., Quinn, N., Foster Children's Lived Experience of Placement Breakdown: A Scoping Review., European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EUSARF), University of Zagreb, Croatia, 2025, Conference Paper, PUBLISHED
Tobin, S, Opening the Doors: a practitioner in academia and an academic in practice., European Conference on Social Work Research ECSWR, Munchen, Munich, Germany, 12th- 14th March 202, 2025, Conference Paper, PUBLISHED
Caffrey, L., Tobin, S., Flynn, S., Holt, S., Houston, S., Petautschnig Arancibia, C. & Sheaf, G., The Intended and Unintended Effects of Inspection on Child and Family Social Work Services: A Rapid Evidence Review of the International Literature, Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 2025, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  URL
Byrne, G., Sweeney, LA., TobIn, S., Adolescent Sexting: An Exploration of Teacher"s Perspectives of the Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) Based Curriculum, Irish Journal of Applied Social studies, 25, (2), 2025, p1 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Niland, K. & Tobin, S., Book Review: Trauma Informed Support and Supervision for Child Protection Professionals: A Model for Those Working with Children who have Experienced Trauma, Abuse and Neglect and their Families., The Irish Social Worker: Special Edition, 2025, p134-136 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Caffrey, L., Flynn, S., Quinn, N., Tobin, S. & Holt, S., The Focus and Methodology of Inspection in Ireland: a documentary analysis of Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) child protection and welfare services inspection reports, November, 2025, Report, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
  

Sinead Tobin, Young People's Experience of Foster Placement Breakdown: A Briefing Note, 2015, Report, PUBLISHED
Sinead Tobin, Young People's Experiences of Foster Placement Breakdown: A Qualitative Study, Masters in Applied Social Research, 2013, Thesis, APPROVED

  


Sinéad's research interests reflect her holistic practice experience venturing between child protection and welfare and children in care. Sinéad has a particular interest in key transitions for children in, and within, the care system, including admission to care, reunification and moves within care. From a child protection perspective, Sinéad is also interested in prevention of child abuse, understanding and responding to child abuse and ultimately supporting Child Protection systems to better meet the needs of children at risk of abuse and those in state care. In her practice to date, Sinéad has championed and valued the rights and voice of children, and has honoured this in her research endeavours to date. Sinéad is PI on two separate scoping review projects, one on Lived Experiences of Foster Placement Breakdown and a second on the lived experience of admission to care. Sinead is also part of a research team working on a Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth commissioned project considering the role of inspections in the provision of services in Child and Family Social work.