Ruadhan is a CORU registered, professionally qualified Social Worker, with 12 years’ experience in the area of child protection and welfare. Ruadhan has worked directly with children and families in roles such as residential care worker and social worker. While working as a social worker, Ruadhan worked with Children and Families from the point of referral to conducting child protection risk assessments, through long term care planning for children needing an admission to care. His professional Social Work practice includes managing a mixed caseload of children at risk in the community, conducting risk assessments, parenting capacity assessments, children in care including foster care; residential care and mother and baby placements. Ruadhan conducted investigations into allegations of child abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect.

Ruadhan built on his frontline experience as inspector of children’s social services with HIQA, particularly where children were placed in care. Ruadhan represented the voice of children for six years during HIQA inspections and was lead inspector for special care units, children’s residential centres, Tusla and non-statutory foster care services along with child protection services. This involved the auditing of frontline social work practice to provide assurances to the Public and other stakeholders that, services delivered were safe and effective. Ruadhan also worked as a Regional Manager in HIQA with responsibility of HIQAs inspection programme of Tusla Child Protection and Welfare (CPW) services. This seven years’ experience gave him a broad and in-depth knowledge of how children and young people experience trauma and how the right intervention at the right time can ensure the best possible outcome.

Throughout his career, Ruadhan has built expertise in report writing including: completing detailed reports and assessments to Court, as part of care proceedings and in the preparation and publication of comprehensive public facing inspection reports.

2005 – 2009 | University College Cork – Bachelor of Social Work‍

2001 – 2003 | Cork Institute of Technology – Certificate in Computing

Further Education and Training

2022 | Introduction to Children First – TUSLA

2022 | Assisted Decision Making Capacity – Act 2015

2021 | Human Rights

2018 | Capturing the voice of the Child (DCYA – Hub Na Nog)

2010 | Court Skills

2010 | Motivational Interviewing

2009 | Attached Trauma

2009 | Child Protection Assessment

2022 – Present | Guardian ad Litem – The Independent Guardian Ad Litem Agency     

2022 – 2022 | Inspector of Social Services, Children’s team, Health Information and Quality Authority(HIQA)

2021 – 2021 | Acting Regional Manager, Children’s team, Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)

2015 – 2021 | Inspector of Social Services, Children’s team, Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)

2014 – 2015 | Social Work Team Leader, HSE Review Team, South East

2012 – 2013 | Social Worker, National Fostering Agency, Wales

2010 – 2012 | Social Worker, Court team, Cardiff Council, Wales

2009 – 2010 | Social Worker, Intake and Assessment team, Cardiff Council, Wales

2007 – 2009 | Child care worker Liberty Street House, Aftercare services, Cork

2008 | Student Social Worker, HSE Children's Social Work Services, PortLaoise

2008 | Student Social Worker, Mayfield Neighborhood Youth Project, Cork

2005 | Residential care worker, Brothers of Charity, Cork

2001 – 2003 | Residential care worker, Brothers of Charity, Cork

·       Completing detailed reports and assessments for Court

·       Working with children transitioning into and between a variety of care arrangements, and with children transitioning back to their parents or guardians care.

·       Care planning for children to help them achieve their fullest potential.

·       Advocating for the right service for children, that's aligned to their assessed needs and experience of trauma

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Professional Membership 

Ruadhan is registered with CORU

Member of NAGALRO Professional Association for Children’s Guardians, Family Advisers and Independent Social Workers