All TIGALA Guardians ad Litem have a minimum of 10 years’ experience working with children and families.
Our Guardians ad Litem
Our Trusted Experts

Ruadhan Hogan
Guardian ad Litem
Summary
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.
Qualifications
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
Employment History
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
Areas of Special Interest
· 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
Professional Membership
Ruadhan is registered with CORU
Member of NAGALRO Professional Association for Children’s Guardians, Family Advisers and Independent Social Workers