Deirdre Forde

    Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education, ALL Institute

    School of Education
    3rd
    317
    (01) 474 7411

    Biography

    Deirdre Forde is a chartered child and educational psychologist, and assistant professor at MU in Teacher Education, Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education. Deirdre specialises in the area of Inclusive and Special Education. Deirdre is the programme leader of the Postgraduate Diploma in Inclusive and Special Education. She qualified as a primary school teacher and has a broad range of teaching experiences, in both mainstream and special schools. She also worked with the Travellers Youth Service, supporting young people at risk. Deirdre was an Associate Advisor with the Special Education Support Service and was involved in the delivery of continuous professional development for qualified teachers working in the area of Special Education. Deirdre has extensive experience working across a variety of psychological services, as part of a multi-disciplinary team, in both educational and clinical practice. She has worked across youth services supporting the educational, psychological and well being needs of teenagers. She has also worked in family-centered multidisciplinary team clinical environments to support the psychological and educational needs of children and young people. Deirdre is a member of the ALL (Assisting Living and Learning) Institute in Maynooth University, ICON (Interdisciplinary Children's Outcomes Network) and MUSSI (Maynooth University Social Sciences Institute). Deirdre's research and teaching interests include: issues of inclusion and exclusion in education and society, strengths based approaches to support neuro diverse environments, children's voice, relational care, parental Involvement, policy and practice in the area of Inclusive and Special education and inclusive practice in Initial Teacher Education. 

    Research Interests

    Inclusive and Special Education Policy and Practice
    Disability Policy and Practice
    Human Rights Education
    Issues of Inclusion/ Exclusion
    Autism and Neurodiversity
    Early Childhood Education
    Chronic Health Conditions
    Disability and Higher Education
    Early Childhood Education

    Research Projects

    Title Role Description Start date End date Amount
    Review of Provision for Children with SEN across Irish Primary Schools Co- Principal Investigator 01/03/2022 12/12/2022
    ALL means ALL; An interactive, modular, multimedia OpenTextbook for an inclusive and intersectional, multi-dimensional approach in teacher education Principal Investigator, Ireland The aim of this cutting edge, innovative OpenTextbook "All means All" is to respond to the growing need to support educators in addressing the needs of diverse learners in classrooms, schools and communities.  This resource will be an accessible, interactive and multi media textbook for students in Initial Teacher Education. It's central aim is to address structural disadvantages based on gender, sexual orientation, dis/ability, class, economic, social & cultural background (incl. indigenous people), race, languages, health, age, pregnancy and maternity, belief and religion. 01/01/2022 30/09/2024 300000
    DCEDIY Multi- Supplier Framework for the Provision of Services to the Department of Children, Equality,Disability, Integration and Youth Principal Investigator 01/01/2022 01/01/2026
    Evaluation of Partnerships Schools Ireland Initiative Research Team Member 01/02/2021 01/10/2022 30000

    Peer Reviewed Journal

    Year Publication
    2021 Biesta G.; Heugh K.; Cervinkova H.; Rasiński L.; Osborne S.; Forde D.; Wrench A.; Carter J.; Säfström C.A.; Soong H.; O’Keeffe S.; Paige K.; Rigney L.I.; O’Toole L.; Hattam R.; Peters M.A.; Tesar M. (2021) 'Philosophy of education in a new key: publicness, social justice, and education; a South-North conversation'. Educational Philosophy and Theory, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2021 O’Toole L.; McClelland D.; Forde D.; O'Keeffe S.; Purdy N.; Säfström C.A.; Walsh T. (2021) 'Contested childhoods across borders and boundaries: Insights from curriculum provisions in Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in the 1920s'. British Educational Research Journal, 47 (4):1021-1038. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3708 [Full-Text]
    2022 Biesta, Gert, Kathleen Heugh, Hana Cervinkova, Lotar Rasiński, Sam Osborne, Deirdre Forde, Alison Wrench, Jenni Carter, Carl Anders Säfström, Hannah Soong, Suzanne O’Keeffe, Kathryn Paige, Lester-Irabinna Rigney, Leah O’Toole, Robert Hattam, Michael A. Peters & Marek Tesar (2022) 'Philosophy of education in a new key: Publicness, social justice, and education; a South-North conversation'. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 54 (8):1216-1233. [DOI] [Full-Text]

    Conference Publication

    Year Publication
    2021 Forde, D (2021) American Association for Research in Education Supporting Inclusive Practice across the Continuum of Teacher Education: from Initial Teacher Education to Continuing Professional Development

    Conference Contribution

    Year Publication
    2021 Shevlin, M., Healy, C., Merrigan, C., McCoy, S, Carroll, E. Mihut, G., O'Mahony, K and Forde, D (2021) American Educational Research Association International Symposium on the landscape of Inclusion in the Irish Education System America, 08/04/1921-.
    2021 Deirdre Forde (2021) American Educational Research Association Supporting Inclusive Practice across the Continuum of Teacher Education; A Model SEN Placement America, 08/04/2021-12/04/2021.
    2021 Forde, D and Purdy, N. (2021) Australian Association for Research in Education Contested Spaces and Special Educational Needs: Policy and Practice, Rights and Reality Australia, 29/11/2021-.
    2024 (2024) Home Visiting: National Stakeholder Engagement Event DCEDIY: Home Visiting National Stakeholder Engagement Consultation DCEDIY, Gov. of Ireland, .
    2024 McGilloway, S.; Forde D; Leckey Y; McCormack, P (2024) Home Visiting: National Stakeholder Engagement Event DCEDIY: Home Visiting National Stakeholder Engagement Consultation DCEDIY, Gov. of Ireland, .
    2024 D.Forde (2024) Understanding and Including Neurodivergent Children in the Primary Education System Neurodiversity Annual Conference Online, .
    2023 O'Toole, L. and Forde, D. (2023) Fostering social, cultural and political sustainability by listening to the voices of babies, toddle OMEP Ireland Annual Conference, Ireland 2023 Limerick, .
    2023 Forde, D.; McCormack, P.; McGilloway, S. (2023) A National Review of Early Intervention and Prevention across Ireland Froebel International Conference Maynooth University, .
    2023 Forde, D. (2023) Unity in Diversity: Participatory Approaches to Collaborative Writing: Development of a UDL Open Acc Universal Design for Learning Annual Conference 2023 Maynooth University, .
    2023 Forde, D., McCormack, P. McGilloway, S. (2023) Collaborative Action Research Conference Universal, Inclusive and Targeted Early Supports for Vulnerable Families and their Children National College of Ireland, .
    2023 Forde, D.; O'Neill, C. (2023) UDL and Inclusive Educational Strategies to include Neurodivergent Students in Higher Education UDL Annual Conference 2024 Maynooth University, .
    2023 Forde, D.; Harris, A; Ferris, F; Ryan, R (2023) Understanding, Awareness and Acceptance of Neurodiversity with a particular focus on autism and girl Understanding, Awareness and Acceptance of Neurodiversity with a particular focus on autism and girls Maynooth University, .
    2023 Anders Safstrom, C.; O'Toole, L.; Forde, D.; OKeefe, S. Walsh, T. (2023) Contested Childhoods Across Borders and Boundaries Scotens Stranmillis University, .

    Published Report

    Year Publication
    2023 O’Toole, L., Kerrins, L., Walsh, G., Doherty, A., Forde, D., Kelleher, F., Matson, S., McCartney, S., Stafford, P. and Stokes, T. (2023) A consultation with babies, toddlers and young children to inform the updating of Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (NCCA, 2009). NCCA, .
    2024 Hickey, G.; Leckey, Y.; McCormack, P.; Forde,D.; McGilloway, S. (2024) UNITES Project: National Mapping and Review of Home Visiting Programmes in Ireland. Report Number One. DCEDIY, . [Full-Text]
    2024 McGilloway, S.; Forde, D.; Hickey, G; Leckey, Y.; McCormack, P. (2024) UNITES Project: A National Vision for the Future. A Policy Briefing Paper. Government of Ireland, . [Full-Text]
    2024 McGilloway, S; Forde,D.; McCormack, P.; Leckey, Y. (2024) UNITES Project: Stakeholder Views and Experiences of Home Visiting in Ireland. Report Number Two. Government of Ireland, . [Full-Text]
    Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

    Professional Associations

    Description Function From / To
    Psychological Society of Ireland Member -
    British Psychological Society Member -

    Committees

    Committee Function From / To
    Assisted Living and Learning Institute (ALL) Member -
    Interdisciplinary Children's Outcomes Network (ICON) Member -
    Maynooth University Social Sciences Committee (MUSSI) Member -
    Inclusive Education Special Interest Group (ESAI) Member / Treasurer -

    Outreach Activities

    Organisation Type Description
    Kildare County Council Civic Society Development of Inclusive and Accessible Sensory Trails in Athy, Co.Kildare
    Post Primary Schools Civic Society Consultation with regards to a whole school approach to Including all students, particularly children with special educational needs.
    Primary Schools and Special Education Departments Civic Society Voluntary psychoeducational assessments for children with special educational needs. Consultation with regards to individualised pupil support plans to support children with complex needs.