Dr Niamh Flanagan

    Applied Social Studies

    Associate Professor
    Head of Department

    Auxilia, North Campus, Maynooth University
    Level 1 - Upper Ground Floor
    1.5
    (01) 474 7326

    Biography

    Dr Niamh Flanagan is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Applied Social Studies Maynooth University. Niamh teaches social policy, child and family policy and responses to child trafficking. She joined the Department in 2017 having previously worked in the social, health and education sectors including positions in the Combat Poverty Agency, North Western Health Board, the Hospitaller Order of St John of God and the National Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Services team in Tusla Child and Family Agency.
    Niamh has lectured in research methods and social policy in a number of third level institutions including the Institute of Public Administration and UCD and has  specialised in teaching research and policy for practice to social workers, youth workers and community workers. As a part-time lecturer in social work research for many years, Niamh has retained strong links with the social work discipline playing an active role in the promotion and development of research among practitioners. This dual interest in research and social work was the driving force behind Niamh’s doctoral research on the information behaviour of social workers which was funded by the Irish Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

    Niamh has developed and coordinates cross-disciplinary education on child trafficking and human trafficking for students of social policy, social work, community work, youth work, international law and criminology at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Alongside colleagues from the School of Law and Criminology, this cross-disciplinary education brings voices from the statutory and voluntary sector into the classroom to provide a joined-up approach to the issue. In 2024 the team hosted a successful and timely international conference on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery. Niamh has supervised the masters dissertations of award-winning students on the topic of trafficking and is currently supervising a NUI Travelling PhD scholar. 
    Niamh’s work as an independent research and policy consultant, partnering with a broad range of organisations from local community groups to government departments, has inspired a keen interest in creative research methodologies which respond to the unique characteristics of research participants.

    Her research interests include child and family studies, information behaviour, learning on professional placement, domestic violence and child/human trafficking.

    Research Interests

    • Practitioners information behaviour
    • Social Work education
    • Pedagogy of policy for practitioners
    • Pedagogy of research for practitioners
    • Research methods in practice
    • Child and family policy
    • Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence
    • Countering Child Trafficking and Human Trafficking
    • Social Inclusion and Racism in Second Level Education


    Research Projects

    Title Role Description Start date End date Amount
    It takes a village to raise a child: Toward a multi-disciplinary future for foster care in Ireland PI Each year in Ireland around 5,000 children live in foster care families. Ireland has one of the highest rates of family foster-care placement in the world, with 92% of children in alternative care placed with families. This represents a significant and relatively recent shift from infamous institutional care. While there have been dramatic improvements in alternative care for children in Ireland, challenges remain and the potential to aspire to a better future for children in foster care is ever present. In addition to foster parents and families, who are the core of the foster care system, social workers have traditionally been in the vanguard of professionals working with children in care. The court system represents a third pillar of the care system. Teachers are increasingly recognised as key conduit between pupils - at risk or in care - and Tusla the Child and Family Agency. Within statutory services other professions such as social care workers, family support workers, education support service officers, nurses, psychologists, mental help supports and counsellors also work with children in the care system. While, beyond formal statutory services, the wider community in which foster children live has a key role to play, with youth workers and community workers representing well placed professionals. The project aimed to promote the idea of inter-professional working in foster care. Initiating a dialogue between professional groups is a first step toward a better, multi-disciplinary future, supporting children in care. 01/10/2020 31/12/2021
    Wesley College Social Inclusion Study PI 01/09/2020 30/06/2021 2800
    Student Feedback and Teaching Evaluation Project: Team Member / Departmental Lead 05/02/2020 31/05/2021
    All Ireland Social Work Student Survey University PI This study is part of a cross-university research project being carried out by members of the All Ireland Social Work Educators and Researchers Group. Seven institutions on the island of Ireland who provide social work education programmes, are carrying out similar research studies over a comparable timeframe in order to generate a body of knowledge about those who enter social work education. It is anticipated that this knowledge base will further inform approaches to teaching and learning on these courses in the future. The findings may also inform employer level interventions to support social work employees, health and well-being on the job. 01/10/2019 31/12/2023
    Recruitment & Retention in Social work PI Survey of social work practitioners and students in Ireland addressing issues factors impacting on recruitment and retention to the profession. Project is a staff-student collaboration between MU. Dept. Applied Social Studies staff and Masters in Social Work students (2019-2021). The dissemination and writing element of the project has been awarded a Teaching & Learning Fellowship (2020) 01/09/2019 31/12/2020

    Peer Reviewed Journal

    Year Publication
    2025 Niamh Flanagan; Elaine Wilson; Paula Dowzard; Tara Sharkey; Christopher Woods; Aoibheann Barry; Sam Cockerill; Charlotte Doyle; Hannah Forsyth; Jacob Fry; Jane Gleeson; Emma Langheld; Nicola Langheld; Doireann Lowe; Ryan McConnell; Neve Molloy; Caoimhe Moutray; Luke Murray; Savar Reddy; Hannah Richie; Charlene SoneLenou; Anna Sandall; Lisa Trosset; Morgan Wilson; Emily Woods (2025) 'Continuing a Conversation about Racism with Teenagers: using the social work research Dialogue Approach'. European Social Work Research, (Special Issue - Envisioning Future: Social Work Research and Discourse in the Age of Industry 4.0. -).
    2025 Niamh Flanagan; Elaine Wilson (2025) '“If there was one piece of advice I could give you as you go on placement it would be about ‘soft skills’”: Practice Teacher’s advice to Social Work students'. Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning, .
    2024 Marder, I.; McCormack, P.; Finnegan-Kessie, T.; Schweppe, J.; Black, L.; Brennan, F.; Kenny, T.; Kurz, K.; Le Prince, E.; Quinn, M.; Weiner, R.; Daly, Y.; McCashin, D.; Wozniack, K.; Barry, C.; Bracken-Roche, C.; Brandon, A.; Carey, S.; Cleary, M.; Cleere, G.; Coghlan, M.; Comiskey, C.; Cusack, A.; Ducque, K.; Flanagan, N.; Garrihy, J.; Griffin, D.; Guiney, C.; Hall, H.; Haynes, A.; Healy, D.; Hughes, N.; Humphreys, F.; Kelliher, S.; Kelly, E.; Kenny, D.; Lacey, N.; Leahy, S.; McCarthy, A.; McCormack, N.; Michael, L.; Morrison, J.; O'Connell, C.; O'Connell, L.; O'Driscoll, L.; O'Leary, R.; O' Shea, J.; Owens, B.; Prendergast, K.; Puckhaber, M.; Rice, O.; Ryan, P.; Scott, S.; Swirak, K.; Toland, M.; Vaugh, T.; Walsh, F.; Winwright, T. (2024) 'Embedding a culture of interdisciplinary open research in criminal justice: a new partnership for Ireland'. Irish Probation Journal, 21 :159-189. [Link]
    2023 Wilson, E.; Flanagan, N.; Benson-Olatunde, T.; Spillane, H; Buckley, P.; Squires, A.; Wilson, A; Woods, C; Delaney, C; Jones, D; Johnston, H; Stapleton, I; Chapman, J; Wang Zheng, J; O'Brien, K; Henaney, L; Wu Allen, L; Byrne, N; Tweed, O; Cockerill, R; Burnham,S; Pagano Mariano, S; Sharkey, T; Reinecke, T; Browner, T; Bond, T; Bulynionak, X (2023) 'Starting a conversation about racism with teenagers: using the social work research Dialogue Approach'. European Social Work Research, 1 (2):199-215. [Link] https://doi.org/10.1332/JNHI8991 [Full-Text]
    2023 Mcfadden, Paula; Bloomberg, Helena; Kallio, Johanna; Kroll, Christian; Claire McCartan; Niamh Flanagan; Gloria Kirwan; Maria Pentaraki; Elaine Wilson (2023) 'A common purpose? Social work students’ social justice-related views in Finland and Ireland'. British Journal of Social Work, . [Full-Text]
    2023 Paula McFadden; Niamh Flanagan; Jana Ross; Julie Byrne; Rose Dolan; Gloria Kirwan; Eleanor Kelly; Caroline Shore; Orla McDonald; Elaine Wilson; Paula Slavin; Markus Ketola; Audrey Roulston; Claire McCartan; (2023) 'The role of social work education in relation to empathy and self-reported resilience: Results from entry to exit of social work education on the island of Ireland durin the Covid-19 pandemic'. British Journal of Social Work, . [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2021 Flanagan, N., Ayres, M., Bermingham, V., Burke, C., Carroll, M., Conway, M., Corrigan, M., Croke, E., Edet, T., Fleming, A., Harding, N., Harrington, S., Iyamu, P., Judge, N., Mangoti, M., McCarthy, E., Nolan, D., O'Brien, C., O'Hara, A., Osibuamhe, A., Reilly, N., Ryan, D., Tully, L., Tynan, D., Wells., H., Zibaite, B., Hyland, J. & Kirwan, G. (2021) 'The push and pull factors of a career in Social Work: what drives recruitment and sustains retention'. Irish Social Worker, (Winter):170-177.
    2021 Wilson E.; Flanagan N. (2021) 'What tools facilitate learning on placement? Findings of a social work student-to-student research study'. Social Work Education, 40 (4):535-551. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2020 Flanagan, N (2020) 'The Information Behaviour of Social Workers: Needs, Seeking, Acquiring and Using Information in Practice'. British Journal of Social Work, 50 (5):1588-1610. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2020 Flanagan, N (2020) 'Considering a participatory approach to social work - Service user research'. Qualitative Social Work, 19 (5-6):1078-1094. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2019 Niamh Flanagan, Hilda Loughran, Mary Henihan, Gary Broderick (2019) 'Putting Relationships First in Social Work'. Irish Social Worker, (Winter):7-18.
    2019 Patricia Kennedy, Siobhán Curran, Gabi Muntaen, Tica Munteanu, Emilia Caldaras, Emmanuel Caldaras, Emil Alex Petrovics, Isaac Ianko, Angela Cirpaci, Mariana Pruteanu, Delia Danila, Jennifer Ciuciu, Ricardo Munteanu, Joseph Duna, Roman Bartos, Julius Fako, Miriam Ciuciu, Carmen Lupsa, Tiberius Fusteac, Helena Dunova, Niamh Flanagan & Shannon O’Donovan (2019) 'The ‘thin’ and ‘thick’ needs of Roma: a participatory mixed methods study'. European Societies, 21 (1):52-75. [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2018 Flanagan, Niamh & Wilson, Elaine (2018) 'What makes a good placement? Findings of a social work student-to-student research study'. Social Work Education, 37 (5):565-580. [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2018 Niamh Flanagan (2018) 'Collaboration in social workers’ information behaviour: A valuable asset for the profession'. Irish Social Worker, (Winter):61-67.

    Book Chapter

    Year Publication
    2023 Flanagan, N. & Wilson, E. (2023) 'A Dialogue Approach to teaching social work research: Experience, Dialogue, Meaningful Research and publication’' In: The Routledge International Handbook of Social Work Teaching. New York : Routledge.
    2022 Elaine Wilson & Niamh Flanagan (2022) 'Hearing the student voice: an evaluation of students’ experiences and learning in fieldwork education in University College Dublin, Ireland' In: The Routledge International Handbook of Field Work Education in Social Work. New York : Routledge International. [DOI]
    2022 Niamh Flanagan (2022) 'Social Work Research: Digitising the Critical Incident Technique for the 21st Century using Audio Diaries' In: The Routledge International Handbook of Digital Social Work. London : Routledge.
    2001 Niamh Flanagan (2001) 'Born Outside Marriage: The Social Implications for Irish Pre-School Children' In: Understanding Children Volume 2: Changing Experiences and Family Forms. Cork : Oak Tree Press.

    Conference Contribution

    Year Publication
    2023 Flanagan, N.; Wilson, E. (2023) National Practice Teachers in Social Work of Ireland “Everything students wanted to know about practice placements but were afraid to ask!” UCC, Cork, .
    2022 Wilson, E; Flanagan, N; Benson-Olatunde, T; Spillane, H; Buckley, P; Squires, A; Wilson, A; Woods, C; Delaney, C; Jones, D; Johnson, H; Stapleton, I; Chapman, J; Wang Zheng, W; O'Brien, K; Heany, L; Wu Allen, L; Byrne, N; Tweed, O; Cockerill, R; Burnham, S; Pagano Mariano, S.; Reinecke, T; Sharkey, T; Browner, T; Bond, T; Bulynionak, X (2022) European Social Work Research Conference Starting a conversation about racism with teenagers: using the social work research Dialogue Approach Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 06/04/2022-08/04/2022. [Full-Text]
    2021 Prof Mark Doel; Prof Jim Campbell; Dr Lisa Morris; Dr Colletta Dalikeni; Dr Gloria Kirwan; Dr Seamus Taylor; Mr Ger Brophy; Social Work Practitioners & Social Work Students (2021) Social Work Writing for Publication Workshop Social Work Writing for Publication Workshop Maynooth University, 25/11/2021-25/11/2021.
    2021 Niamh Flanagan (2021) Health & Social Care (Northern Ireland): Building a Research Community: Maintaining Links and Forging New Links Engagement Workshop with Research Engaged Leaders in the Health & Social Care Board of Northern Ireland Belfast/Online, 01/12/2021-01/12/2021.
    2021 Niamh Flanagan (2021) Health & Social Care (Northern Ireland): Building a Research Community: Maintaining Links and Forging New Links Social Workers' Informtion Behavour: Need, Seeking, Acquisition & Use Belfast/Online, 01/12/2021-01/12/2021.
    2019 Niamh Flanagan (2019) Putting Relationships First in Social Work: Promoting Research Collaboration with Service Users' Irish Association of Social Workers National Conference Dublin, 10/05/2019-10/05/2019.
    2019 Dr Niamh Flanagan (MU); Dr Eavan Brady (TCD); Dr Sarah Donnelly (UCD); Ms Kerry Cuskelly (Practitioner) (2019) All Ireland Social Work Research Conference Practitioner Research Conference hosted by a Consortium of all Schools of Social Work on the Island in Collaboration with the IASW & BASW-NI Carmelite Centre, Aungier St, Dublin, 14/06/2019-14/06/2019.
    2018 Niamh Flanagan (2018) Parallel Session B: Researching child protection Social Work in Transition: 8th European conference for Social Work Research Edinburgh, Scotland, 18/04/2018-20/04/2018.
    2018 Flanagan, Niamh; Coffey, Aisling; Ceatha, Nerilee; Feeney, Angela; Barrett, Bernard (2018) Sisters (and borthers) are doing it for themselves: Strengthening education to meet the needs of communities (A Multi-agency symposium) Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development Dublin, Ireland, 04/07/2018-07/07/2018.
    2018 Niamh Flanagan (2018) Mapping the Social Work Information Base in the Information Age Social Work in Transition: 8th European Conference for Social Work Research Edinburgh, Scotland, 18/04/2018-20/04/2018.
    2018 Niamh Flanagan (2018) Mapping the Information Which Informs Social work: A Pragmatic Model to Capture a Complex Practice Understanding the Complexities of Social Work FORSA Trade Union: Eamon Ceannt House, Nerney's Court, Dublin 1, 09/08/2018-09/08/2018.
    2018 Niamh Flanagan (2018) Irish Social Policy Association Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher Conference Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher Conference Dublin, Ireland, 27/07/2018-27/07/2018.
    2018 Flanagan, Niamh (2018) Health, mental health and disability Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development Dublin, Ireland, 04/07/2018-07/07/2018.

    Book

    Year Publication
    2023 Niamh Flanagan (2023) Life Course Policies: Childhood, Youth and Old Age. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration.
    2023 Flanagan, N. (2023) Explaining the Origns and Development of Irish Housing Policy. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration.
    2023 Flanagan, N. (2023) Origin and Development of Welfare States. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration.
    1995 Niamh Flanagan, Trutz Haase & Jim Walsh (1995) Planning for Change: A handbook on strategic planning for local development partnerships. Dublin: Combat Poverty Agency.
    1992 Niamh Flanagan & Valerie Richardson (1992) Unmarried Mothers: A Social Profile. Dublin: Social Science Research Centre UCD & Social Work Research Unit, National Maternity Hospital.

    Published Report

    Year Publication
    2021 Niamh Flanagan, Ciara Bradley & Gloria Kirwan (2021) A Culture of Feedback: Staff – Students – Peers. Centre for Teaching & Learning, Maynooth University, . [Link]
    2021 Flanagan, N., Ayres, M., Bermingham, V., Burke, C., Carroll, M., Conway, M., Corrigan, M., Croke, E., Edet, T., Fleming, A., Harding, N., Harrington, S., Iyamu, P., Judge, N., Mangoti, M., McCarthy, E., Nolan, D., O'Brien, C., O'Hara, A., Osibuamhe, A., Reilly, N., Ryan, D., Tully, L., Tynan, D., Wells., H., Zibaite, B., Hyland, J. & Kirwan, G. (2021) Social Work Dialogue: Exploring Practitioner Issues through Experiential Dialogue Research. Centre for Teaching & Learning, Maynooth University, . [Link]
    2017 Niamh Flanagan (2017) Towards Evidence Informed Services: Domestic Sexual and Gender Based Violence Services Working Report on 2015 Services, Activities and Use. Tusla Child & Family Agency, . [Link] [Full-Text]

    Other Journal

    Year Publication
    2023 Flanagan, Niamh; Cuskelly, Kerry; Melaugh, Brian; Wilson, Elaine (2023) 'Teaching Radical Social Work Skills: A Partnership Between Social Policy, Social Work and Community Work' acta Universitatis, Series: Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology and History, 22 (2) :069-078. [Link] [DOI]

    Audiovisual material

    Year Publication
    2023 Flanagan, N.; Wilson, E. (2023) One Piece of Advice. [Audiovisual material] [Link]
    Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2025) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

    Professional Associations

    Description Function From / To
    Children's Research Network Advisory Board 24/05/2019 -
    All Ireland Social Work Student Research Forum Member 01/10/2019 -
    Maynooth University Anti trafficking in Humans Network Convener 01/01/2021 -

    Honors and Awards

    Date Title Awarding Body
    01/01/2020 Teaching & Learning Fellowship Maynooth University

    Committees

    Committee Function From / To
    All Ireland Social Work Research Conference Organising Committee Co-founding member 01/10/2018 -
    Maynooth University Faculty of Social Science Research Committee Secretary 26/01/2018 - 20/07/2021
    Special Interest Group on Child Sexual Abuse and Child Exploitation - Children's Research Network of Ireland Co-Chair 25/05/2019 - 01/02/2023
    Advisory Board of Children's Research Network of Ireland Member 01/06/2020 - 01/06/2024

    Other Activities

    Description
    Dept Applied Social Studies, represented by Dr Niamh Flanagan & Dr Ciara Bradley, are pleased to join with Dept Chemistry and Dept of Music under the coordinator of MU Centre for Teaching & Learning to participate in an initiative to Enhance Teaching and Learning through Programme and Module Evaluation 2020.
    The project proposal, “It takes a village to raise a child: Toward a multi-disciplinary future for foster care in Ireland” has been successful in its application for a funded student researcher under the SPUR - Summer Programme for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) 2021. This funding will facilitate bringing to publication the project undertaken with the year 1 social work masters students in 2020.

    Consultancy

    Client Description
    Department of Justice & Equality Project Review (2019); & Report Writing (2021)
    Department of Agriculture Recruitment advisory (2018 & 2021)
    Forsa Public Service Union Research advisory & presentation
    Irish Association of Social Workers Research advisory
    Tusla Child & Family Agency Research advisory & presentation

    Editorial / Academic Reviews

    Amount Role From / To
    Qualitative Social Work Reviewer 01/10/2019 -
    Groupwork Reviewer 17/01/2020 -
    Irish Social Worker Reviewer 01/08/2021 -
    Journal of Social Work Practice Reviewer 06/12/2018 -
    Social Work Education Reviewer 22/12/2017 -
    Children and Youth Services Review Reviewer 11/04/2022 -

    Teaching Interests

    • Child & Family Policy - BSoc; MSoc (Rights & Policy); DSoc programmes
    • Countering Child Trafficking & Human Trafficking - BSoc; MSoc (Rights & Policy); LLM International Law; MA Criminology; MSoc (Social Work) programmes; BSoc Criminal Justice Policy;  BSoc, MSoc (Community Work & Youth Work); DSoc.
    • Research Methods for Policy & Practice - Bsoc; MSoc (Rights & Policy); BSoc (Youth & Community Work); MSoc (Social Work) programmes
    • Critical & Radical Policy Work for Practice - MSoc (Social Work)