Dr Niamh Flanagan

Biography
Dr Niamh Flanagan is an Assistant Professor and Director of Social Policy Programmes in the Department of Applied Social Studies Maynooth University. Niamh teaches social policy, child and family policy and research for practice. 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.
Her research interests include child and family studies, information behaviour, learning on professional placement, domestic violence and child/human trafficking.
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 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’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.
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
- Anti Human Trafficking
- Social Inclusion and Racism in Second Level Education
Research Projects
Peer Reviewed Journal
Year | Publication | |
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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] | |
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. | |
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] | |
2019 | Niamh Flanagan, Hilda Loughran, Mary Henihan, Gary Broderick (2019) 'Putting Relationships First in Social Work'. Irish Social Worker, (Winter):7-18. | |
2018 | Niamh Flanagan (2018) 'Collaboration in social workers’ information behaviour: A valuable asset for the profession'. Irish Social Worker, (Winter):61-67. | |
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] | |
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] | |
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] |
Book Chapter
Year | Publication | |
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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
Published Report
Year | Publication | |
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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] |
Book
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2023) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.
Committees
Other Activities
Consultancy
Editorial / Academic Reviews
Teaching Interests
- Child & Family Policy - Bsoc; MSoc programmes
- Policy Analysis - BSoc. programme
- Research Methods for Policy & Practice - Bsoc; MSoc (Rights & Policy); BSoc (Youth & Community Work); MSoc (Social Work) programmes
- Evidence-based policy making for Practitioners - BSoc (Youth & Community Work); MSoc (Social Work); MSoc (Social Work) programmes.