Biography
Eavan is an Assistant Professor in Social Work in the School of Social Work and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin. She holds a Masters in Social Work from Trinity College Dublin, a Higher Diploma in Psychology from Trinity College Dublin, and a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College Dublin. Eavan's PhD explored the educational pathways of adults with care experience in Ireland using a life course perspective.
Prior to joining the School of Social Work & Social Policy, Eavan worked in the homelessness, housing, and mental health sectors in both Dublin and Toronto, Canada. Eavan also spent two years working with Practice and Research Together in Toronto where she was heavily involved in supporting staff in child welfare agencies across Canada to use evidence-informed practices in their work.
Eavan is the Course Director for the Master in Social Work Programme in Trinity College Dublin and teaches on this programme, the Bachelor in Social Studies (Social Work) programme, and the Postgraduate Diploma in Child Protection and Welfare.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Recent developments in aftercare provision in Ireland in, editor(s)Refaeli, T Mann-Feder, V. , Leaving Care around the world: Twenty years of the International Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care, 2025, [Brady, E., Gilligan, R., Whiting, S.]
O'Kane, E & Brady, E., What Happens After Care? Investigating the Post-care Housing Pathways and Experiences of Adult Care Leavers in Ireland, Children and Youth Services Review, 2024
Lwin, K. & Brady, E., Reimagining the Pedagogy of Professional Judgment and Decision Making in Social Work: Teaching Evidence-based Practice in Parallel with Field Practicum, Journal of Social Work Education, 2024
Gilligan, R., Brady, E. & Arnau-Sabates, L., Promoting the educational and work progression of care leavers over the life course: The neglected role of birth family members?, EUROPEAN SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION ON RESIDENTIAL AND FAMILY CARE FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, University of Sussex, England, 12-15 September 2023, 2023
Økland, I., Oterholm, I., Brady, E., Social network enhancement: Bridging and bonding the social networks of child welfare involved youth, Child & Family Social Work, 2023
Brady, E. & Gilligan, R., Exploring the friendship experiences of care leavers: Insights from a study of life during Covid-19, EUROPEAN SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION ON RESIDENTIAL AND FAMILY CARE FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, University of Sussex, England, 12-15 September 2023, 2023
Gilligan, R. & Brady, E, Care Leavers and their lived experience of birth family connections during Covid and beyond, EUROPEAN SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION ON RESIDENTIAL AND FAMILY CARE FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, University of Sussex, England, 12-15 September 2023, 2023
Stephanie Holt, Robbie Gilligan, Louise Caffrey & Eavan Brady, Through the Eyes of the Child: A Study of Tusla Child Protection and Welfare Intervention, 2023
Lwin, K. & Brady, E., Unpacking evidence-based practice in social work education: A scoping review, Social Work Education, 2023
Refaeli, T., Schuman, N., Brady, E., Mann-Feder, V., Munro, E., van Breda, A., Widening the care gap? An international comparison of care-leaving in the time of COVID-19, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 2023
Beasley, S. & Brady, E., Michel Foucault: Theoretical Considerations for Social Workers, Irish Social Worker, 2023
Caffrey, L., Brady, E., Keegan, O., Dunne, S., Sheaf, G., Holt, S., & Gilligan, R., Children"s Experiences of Signs of Safety: A Scoping Review, Children and Youth Services Review, 2023
Sting, S., Stohler, R., Brady, E., Gilligan, R., Werner, K., Barriers to the educational progress of care leavers: the neglected role of stigma?, Children & Youth Services Review, 2023
Downes, L., Elliffe, R., & Brady, E., Child and Family Wellbeing in the COVID-19 Context: A Critical Literature Review, Irish Social Worker, 2023, p42 - 51
Robbie Gilligan, Eavan Brady. Laura Cullen, One More Adversity: The lived experience of care leavers in Ireland during the Covid-19 Pandemic, School of Social Work and Social Policy, TCD, February, 2022
O'Connor-Funcheon, S & Brady, E, An exploration of perspectives on supporting birth parents towards reunification with their children, Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies, 2022
Robbie Gilligan Eavan Brady, 'What helps adult care leavers return to education? Exploring the relevance of learner identity and the life course perspective' , Journal of Youth Studies, 2022
Gilligan, R., Brady, E., & Arnau-Sabates, L., Exploring the positive influence of informal support in the education and employment progress of care-experienced people., European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EUSARF), Zurich, Switzerland, 1-3 September 2021, 2021
O'Connor-Funcheon, S & Brady, E, An exploration of professional and practice-based perspectives on reunification of children in out-of-home care in Ireland: The road less travelled?, Child Abuse & Neglect, 122, 2021, p105366
Lwin, K. & Brady, E., Re-conceptualizing Evidence-informed Practice Curriculum in Social Work Education, International Social Work Education and Development , Online, January - April 2021, 2021
Murran, S. & Brady, E., How Does Family Homelessness Impact on Children's Development? A critical review of the literature, Child & Family Social Work, 28, (2), 2021, p360 - 371
Brady, E. & Gilligan, R., The value of the life course theory concept of human agency: An example from a study of the educational journeys of care experienced people, XVI European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EUSARF) Conference 2021, Online, 1-3 September 2021, 2021
Gilligan, R. & Brady, E., What helps adult care leavers return to education? Exploring the relevance of learner identity and the life course perspective, Journal of Youth Studies, 2021
O'Connor, E., Whiting, S., Gilligan, R.,Holt, S., Brady, E.,Eliffe, R., Feely,M., Flynn, S., Houston, S., McEvoy., P.,, ''Hybrid Placement Model: A Social Work Teaching and Learning Resource'', TARA, TCD, 2020, -
Brady, E. & Gilligan, R., Supporting care-experienced adults' educational journeys: 'Linked lives' over the life course, Child & Family Social Work, 25, (2), 2020, p221 - 229
E. Brady and R. Gilligan, 'The role of agency in shaping the educational journeys of care-experienced adults: Insights from a life course study of education and care'., Children and Society, 34, (2), 2020, p121 - 135
Brady, E. & Gilligan, R., Exploring diversity in the educational pathways of care-experienced adults: Findings from a life course study of education and care, Children and Youth Services Review, 104, 2019, p104379
Somerville, L. & Brady, E, Young People and Social Networking Sites: Exploring the views and training opportunities of CAMHS social workers in Ireland , Journal of Social Work Practice, 33, (2), 2019, p141 - 155
Brady, E., Gilligan, R., & Nic Fhlannchadha, S., Care-experienced Young People Accessing Higher Education in Ireland, Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies, 19, (1), 2019, p51 - 64
Brady, E., Holt, S. & Whelan, S. , Measuring success in family support services, Child Care in Practice, 24, (4), 2018, p351 - 368
Brady, E., The life course perspective: A guiding paradigm for examining the educational experiences of adult care leavers , Social Work, Education and Social Development, Dublin, Ireland, 4-7 July 2018, 2018
Brady, E. & Gilligan, R., The Life Course Perspective: An integrative research paradigm for examining the educational experiences of adult care leavers? , Children & Youth Services Review, 87, 2018, p69 - 77
Brady, E., Positive turning points in the educational journeys of care-experienced adults: Preliminary findings of a life course study, XV European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EUSARF) Conference 2018, Porto, Portugal, 2-5 October 2018, 2018
Brady, E., What is placement success? Reflections on the educational outcomes of care-experienced adults (Symposium), XV European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EUSARF) Conference 2018, Porto, Portugal, 2-5 October 2018, 2018
Brady, E., Using educational life history interviews to explore the educational pathways of adults who spent time in out-of-home care (e.g. foster care) in Ireland, The XX International Oral History Association Conference, Jyvaskyla, Finland, 18-21 June 2018, 2018
Lwin, K., Wedeles, J., & Brady, E., Brief Report: The Role of Technology in Evidence-informed Practice: Uniting the Human and the Digital in Child Welfare, International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience, 5, (1), 2017, p67-72
Brady, E., A life course approach to studying the experiences of foster care alumni: A case study exploring the educational experiences of care-experienced adults. , 9th International Foster Care Research Network Conference, Universite de Nanterre, Paris, France, 27-29 September 2017, 2017
Brady, E., Using a life course approach to explore the educational pathways of care leavers: New dimensions in understanding, 14th European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents International Conference, Oviedo, Spain, September 2016, 2016
Matheson, I., Brady, E., & Connelly, G., The LinkedIn Education of Children in Care Network: Social media meets community of interest., Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, 15, (1), 2016, p49 - 55
Brady, E., Book Review: Pathways through education for young people in care: Ideas from research and practice, Child Care in Practice, 2015
Brady, E., Exploring the Educational Pathways & Transitions of Adult Care Leavers: Developing a PhD Research Project, 3rd International Congress of the Swiss Association of Social Work, Zurich, Switzerland, September 2015, 2015
Brady, E., Child protection social workers' engagement in continuing professional development: An exploratory study., Social Work Education: The International Journal, 33, (6), 2014, p819 - 834
Brady, E., Hendsbee, T., Francis, A., & Justinich, M., The Bookworm Club: The evolution and evaluation of an evidence-informed literacy program for children residing in out-of-home care, 13th European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents International Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2014, 2014
Brady, E. & Busch, J., The Bookworm Club: Implementing and evaluating a pilot literacy program for children in out-of-home care., Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies Journal, 58, 2014, p26 - 33
Brady, E., The Bookworm Club: The implementation story of an evidence-informed literacy program for children residing in out-of-home care in Ontario, Canada., Child Welfare, 92, (5), 2013, p137 - 149
Brady E. & Dill, K., A Magical Movement: The real-life implementation story of how one child welfare community leveraged its newfound belief in evidence-based practice to create and implement a world-renowned literacy program for children residing in out-of-home care, 2nd Biannual Global Implementation Conference, Washington, D.C., U.S.A., August 2013, 2013
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Stephanie Holt, Robbie Gilligan, Louise Caffrey & Eavan Brady, Through the Eyes of the Child: A Study of Tusla Child Protection and Welfare Intervention - A Research Briefing, Children and Youth Services Review, 2023, -
Monson, T. & Brady, E., Editorial , Child Care in Practice, 2022
Brady, E., Book Review - Marginalised Communities in Higher Education: Disadvantage, Mobility and Indigeneity, Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, 21, (2), 2022
Brady, E. & Gilligan, R., Supporting the educational progress of children and young people in foster care: Challenges and opportunities, Foster, 5, 2018, p29 - 41
Brady, E., How to be a Critical Consumer of Research: Strategies for locating and critically reading published research, The Irish Social Worker, 2018, p77 - 82
Brady, E., Supporting progress in education and employment among care leavers: Challenges and opportunities [INVITED SPEAKER], Irish Aftercare Network Annual Conference - "Together we Can" Promoting Education, Training & Employment Opportunities for Care Leavers., Athlone, Ireland, 25th May 2018, 2018
Brady, E., Supporting the Educational Attainment and Progress of Children in State Care: A Preliminary Review of International Evidence, 2017
Brady, E., Journey to Publication, Irish Association of Social Workers National Social Work Conference, Dublin, Ireland, June 2016, 2016
Holt, S., Whelan, S. & Brady, E.,, Evaluation of the Cottage Home Family Support Service, 2014
Recognition
Representations
Member International Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care (INTRAC) Executive Committee
Contributor: Practice Links Quarterly Publication, University College Cork
Co-chair: Ontario Bookworm Club Steering Committee
Board Member - Breaking Through: Supporting Practitioners
Irish Aftercare Network Committee - Member
Reviewer - Child Care in Practice
Reviewer - Journal of Social Work Practice
Reviewer - Child Welfare
Reviewer - Journal of Technology in Human Services
All Ireland Social Work Research Conference - Organising Committee Member
Reviewer - Social Work Education
Editorial Board Member - Child Care in Practice
Reviewer - Children and Youth Services Review
Reviewer - Children & Society
Reviewer - Journal of Youth Studies
Awards and Honours
Provost's Teaching Award Nominee
European Social Services Award for Child-centred Research
Trinity Excellence in Teaching Award Nominee
Memberships
Registered Social Worker: License Number SW000286 CORU - Health & Social Care Professionals Council, Ireland
Irish Association of Social Work - Member