School of Social Work and Social Policy

Contact Us School of Social Work & Social Policy
Room 3063, Arts Building
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin 2
Ireland

Phone: 01 896 2001

View the contact page for more contact and location information

swsp@tcd.e Gaeilge
Three rows of people sitting in chairs at a seminar event

The School of Social Work and Social Policy runs a seminar series with presentations by academics within the school and visiting researchers. Anyone is welcome to attend the seminar series. For any questions contact Orla Shortall. 

Seminar Series 2026/2027: 

Date Time Location Speaker Title/Topic Abstract
28/10/26 1-2pm TRiSS seminar room, level 6, Arts Building Dr Dinesh Wadiwel

The Elimination of Disability Restraint, Forced Treatment and Seclusion: Notes from the Australian Experience

 Across a variety of jurisdictions, restraint, forced treatment and seclusion are routinely used within institutional contexts against people with disability. International legal frameworks have increasingly drawn attention to the problems with these practices, including their non compliance with core human rights obligations, such as those articulated in the Convention against Torture. This paper reflects on recent developments within Australian contexts. I will firstly discuss the approach of the Australian Government to regulate and monitor the use of 'restrictive practices' within disability support services. I will then summarise commissioned research I was involved in for the Australian Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, and how it informed the recommendations of the Commission in relation to restraint, forced treatment and seclusion. I will finally reflect on the barriers faced for genuine reform, and the frustrations of advocates seeking to eliminate the use of restrictive practices.
11/11/26 1-2pm Room 4047, Arts Building Dr Florence Impens An introduction to EU Horizon funding TBC
25/11/26 1-2pm Room 3080, Arts Building Dr Joe Whelan TBC TBC
02/02/27 1-2pm Room 3080, Arts Building Prof Beth Weaver, University of Strathclyde Generative AI, critical thinking and social work practice TBC
17/02/26 1-2pm Room 3080, Arts Building Dr Leigh-Ann Sweeney Women's experience of the free contraception scheme TBC
03/03/27 1-2pm Room 3080, Arts Building Dr Catherine Conlon Open Scholarship TBC
24/03/27 1-2pm Room 3080, Arts Building Sinead Tobin Foster Placement Breakdown TBC