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Ms. Sinead Tobin
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Sch Office - Social Work & Social Policy

Biography

Sinéad is an Assistant Professor in Social Work in the School of Social Work and Social Policy in Trinity College Dublin. She holds a Masters in Applied Social Research from Trinity College Dublin (2014), and a BSS from Trinity College Dublin (2006). Sinéad's dissertation research was a qualitative study investigating young peoples lived experiences of foster care placement breakdown. The study gave an important voice to this vulnerable, often hard to reach population. Sinéad holds an innovative joint appointment position between Trinity College and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. In her appointment to the School of Social Work and Social Policy, Sinéad brings 20 years experience working as a Social Worker, Social Work Team Leader and Principal Social Worker predominantly in the fields of Child Protection and Welfare and Children in Care. Throughout her time as a practitioner Sinead has worked positively with vulnerable children and their families, in a range of complex situations. Sinéad also has experience as Principal Social Worker leading a regional Adoption and Birth Information and Tracing Service. In her role as Assistant Professor within Trinity, Sinéad teaches 'Child Protection Practices' on the Postgraduate Diploma in Child Protection and Welfare. She also delivers `Introduction to Work with Children and Families' and `Report Writing in Child and Family Social Work' on the Master in Social Work programme. Sinéad teaches 'Introduction to Child Protection' on the undergraduate BSS (Social Work) degree programme. In addition, she delivers lectures on Social Work Skills as part of Social Work Practice Module to third year undergraduate BSS students.

Publications and Further Research Outputs

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Caffrey, L., Tobin, S., Flynn, S., Holt, S., Houston, S., Petautschnig Arancibia, C. & Sheaf, G., The Intended and Unintended Effects of Inspection on Child and Family Social Work Services: A Rapid Evidence Review of the International Literature, Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 2025 Journal Article, 2025 TARA - Full Text URL

Niland, K. & Tobin, S., Book Review: Trauma Informed Support and Supervision for Child Protection Professionals: A Model for Those Working with Children who have Experienced Trauma, Abuse and Neglect and their Families., The Irish Social Worker: Special Edition, 2025, p134-136 Journal Article, 2025

Tobin, S, Opening the Doors: a practitioner in academia and an academic in practice., European Conference on Social Work Research ECSWR, Munchen, Munich, Germany, 12th- 14th March 202, 2025 Conference Paper, 2025

Caffrey, L., Flynn, S., Quinn, N., Tobin, S. & Holt, S., The Focus and Methodology of Inspection in Ireland: a documentary analysis of Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) child protection and welfare services inspection reports, November, 2025 Report, 2025 DOI TARA - Full Text

Byrne, G., Sweeney, LA., TobIn, S., Adolescent Sexting: An Exploration of Teacher"s Perspectives of the Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) Based Curriculum, Irish Journal of Applied Social studies, 25, (2), 2025, p1 Journal Article, 2025 URL

Tobin, S., Caffrey, L., Brady, E., Whiting, S., Sheaf, G., Gilligan, R., Mayock, P., Quinn, N., Foster Children's Lived Experience of Placement Breakdown: A Scoping Review., European Scientific Association on Residential & Family Care for Children and Adolescents (EUSARF), University of Zagreb, Croatia, 2025 Conference Paper, 2025

Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications

Sinead Tobin, Young People's Experience of Foster Placement Breakdown: A Briefing Note, 2015 Report, 2015 TARA - Full Text URL

Sinead Tobin, Young People's Experiences of Foster Placement Breakdown: A Qualitative Study, Masters in Applied Social Research, 2013 Thesis, 2013 URL TARA - Full Text

Research Expertise

Description

Sinéad's research interests reflect her holistic practice experience venturing between child protection and welfare and children in care. Sinéad has a particular interest in key transitions for children in, and within, the care system, including admission to care, reunification and moves within care. From a child protection perspective, Sinéad is also interested in prevention of child abuse, understanding and responding to child abuse and ultimately supporting Child Protection systems to better meet the needs of children at risk of abuse and those in state care. In her practice to date, Sinéad has championed and valued the rights and voice of children, and has honoured this in her research endeavours to date. Sinéad is PI on two separate scoping review projects, one on Lived Experiences of Foster Placement Breakdown and a second on the lived experience of admission to care. Sinead is also part of a research team working on a Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth commissioned project considering the role of inspections in the provision of services in Child and Family Social work.

Projects

  • Title
    • Lived Experience of Foster Placement Breakdown
  • Title
    • Lived Experience Admission to Care

Recognition

Memberships

Member of the Irish Association of Social Workers 2006 – current

Trinity Research in Childhood Centre (Board Member) 2023 – present