Postgraduate Diploma/M.Sc. in Child Protection and Welfare

All information about the programme should go under the following headings/sections:
1. Programme name (it’s an opening or ‘About’ section of the programme which includes a brief description of the programme, why it’s unique,what are the target students for this programme,etc).

This one-year, part-time, multi-disciplinary course offers a postgraduate qualification to practitioners and service managers whose work involves the protection and welfare of children. The course aims to enable experienced professionals to promote the development of family support and welfare services, and to respond to the needs of children at risk. A second year leading to a M.Sc. in Child Protection and Welfare is available to eligible candidates who have completed the Postgraduate Diploma with a 2.1 or better result.The M.Sc. is designed to build on the Postgraduate Diploma and aims to develop applied research skills in the field of child protection and welfare.

Target students

Those working at managerial or main grade levels in the following fields are eligible to apply: public health nursing, social work, psychology, child care, public health and general medicine, service planning, training; the criminal justice field, including probation and welfare and the Garda Siochana; child and adolescent psychiatry, youth and community work, family support services, education, services for those with a learning or physical disability, child and family law.

2. Programme Structure & Content (this section should include course details on the calendar and delivery / modules, work placements (if applicable), assessment, course handbooks, etc).

The Postgraduate Diploma runs for one academic year, from late October to May. Students attend the university full-time for one week per month over nine consecutive months. It is also expected that the equivalent of one day per week in the participant's agency is spent on course-related work.

The programme consists of the following modules:

  1. Child Protection Perspectives and Practices
  2. Child Law
  3. Child Development
  4. Interventions with Children and Families
  5. Research Methods
  6. Contemporary Issues

In addition, seminars and workshops are held on areas of relevant and topical interest.

Competence is assessed on the basis of full attendance and four written assignments which includes a practice based project. The project is the most important single element of the course in terms of student learning.The exercise is designed to serve as a bridge between the college-based element of the course and the student's work. The student is required to carry innovative piece of work within their organisation, which can be either an evaluation of an existing service or development or a small piece of exploratory research on a topic relevant to the agency. It is hoped that this process may assist not only the learning of the student but also that of their colleagues, - thus the title 'demonstration practice'. This project is designed to exemplify the course's commitment to making a difference in the work place, that is, not risking the possibility of merely being an interesting academic course which fails to impinge on the 'real world'.

The Demonstration Practice exercise has a number of objectives:

  • to extend the professional repertoire of the student
  • to extend the capacity of the student's work team/organisation to respond to needs in the area of child protection and welfare
  • to promote the processes of innovation and evaluation in the work of the student and that of his/her colleagues
  • to familiarise the student with the practical steps involved in research and evaluation
  • to encourage the writing up good work / practice
  • to encourage the active dissemination of information about good practice within the student's organisation and more widely

The M.Sc. in Child Protection and Welfare comprises a series of lectures/seminars on organisational change and development, evaluation research methodology and related issues, entailing attendance at College approximately two days per month over the academic year.In addition, each student is assigned an individual dissertation supervisor, who provides support and guidance in planning and implementing the dissertation.

3. Programme Staff(names and details of teaching staff).

The course is taught by members of the School of Social Work and Social Policy, and of other departments in the University. Practitioners, lecturers and policy makers with special expertise from both Ireland and abroad also contribute to teaching. Dr Helen Buckley is Course Coordinator for the Postgraduate Diploma and Prof Robbie Gilligan is Course Coordinator for the M.Sc.

Dr. Helen Buckley

Helen is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work and Social Policy and Course Coordinator, Postgraduate Diploma in Child Protection and Welfare. She has worked as a social worker in the areas of disability, mental health, and child protection. Helen has produced and edited child protection policies and guidelines for youth, sports and community organisations and children’s hospitals. She was a panel member of the Ferns Inquiry and is currently the Chair of the National Panel for the Review of Serious Incidents including Deaths of Children in Care. She is the author of a number of books and articles on child protection practice, and has directed research studies on assessment, domestic violence, inter agency cooperation, service users views, and knowledge transfer in children’s services. During 2013 she completed a Irish Research Council funded study with Dr. Caroline O’Nolan reviewing child abuse inquiry recommendations, including their impact on policy and practice.

Prof Robbie Gilligan

Robbie is Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin. He is also Associate Director (and co-founder) of the Children's Research Centre. In addition, he is Coordinator of the MSc in Child Protection and Welfare. He is also a Fellow, and an elected member of the Board, of Trinity College Dublin. He has been a youth worker, social worker and foster career. He has been a board member of, and consultant to, various social service organisations. In relation to professional practice, he has a particular commitment to strength and resilience based perspectives in work with children and families. His research interests include children in state care, family support, and the experiences of immigrant children and young people. A full list of his publications (books, journal articles and chapters) is available on request. Some of his work has been translated into French, German, Norwegian and Spanish. He has served as President of Childwatch International Research Network (2009-13), and is a member of the Board of the European Scientific Association for Residential and Foster Care, and a member of INTRAC - The International Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the journals,Child Abuse and Neglect, Child and Family Social Work, Child Indicators Research and the European Journal of Social Work, and of the Advisory Boards of the journals, Children and Society and Adoption and Fostering.

4. Entry Requirements & How to Apply(any relevant information on required documentation, submitting applications, selection criteria, etc).

Entry Requirements for the Postgraduate Diploma

The programme is open to applications from qualified professionals from relevant disciplines who have three years post qualifying experience in an area related to child protection and welfare.

Applicants should normally have an upper second-class honors degree in one of the Social Sciences. Applications from graduates in other disciplines (e.g. health sciences, business studies) who have relevant experience will be considered.

How to Apply

Applications are completed electronically and require the following documentation:

  • Application Form completed onlinehere
  • 2 Reference Letters - applicants are not required to get two hard copy references. You must list two referee contact details on the online application form. An automated email will be sent to both referees asking them to complete a template and send it back. (It is preferable that references are academic)
  • Official Transcripts - a transcript is a breakdown of the modules you completed and the grades you obtained. Please contact your University to request a transcript as soon as possible as some Universities can take up to 21 days to process transcripts. (This includes undergraduate transcripts and graduate transcripts if applicable)
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Supplementary Form
  • A certified certificate of English Language Competency if English is not your first language (e.g. TOEFL or IELTS);
  • Interview - Selection interviews take place following a review of the application and fourteen places are offered on the basis of interview.

Entry Requirements and How to Apply for the M.Sc.

Admission to the M.Sc. programme is confined to candidates who achieve an upper second-class grade in the Postgraduate Diploma. In addition, to be admitted to the M.Sc. candidates must submit a research proposal for their M.Sc. dissertation to the Course Coordinator.

5. Fees(fees for EU and non-EU students, information on application or other additional fees).

Fee information for both Postgraduate Diploma and M.Sc. can be found at

6. Careers & Alumni(this section shouldoutline some potential future /career opportunities, testimonials from former students, etc.)

7. Contact Us(contact details).

Ms. Laura Cusack, Executive Officer
School of Social Work and Social Policy

Room 3063, Arts Building

Trinity College Dublin
Tel: +353 1 896 3593
Email:

Dr Helen Buckley, Course Director Postgraduate Diploma
School of Social Work and Social Policy
Tel: +353 1 896 2065
Email:

Prof Robbie Gilligan, Course Director M.Sc.
School of Social Work and Social Policy
Tel: +353 1 896 1331
Email: