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Biography

Clare has been lecturing in WIT since 2003 to date and trained as a Family Support Worker with the Southern Health Board. She holds an honours degree in Early Childhood Studies from University College Cork. She was also awarded a Masters research scholarship by Waterford Institute of Technology which focused on ‘A Study of Shared Parenting Arrangements in Post Nuclear Irish Families’. She is currently researching for a PHD in Education from University College Cork which specifically focuses on exploring Immigrant Family Systems in Ireland.

Clare has worked with both Social Care and Early Childhood students in the capacity of lecturer, placement tutor and dissertation supervisor. She has also trained as part of the national facilitation team in 2008 for implementation of ‘Siolta’, The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education. Clare has presented at various conferences nationally and internationally and has published in Journals relating to early childhood. She has also written about the Froebelian philosophy in early childhood care and education for the 2012 edition of ‘Early Childhood Education & Care: An Introduction for Students in Ireland’. Clare is a member of Ple (Pedagogy, Learning and Education) and has a keen interest in meditation, mindfulness and well-being with certification in mediation and chair yoga teaching and holistic life coaching. 

Lecturer in the Department of Social Care and Early Childhood, School of Humanities, WIT                  (October 2003 to date)

Lecturing experience includes delivery of modules at level 7 and level 8 - Modules delivered to Social Care students have included Applied Social Studies and Personal Professional Development. She has been recognised as a Teaching Hero in the 2021 student-led Teaching Hero awards.

Current lecturing includes delivery of level 8 modules to Early Childhood Studies students which include various topics relating to Early Years Education, Early Childhood Assessment, Diversity and Inclusion in Early Childhood, Personal and Professional Development. 

Undergraduate Thesis Supervision (Early Childhood & Social Care students)

Placement tutor and supervisor (Early Childhood & Social Care students)

Administrative role as Year Tutor (Social Care students

Research Interests

- Children’s rights, participation and voice in research

- Child protection, family support and early intervention

- Immigrant family stories of mobility & Irish family change 

- Early childhood care and education research, policy and provision

(2012) -  Chapter 13 - Fredrich Froebel and Early Childhood Education in Mhic Mhathuna & Taylor, (2012) Early Childhood Education & Care: An Introduction for Students in Ireland. Gill & MacMillan, Dublin.

(2008) – An Leanbh Og, The OMEP Ireland Journal of Early Childhood Studies, (March 2008) ‘Children’s Experience of Shared Parenting’

(2002) - Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies, Vol 3, No: 1, 2002.  Book Review ‘A Child Called It’.

Conferences:

(20th June 2012) Summer School for Social Work Students, (20, June, 2012), University of Applied Sciences, Linz, Austria – Paper- ‘Working with Children and Parents: An Irish Perspective’.

(May 9-11 2008) Sociology Association of Ireland, (2008), Annual Conference, Aras Moyola, NUIG. Theme: ‘Contemporary Childhood’,  Paper - ‘Children’s Narratives of Shared Parenting in Post Nuclear Irish Families’.

(27-28 April 2007). Aspects of Childhood, Omep Ireland Conference, UCC. Paper - ‘Children’s Experience of Shared Parenting’.

Workshop Presentation:

(15-20 July 2001)

12th International Foster Care Organisation Biennial International Conference, Veldhoven, The Netherlands, Holland.  . Workshop - ‘From Webs of Distraction’ to ‘Systems of Care’, Strengthening Silenced Voices with a Circle of Care’.

Poster Presentation:

(26-27 Feb 2008).

International Conference, Theme: ‘Researching Children’s Worlds – Sharing Knowledge to Improve Action’, Ardilaun Hotel, Taylors Hill, Galway. Poster - ‘A Child Centred Approach to Parental Separation’

(2012) -  Chapter 13 - Fredrich Froebel and Early Childhood Education in Mhic Mhathuna & Taylor, (2012) Early Childhood Education & Care: An Introduction for Students in Ireland. Gill & MacMillan, Dublin.

(2008) – An Leanbh Og, The OMEP Ireland Journal of Early Childhood Studies, (March 2008) ‘Children’s Experience of Shared Parenting’

(2002) - Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies, Vol 3, No: 1, 2002.  Book Review ‘A Child Called It’.

Conferences:

(20th June 2012) Summer School for Social Work Students, (20, June, 2012), University of Applied Sciences, Linz, Austria – Paper- ‘Working with Children and Parents: An Irish Perspective’.

(May 9-11 2008) Sociology Association of Ireland, (2008), Annual Conference, Aras Moyola, NUIG. Theme: ‘Contemporary Childhood’,  Paper - ‘Children’s Narratives of Shared Parenting in Post Nuclear Irish Families’.

(27-28 April 2007). Aspects of Childhood, Omep Ireland Conference, UCC. Paper - ‘Children’s Experience of Shared Parenting’.

Workshop Presentation:

(15-20 July 2001)

12th International Foster Care Organisation Biennial International Conference, Veldhoven, The Netherlands, Holland.  . Workshop - ‘From Webs of Distraction’ to ‘Systems of Care’, Strengthening Silenced Voices with a Circle of Care’.

Poster Presentation:

(26-27 Feb 2008).

International Conference, Theme: ‘Researching Children’s Worlds – Sharing Knowledge to Improve Action’, Ardilaun Hotel, Taylors Hill, Galway. Poster - ‘A Child Centred Approach to Parental Separation’