Biography
Dr Lyons defines herself as a social care worker in education and is a new member of the academic team in the Department of Humanities. As part of her academic journey, she completed a PhD in 2017 which addressed the core research question of ‘how is social care work experienced by workers in diverse settings in Ireland? Direct practice with others through the social care relationship, emerged in the findings as the fundamental collective experience necessary to claim the identity of social care worker. Her research interests include; a relational approach to social care practice; social care worker identity, violence against staff within social care work and the role of creativity in social care practice and education.
Research Interests
Before becoming a lecturer in 2000, Dr Lyons worked as a social care worker, predominantly in children’s residential care. As a social care worker, she was aware of the potential benefits of engaging in the creative arts and trained as an Art Therapist in 2003. Her first text as editor; ‘Creative Studies for the Helping Professions’ (2010) became the main resource for creative studies modules within social care programmes in Ireland. She has also worked as the Academic External Examiner for both social care and creative studies modules and has begun her new role as Education Reviewer for CORU. In 2014, Dr Lyons and Noel Howard (Media spokesperson for Social Care Ireland) produced ‘Social Care Learning from Practice’ a text book for social care students and workers written by social care workers and managers. Denise was also interviewed for the excellent Newstalk Radio Documentary ‘Who Cares for the Carer’ and was involved in the very inspiring Short Film by Conor Diggin ‘Six Portraits’ which celebrates the fully integrated engagement of people with an intellectual disability in third level education.
Engagement and Collaboration
- CORU Review Panel Member (2019 -2021).
- Academic External Examiner (2004 -2019) for social care, early childhood care and social and community studies programmes, in Athlone IT, Dundalk IT, Cork IT, Tralee IT, Limerick IT and Sligo IT.
- President of Social Care Ireland (2012 -2014) the professional representative body for social care workers and managers.
- Secretary of the Irish Association of Social Care Educators (2009 -2014).
- Irish Examiner Article on Dr Denise Lyons’ Keynote address at the SCI Conference in Naas, Friday the 15th of April 2016, ‘Care workers get kicked, punched and spat at on the job’ written by Joyce Fegan. https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/care-workers-get-kicked-punched-and-spat-at-on-job-393083.html
Supervision of students at undergraduate level in the following topic areas:
- Role of art therapy and creative arts in social care
- Violence against staff in social care
- Importance of self and self-awareness for social care work
- Relational and relationship-based social care work
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Lyons, D. (2006) The Use of Art Therapy within Residential Care. ITB Journal. Issue Number 14, December 2006.
Books and Book Chapters
Howard, N. and Lyons, D. eds. (2014) Social Care Learning from Practice, Dublin: Gill and Macmillan.
Lyons, D. (2013) ‘Learn about your self before you work with others’ in Lalor, K. and Share, P. eds. Applied Social Care: An Introduction for Students in Ireland, Dublin: Gill and Macmillan.
Lyons, D. (2010) Creative Studies for the Caring Professions, Dublin: Gill and Macmillan.
Lyons, D. (2009), ‘Just bring Your Self - Exploring the Importance of Self-awareness Training in Social Care Education’, in Share, P. and Lalor, K. eds Applied Social Care an Introduction for Students in Ireland, Dublin: Gill and Macmillan.
Conference Proceedings and Papers
Lyons, D and brown, T. (2019) - Moving Beyond the Rhetoric of Care to Creating A -Collective Care Culture. Paper presented at the Social Care Ireland Annual Conference.
Lyons, D. and Donnelly, J. (2018) The Six Portraits Project. Paper presented at the UDHEIT Conference, Dublin Castle. See short documentary.
Lyons, D. (2018) -The Collective Abilities and Strengths of Social Care Workers in Diverse Settings. Paper presented at the Social Care Ireland Annual Conference.
Lyons, D. (2016) Balancing Care: Recognition and Regulation in the Era of Professionalisation. Keynote Address at the Social Care Ireland Annual Conference.
Lyons, D. (2016) Meaningful Moments: Role of Creative Arts in Social Care. Keynote Address at the first Creative Interventions Seminar in Limerick IT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msv7_dYPlxs&t=2s
http://www.lit.ie/News/Item/Creative_Interventions_Seminar_2016.aspx
Lyons, D. (2013) Presidential Address. Social Care Ireland Annual Conference.
Kennelly, M. and Lyons, D. (2013) Project 5 National Digital learning Repository, Trinity College, Dublin.
Lyons, D. (2012) Presidential Address. Social Care Ireland Annual Conference.
Lyons, D. and Cousins, J. (2012) Head, Hands and Heart. Paper presented at the Annual FESET International Conference, Marseille, France.
Lyons, D. and Kennelly, M. (2010) Creative Studies for the Caring Professions. Conference organiser and paper presented at the first Creative Conference, ITB Dublin.
Lyons, D. (2009) Using Drama for self-development in social care education. Creative Conference. Trinity College Dublin.
Lyons, D. (2007) The Benefits of Using the Creative Arts in Social Care Practice and Training. Paper presented at the Irish Association of Social Care Educators Annual Conference
Lyons, D. (2006) The Benefits of Using the Creative Arts in Social Care Practice and Training. Paper presented at the 8th International Child and Youth Care Conference, Montreal Canada.
Other Research Outputs
Lyons, D. (2017) Social Care Workers in Ireland -Drawing on Diverse Representations and Experiences, PhD Thesis, University College Cork.
Lyons, D. (2007) Just Bring Yourself. Masters Thesis. Dublin Institute of Technology, 2007. doi:10.21427/D7F622 https://arrow.dit.ie/appamas/4/
Lyons, D. (2003) And Then There were Three. PGDip Thesis in Art Therapy, University of Hertfordshire.