UCD School of Applied Social Science

Scoil an Léinn Shóisialta Fheidhmeannaigh UCD

Dr Valerie M O'Brien BSOCSC,PHD,M.SOC

Biography:

Dr Valerie O'Brien's main areas of research and teaching interests are child welfare, counselling social work and psychotherapy and qualitative research methods. She is a registered systemic psychotherapist and supervisor and is involved in training and clinical practice in this field. Within child welfare, she has researched and published in the area of kinship and relative care, adoption, service delivery models, care planning and family group conferencing. She has drawn extensively from systemic ideas in her child welfare research work and in particular she has applied the ideas of the Fifth Province Associates. Dr Nollaig Byrne, Philip Kearney and Dr Imelda McCarthy have developed the work of the fifth province. Dr McCarthy was a lecturer in the School of Applied Social Science. Dr O'Brien has served on the Irish Adoption Board for ten years and through this service she continues to shape adoption policy and practice in Ireland.

Research Interests

Child Welfare, Kinship Care, Domestic and Inter-Country Adoption, Family Group Conferences, Qualitative Research Methods, Skills Training and Professional Development.

Research Projects

Sponsor : Dept. of Health & Children
Title : Toward an understanding of the Information Seeking Behaviour & Research Utilization of Social Workers
Start Date / End Date : 08-SEP-08 / 07-SEP-11

Sponsor : Adoption Board
Title : Guidelines for Mediation Agencies
Start Date / End Date : 22-NOV-02 / 21-MAY-03

Sponsor : Eastern Health Board
Title : Family Group Conference Pilot Project: Phase 1. Training and Evaluation
Start Date / End Date : 01-JUN-99 / 31-JUL-00

Sponsor : Dept. of Health
Title : Review of Foreign Adoption Assessment Procedures
Start Date / End Date : 23-NOV-98 / 22-FEB-99

Book Chapters

O'Brien, V (2012) 'Kinship Care : Enhanced Support Needed' In: Voices of the Forgotten: 30 Years of the International Foster Care Organization. USA: IFCO Vanity. [Details]

O'Brien, V (2012) 'The Place of Family Group Conferencing in Child Welfare in the Republic of Ireland' In: The quiet revolution. Aggrandising people power by Family Group Conferences. Amsterdam: SWP. [Details]

O'Brien, V.; (2002) 'Family Fostering: Children's Experiences of Care by Relatives' In: ed. A Cleary, M Nic Ghiolla Phádraig and S Quin (eds). Understanding Children, Volume 2: Changing Experiences and Family Forms. Cork: Oak Tree Press. [Details]

O'Brien, V; (2001) 'Contributions from an Irish Study: Understanding and Managing Relative Care' In: ed. B Broad (eds). Kinship Care: The Placement Choice for Children and Young People. London: Russell House Publishing. [Details]

O'Brien, V.; (2000) 'Relative Care' In: Kelly, G.& Gilligan, R. (Eds.) (eds). Issues in Foster Care: The Personal, the Professional and the Organisational. London: Jessica Kingsley. [Details]

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Peer Reviewed Journals

O'Brien, V (2013) 'Responding to the call: An innovative conceptual model for kinship care assessment'. Child and Family Social Work, . [Details]

O'Brien (2012) 'The Challenge and Benefits of Kinshp Care'. Child Care in Practice, 18 (1):127-146. [Details]

O'Brien, Valerie; (2009) 'The Potential of Ireland's Hague Convention Legislation to Resolve Ethical Dilemmas in Inter- Country Adoption'. Irish Social Worker, Summer :13-19. [Details]

O'Brien, V.; (2003) 'Relative Care Networks, Application of the Fifth Province'. Feedback : Family Therapy Network of Ireland, 9 (2):31-38. [Details]

O'Brien, V.; (1996) 'Relative Foster Care: An Untapped Placement Resource'. Journal of Child Centred Practice, 1 (1):9-23. [Details]

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Other Journals

O'Brien, V; (2010) 'Fostering the Family, Irish Times, June 1st' Irish Times . [Details]

Conference Publications

O'Brien, V ; (2011) Learning the Lessons from History : Ireland and USA Intercountry Adoption Practices 5th International Post Adoption Conference, Cape Cod, USA [Details]

Michael O'Grady, Gavin Barrett, Terry Barrett, Yvonne Delaney , Nuala Hunt, Thomas Kador and Valerie O¿Brien; (2011) Sense and Sensibility Collaborative & Interdisciplinary Problem Design in PBL Initiatives AISHE International Conference : The Challenge for Graduates in a Changing World http://hdl.handle.net/10197/3710, [DOI] [Details]

O'Brien, V ; (2011) Problem Based Learning in Child Welfare Teaching All Ireland Social Work Educators Forum [Details]

O'Brien, V ; (2011) The Challenge and Benefits of Kinship Care North South Conference on Kinship Care [Details]

O'Brien, V ; (2010) Addressing the Complexity of Assessing the Kinship Home : A New Way Forward Health Service Executive : Kinship Care

[DOI] [Details]

O'Brien, V ; (2010) Ireland: A Sending and Receiving Country in respect of Adoption Taking it to the Streets: International Adoption Conference, Cape Cod, Mass, USA [Details]
O'Brien, V ; (2010) Applying a Systemic Perspective to Enhance Contact Arrangments in Kinship Care Social Work in Foster Care : Ireland Dublin, UCD, , 22-APR-10 - 22-APR-10 [Details]
O'Brien, V ; (2009) Permanency: A Comparative View of Child Welfare Practices in USA and Ireland 4th International Conference Post Adoption Services [Details]
Dr Valerie O'Brien ; (2009) Contact and Kinship Care International Conference : Linking Global Foster Care Dublin, , 13-JUL-09 - 17-JUL-09 [DOI] [Details]
O'Brien, V ; (2009) A Fifth Province Perspective of Supporting the KInship Placement 4th International Conference Post Adoption Services Boston, , 22-FEB-09 - 26-FEB-09 [Details]
O'Brien, V ; (2009) Understanding the Complexity of Kinship Care and the Implications for Family & State Relationships International Conference : Linking Global Foster Care : IFCO Dulbin, , 13-JUL-09 - 17-JUL-09 [Details]
O'Brien, V ; (2009) Outcomes and Assessment in Kinship Care International Conference : Linking Global Foster Care Dublin, , 13-JUL-09 - 17-JUL-09 [Details]
O'Brien, V.; (2006) Implementation Issues Post 2001 Children Act Family Welfare Conferencing Limerick, [Details]
O'Brien, V.; (2006) Decision Making in Assessment Practices 2nd International Conference on Research in Adoption UEA, Norwich, [Details]
O'Brien, V.; (2005) Relative Care: A Different Assessment Framework National Care Planning Conference Limerick, [Details]
O'Brien, V ; (2000) An Overview of the Family Group Conference Evolution: Belfast : Northern Ireland Managers of Health and Social Services, 2000 Belfast, [Details]
Dr Valerie O'Brien ; (1999) Assessing Relative Care : Understanding Relative Care Networks International Foster Care Conference : Melbourne 1999 Melbourne, [Details]
O'Brien, V ; (1997) Maintaining Links through Relative Care Ireland - European Social Work Conference - *, [Details]
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Published Reports

Dr Valerie O'Brien ; (2008) Academic Review of Practice Instruments 2006 : National Care Planning Project. HSE, HSE. [Details]

O'Brien, V. and Conway, E.; (2004) Guidelines for Domestic Adoption Assessment Practices. Irish Adoption Board, Dublin:. [DOI] [Details]

O'Brien, V.; (2003) Guidelines for Adoption Mediation Agencies. Irish Adoption Board, Dublin:. [Details]

O'Brien, V.; (2002) Family Group Conferences: Application within Child Protection Context. Mid Western Health Board, Limerick:. [Details]

O'Brien, V.; (2000) An Evaluation of the Family Group Conference Pilot Project in the Eastern Health Board. EHRA, Dublin. [Details]

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Newspaper Articles

O'Brien, Valerie (2010) The Lost Generation of Mother and Baby Homes. Newspaper Articles [DOI] [Details]

Technical Publication

O'Brien; (2003) Train the Trainers : Towards a Conjoint Training Programme for Intercoutnry Adoption. Dublin: Technical Publication [Details]

O'Brien ; (2003) Preparation Course for Intercountry Adoption : Conjoint Adoptive Parents and Social Work Delivery. Technical Publication [Details]

O'Brien, V ; (2000) Preperation Course : Intercountry Adoption and Prospective Adoptive Parents. Technical Publication [Details]

Honours and Awards

Year: 1978.
Title: First Year Examination Scholarship

Year: 1995.
Title: Open Post Graduate Scholarship UCD.

Associations

Association: Irish Foster Care Association , Function/Role: Executive Board Member 2012 -2015

Association: Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP) , Function/Role: Executive Member 2012 -2014

Association: Family Therapy Assoc of Ireland , Function/Role: Executive Member 2012 -2014

Association: Irish Adoption Board, Function/Role: Ministerial Appointment 1998-2010

Association: Family Therapy Association of Ireland , Function/Role: Board Member 1991 - 1996. Vice Chairperson of FTAI 1994-1996 during legal incorporation as a limited company. Board Member 2011 - current

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Conference Contributions

*; (1998) *. [Oral Presentation], UNICEF sponsored professional training programme for social pedagogues and social workers, 1998, * , 27-MAY-98 - 29-AUG-98.

*; *. [Oral Presentation], 2000 Kinship Care : Conference organised by the Family Rights Group London, 2000, * .

*; *. [Oral Presentation], Relative Care : One day national conference organised by British Association for Adoption and Fostering. Manchester, 2002, Manchester .

; Fostering into the Future Relatively Speaking. [Oral Presentation], IFCA National Conference 1997, * .

*; *. [Oral Presentation], Family Group Conferences, IASW Annual Conference 1997, * .

; An Aged Old Tradition / A New Departure,. [Oral Presentation], Relative Foster Care: 1996 IFCA AGM, .
; A Family / State Discourse. [Oral Presentation], Family Therapy Annual Conference 1996, * .
; Managing Change. [Oral Presentation], North South Conference 1990, * .
; . [Oral Presentation], Manchester, International conference on Family Group conferences, Building on Strenght workshop on Family Group Conferences and Child Protection in an Irish Context 2001 , * .
; . [Oral Presentation], Manchester BAAF Conference Relative Care Typologies 2000, Manchester .
; Understanding Networks of Relative Care and FGC: An Irish Perspective. [Oral Presentation], Columbia School of Social Work : 1999, .
; . [Oral Presentation], North South Conference An Overview of Practice Developments in FGC, Belfast. 2001, Belfast .
; . [Oral Presentation], Troubled Children and Children in Trouble : The Family Group Conference Making it Work Kilkenny, Southern Health Board and Barnardoes, 2001, * .
; . [Oral Presentation], Workshop on research methodologies in Family Group Conferences, All Ireland Conference, Cavan 2000*, Cavan .
; . [Oral Presentation], Outcome of Evaluation Research on Family Group Conferences, All Ireland Conference, Cavan 2000 , Cavan .
; . [Oral Presentation], Relative Foster Care, National Conference organised by Eastern Health Board 1998, * .
; . [Oral Presentation], Relative Foster Care Irish Child Care Workers AGM 1998, * .
; Relative Foster Care. [Oral Presentation], Britain - Tower Hamlets Social Services - 1996* , * .
; . [Oral Presentation], Swedish Management Training - Systemic Thinking And Social Networks 1995, * .
O'Brien, V; (1993) . [Oral Presentation], Ireland, International Childhood Adversity Conference - Fostering And Systemic Thinking 1993, , 27-JUL-93 - 30-JUL-93.
; . [Oral Presentation], European Psychotherapy Conference : Chaired Plenary Fifth Province. Dublin, 2000 , * .
; MWHB From Research to Practice : An Evolving Assessment Model. [Oral Presentation], Cork- IFCA European Conference Presentation with Mr. Kevin OFarrell , 2000*, Cork .
; . [Oral Presentation], Columbia School of Social Work : presentation to Doctoral Students: Understanding Networks of Relative Care: An Irish Perspective, 2000, .
; . [Oral Presentation], Irish Foster Care Conference : Children Culture and Change, Ennis, Nov, Relative Care: An update on Service Developments 2003 , Ennis .
O'Brien, Valerie ; (2011) Adapting to the Challenges in the Assessment of the Kinship Home. [Plenary Lecture], Social Workers in Foster Care, Dublin , 19-MAY-11 - 19-MAY-11.
O'Brien, Valerie; (2011) Provided two days research training to systemic therpists. [Keynote Address], Organising Research in Systemic Practice, Clanwilliam Institute Dublin , 10-JUN-11 - 11-JUN-11.
O'Brien, V; (2010) Applying A Systemic Perspective to Enhance Contact Arrangements in Kinship Care. [Invited Lecture], Social Workers in Foster Care, SWIFC, Dublin , 22-APR-10 - 22-APR-10.
O'Brien, V; (2010) Problem Based Learning and Social Work Education. [National Refereed Conference Paper], All Ireland Schools of Social Work, Dublin , 04-FEB-10 - 05-FEB-10.
O'Brien, V ; (2010) The Potential of Problem Based Learning in Training Systemic Psychotherapists. [Plenary Lecture], Supervision and Systemic Therapy :Clanwilliam Institute, Dublin, , 06-MAY-10 - 06-MAY-10.
Dr Valerie O'Brien and Dr Joyce Pavoa maguire; (2008) The Extent to which the Hague Convention 1993 Offers a Framework for Resolving Ethical Dilemnas in Intercountry Adoption. [Invited Lecture], Irish Association of Social Workers National Conference : Ethical Issues in Social Work, Dublin , 18-APR-08 - 18-APR-08.
O'Brien, V.; (2008) Decision Marking in Assessment Practices. [Non Refereed Paper/Abstract Presented at Conference], 2nd International Conference on Research in Adopetion UEA, Norwich , 05-JUL-08 - 10-JUL-08.
Dr Valerie O'Brien ; (2008) The Implications of the Forthcoming Hague Lesislation for International Adoption Practices in Ireland. [Keynote Address], International Adoptive Parents Conference, Dublin , 25-JAN-08 - 25-JAN-08.
Dr Valerie O'Brien ; (2008) Training Supervisors for Practice: Challenges and the Contribution of New Frameworks. [National Refereed Conference Paper], Supervision Practices in Mediation, Dublin , 22-MAY-08 - 22-MAY-08.
Dr Valerie O'Brien ; (2008) A Commentary on SWIFC Research : Issues in Future Foster Care Service Delevery. [Keynote Address], Irish Foster Care Association National Conference, Galway , 23-MAY-08 - 23-MAY-08.
O'Brien, V and Richardson, V.; (2006) Towards a Problem Based Learning Approach in Child Welfare Teaching. [Other], Child and Family Welfare Teaching Colloquium, UCC, Cork , 21-APR-06 - 21-APR-06.
O'Brien, V.; (2006) Appraisal of the Co-ordinator Service. [Other], Family Welfare Conference Services to HSE North East, Navan , 27-MAR-06 - 27-MAR-06.
O'Brien, V.; (2006) Practitioner Research Perspectives: Turning Clinical Practice into Research. [Other], Clanwillian Institute Family Therapy Seminar series, Dublin , 14-JUN-06 - 15-JUN-06.
Dr Valerie O'Brien ; (2006) Moving Forward and Reconnecting with Therapeutic Base¿. [Keynote Address], Celebrating Innovation – Therapeutic Work with Families and Children Conference,, Dublin , 09-SEP-06 - 09-SEP-06.
; (2005) An Overview of Intercountry Adoption Practices in Ireland. [Oral Presentation], Presentation to the Vietnamese Adoption Central Authority, Hanoi, , 18-OCT-05 - 25-OCT-05.
; (2002) . [Oral Presentation], Irish Adoption Baord : What Works in Decision making in Adoption, Kilkenny, 2002, Kilkenny , 12-MAY-02 - 12-MAY-02.
O'Brien, V (2000) . [Oral Presentation], Establishing Agency Concerns Workshop at 3rd Annual Family Group Conference, 2000*, Winchester: , 31-AUG-00 - 31-JUL-12.
;O'Brien, V (1997) . [Plenary Lecture], Tower Hamlets Social Services - Family Group Conferences and Relatives Care 1997, *Tower Hamlets , 29-MAR-97 - 29-MAR-97.
O'Brien, V (1995) Relative Foster Care. [Oral Presentation], Belgium - European Scientific Congress - 1995, Belguim , 28-JUL-95 - 31-JUL-12.
; (1995) . [Oral Presentation], Norway - International Foster Care Conference - Relative Foster Care 1995, * , 11-JUL-95 - 17-JUL-95.
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Committees

Committee : Irish Association of Social Work, Child Care Sub Committee

Committee : Family Therapy Association of Ireland.

Committee : Family Therapy Association of Ireland

Committee : Family Therapy Association of Ireland, Registration Sub Committee

Committee : Family Therapy Association of Ireland, Ethics Sub Committee

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Employment

Employer: University College Dublin
Position: Director of Post Grad. Higher Dip in Social Policy.

Employer: Fostering Resource Group
Position: *

Employer: Eastern Health Board
Position: Community Care Social Work

Employer: Western Health Board
Position: Community Care Social Work

Employer: *
Position: Management Training

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Education

Year 1997 Institution: National University of Ireland
Qualification: PhD Subject: Fostering the Family : Kinship Care

Year 1985 Institution: London School of Economics
Qualification: CQSW Subject: --none--

Year 1985 Institution: London School of Economics
Qualification: M.Soc.Sc Subject: Social Work and Social Policy

Year 1982 Institution: UCD
Qualification: BSocSc Subject: B Soc Sci

Year 1989 Institution: Family Therapy Programme Mater Child Guidance
Qualification: Diploma Subject: Family Therapy

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Consultancy

Client: National Care Planning Project

Outreach Activities

I am an executive member of the Family Therapy Assoc of Ireland 2012 -2104.

I am an executive member of the Irish Council of Psychotherapy.

I am an executive member of the Social Workers in Foster Care (SWIFC): a subcommittee of the Irish Association of Social Workers.

I continue to be involved in systemic practice as a therapist, supervisor and trainer at the Clanwilliam Institute Dublin. Direct clinical work is essential to the development of my research work in the area of sytemic practices, family and child welfare issues.

I completed my term as member of the Irish Adoption Board on the 31st Oct 2010. I was first appointed in 1998 and therefore I have serviced 12 years on the Board. The Irish Adoption Board is a quasi judicial body. The main functions of the Adoption Board are as follows

to make adoption orders,
to grant declarations of suitability for intercountry adoption,
to adjudicate on applications for entries to the Register for Foreign Adoption and
to decide if case documents can be available in respect of people involved in search and reunion.

The Board meets one day per week to conduct the business.

Member of the Research Development Advisory Group at the Office of the Minister for Children 2005- current.

Member of the Irish Adoption Board, Ministerial Appointment, 1998 -2003; 2003 - current (2010)

Reviews

Child And Family Social Work: Reviewer.

Other Activities

Presentation to the Vietnamese Adoption Central Authority, Hanoi - An Overview of Intercountry Adoption Practies in Ireland. 18/10/2005 - 25/10/2005

Ministerial Appointment to Irish Adoption Board 01/02/1998 - 30/10/2010

Internal Collaborators

External Collaborators

<< I am currently collaborating with Dr Joyce Maguire Pavoa, CEO of Family Connect Boston and Assoc of Harvard. We are working on a proposal to investigate adoption practice involving the intercountry of children to USA from Ireland in the 1950's up to the early 1970's.

Committee : The Irish Adoption Board, Ministerial Appointment
Committee : Post Graduate Committee, UCD
Committee : Communications, Development and Alumni College Committee, UCD
Committee : Irish Council of Psychotherapy
Committee : Irish Foster Care Association
Committee : Family Therapy Association of Ireland
Committee : Teaching and Learning College Committee, UCD
Committee : Ethics Research College Committee, UCD
Committee : Adoption Authority of Ireland,
Committee : Social Workers in Foster Care, IASW Sub Committee
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