Part-Time

This research is grounded in the discipline of political science, encompassing the theory and concept of political engagement, political socialisation and democratic practice. Democratic engagement is characterised by behavioural and psychological participation in the political system and its associated democratic norms (Sanders et al, 2014). There is considerable emphasis in political science research on the problem of declining levels of citizen political engagement and the attendant democratic deficit. Of particular significance for many political scientists is the perceived diminution in youth participation and engagement and its effects on democratic governance. Research in anglophone countries is typically concentrated in North America, Australia and Britain and the notable lacuna in the Irish context will be addressed in this study. Irish young people’s conceptualisation of politics and the essence of their political repertoire will be explored as well as their various modes of democratic practice. The research will also focus on the facilitative and inhibiting factors related to their political engagement and participation. The effects of neoliberalism and the development of cause-oriented politics is equally a fundamental aspect of the study.

Brigid Delamere - b.delamere1@universityofgalway.ie

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This research study examines why growing up in a one-parent family influences educational outcomes for children.  Recent findings from the Growing Up Ireland Study (2019) show that regardless of socio-economic status, children growing up in one-parent families have poorer educational outcomes than their two-parent family peers.

Literature has previously established that one-parent families are a vulnerable group in society, and research clearly indicates the importance of educational achievement in mitigating negative outcomes for vulnerable children and families. This research addresses a gap in current literature, asking why it is, that regardless of economic grouping, children in one-parent families continuously have lower educational outcomes than their two parent peers.

A mixed methods study will be used to explore this research question.

Caroline has a professional background as an early years educator, with over ten years’ experience operating her own childcare service.  She holds a BA in Early Childhood Studies and Practice and a MA in Family Support Practice.

Caroline Fahy-c.fahy4@nuigalway.ie

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Internationally, almost every country in the world is attempting to work out the relationship between family support and child protection (McGregor and Devaney, 2019). In Ireland, family support and child protection are often recognised as being different approaches to working with children and families. Family support is associated with an early intervention and prevention type of service provision where child welfare concerns exist. Child protection is associated with statutory interventions provided in response to children at risk who require protection. In Ireland and underpinned by the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, Tusla The Child and Family Agency was established in 2014 as the first centralised system for the provision child and family services. Tusla is responsible for the discharge of family support and child protection services across the country either directly or through funded agencies. This development has brought together numerous ways of working and various models and approaches delivered by a range of professionals thus establishing a continuum of care that responds to low, medium and high needs and risk. In the application of this continuum of care, children and families are often in need of both support and protection at the same time; in other words they can be considered as being families “in the middle” (McGregor and Devaney, 2019) and they require both approaches of family support and child protection interchangeably.

The focus of this PhD research is a relevant and timely exploration of the interface of family support and child protection and will be undertaken by: examining relevant policy content and policy perspectives; the experience of roles in relation to identity and power in this context; and the exploration of the formal and informal practices and processes of the inter professional working that is involved at the interface of this work. Empirical data will be collected through a qualitative, multi method, sequential research design over a number of phases.

Angela Feeney - a.feeney19@nuigalway.ie

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Jen Hesnan’s doctoral research explores the provision of inquiry-based creative learning environments for children and young people to safely engage with emerging technologies. She is particularly interested in the sustainable development of environments to support youth-led, multi-stakeholder discourse in a civic setting for children and young people from marginalised, disadvantaged backgrounds. Developing the European priorities of digital transformation, creativity and culture through youth participation. 

This six-year part-time research project at the Centre for Creative Technologies in partnership with the Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board aims to understand thematic discourse at all stakeholder levels. 

Supervision: Dr Bernadine Brady, UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre and Professor Cornelia Connolly, School of Education. 

Research suggests that there is growing concern among policymakers, parents, and educators regarding the well-being of children and young people in relation to consumer-based technologies. (OECD, 2025) This is of greater concern amongst children and young people from seldom heard cohorts. New innovative technological applications are emerging at an unprecedented pace. This acceleration has contributed to an increasingly visible gap between the realities of technological change and the capacity of education or youth sectors to uphold the rights of children and young people when engaging in new technologies. As articulated in the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s General Comment No. 25 (GC25) in relation to the digital environment. The title, “I am not a Tech(y) Person,” reflects the self-perception barriers commonly expressed by education providers across Irish non-formal and formal education sectors. This research aims to conduct a narrative review of policy and literature. Developing case studies and discourse through living labs-based research. Examining the enablers and barriers for the development of long-term sustainable creative learning environments within the Irish Education and Youth Sectors. 

Jen Hesnan  - J.Hesnan1@universityofgalway.ie

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This study will examine relationships and social experiences of persons with disabilities, in family care in Ireland. The population with intellectual and developmental disabilities living with family carers is underrepresented in previous research, despite this being the predominant residential situation in Ireland. As the Assisted Decision-Making Act (Houses of the Oireachtas, 2015) is being implemented in society, the marginalised population living with disability are working toward legal equality. But this doesn’t always equate to happiness or social equality. A history of segregation, and institutionalism has created a social deficit for this population leading to isolation, loneliness and increased risk of abusive relationships.

While there is data from disability support workers and organisations, and even about people with disabilities themselves, there is much less representation within research studies with the population as experts in their own lives and experiences. To address this, this project aims to create, analyse and disseminate inclusive data with disabled people and support organisations. This research aims to be flexible, adaptable, exploratory and inductive to qualitatively understand the experience of relationships and barriers for persons with disabilities.

Alison has a professional background as a disability support worker and social group volunteer in Galway for over seven years. She has an Open University Degree in science and recently finished her Master of Arts in Family Support Studies with the University of Galway.

Alison Keane – a.keane65@universityofgalway.ie

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The Early Years sector in Ireland has evolved, in response to demographic, societal and economic change. Since the introduction of the universal Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme in 2010, uptake by families of their entitlement to universal childcare and education is high, nearing 97%. A small canon of research focusing on the lived experiences of children and families availing of the scheme now exists.

Open to all children of eligible age, ECCE settings include families of diverse cultural and linguistic heritage and socio-economic background, Challenge exists in any adjustment to early educational settings for all families. Insight born of families’ experiences managing the additional challenge of negotiating differing languages, social mores and norms in Early Years settings and juggling expectations of how preschool will be and how it is, is of particular interest to this research project. Moreover, communication with families coping with the additional challenge of negotiating differing languages, social mores and norms requires particular skills, knowledge, understanding and commitment by Early Years professionals. It was reasoned that parent and practitioners’ perspectives on what happens in everyday practice could shed light on ‘what works’ in relation to the role of early years' services for families in contemporary Ireland within a policy and research context that recognises notions of parental partnership, participation, identity and belonging as central to achievement. 
Sinéad McGlacken - sinead.mcglacken@nuigalway.ie

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This PhD research explores the experiences of parents of children with autism and intellectual disabilities within the child protection system. It aims to understand how these families navigate interactions with social services, and how disability shapes their experiences of assessment, intervention, and support. Using a qualitative approach, the study centres the voices of parents to highlight both challenges and strengths within current systems.

The research will also explore the experiences of child protection social workers who assess and support this cohort of children. The research will examine the barriers and challenges they face while carrying out this work.

The research is grounded in a critical ecological perspective, recognising the complex interplay between individual, familial, and structural factors. It seeks to identify gaps in service provision, including issues related to communication, stigma, and accessibility.
By foregrounding lived experience, this study aims to inform more inclusive, equitable, and responsive child protection practices. Ultimately, it contributes to ongoing efforts to ensure that families of children with additional needs are better understood, supported, and empowered within child protection systems.

Siobhan McStay - S.MCSTAY1@universityofgalway.ie

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The importance of allowing children to identify, describe and define what ‘culture’ is to them, appears to be something that has been ignored in the academic literature on this subject. Definitions and descriptions of ‘culture’ have emanated from a vast array of professions including anthropology, social work, psychology and sociology.

A number of common elements exist in these definitions, however, critical from the viewpoint of this study, is that they are written from an ‘outsider’ perspective, and through the lens of an adult. The voice of children within debate about culture is characterised by its absence.

This study aims to place the child at the centre, and allow its voice to be the dominant one in the discourse of ‘culture’. In addition, this research seeks to utilize the ‘strengths perspective’ (Saleebey, 2002) as a foundation for both the implementation of the research design, and in the analysis of results. An underpinning hypothesis of this research is that it is possible to find similarities in the discourse of children from around the world regarding the construct of culture, as well as to find the unique or differing elements. The researcher seeks to reframe and reorient the perspective of this study away from examining deficits or difficulties of cultural experience, toward one where convergence of narratives and meaning can be discovered.

The objectives of the study are: to allow children to discover, define and thematically organise the ‘building blocks’ that are central to the construct of ‘culture’, to facilitate children in the development of a meaningful language of culture and to explore the similarities and differences between the constructions of ‘culture’ by children across and within an international context.

Leane Robins-  leanne.robins@nuigalway.ie

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