My Biography

I am a social care worker and lecturer in social care practice. I am also a practising humanistic/integrative psychotherapist. I have been working in either social care or counselling/psychotherapy since 1993. I am a graduate of DIT (level 7) and WIT (level 8) social care programs and in 2005 I graduated with an M.A. (by research) from WIT. The focus of my M.A. was the professional development of social care in Ireland. The findings led to the re-structuring and re-naming of the IACW, the professional representative organisation for social care in Ireland. In 2010 I graduated from DCU with a Graduate Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy and I am now an accredited member of the Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy with a private practice in south Wicklow..

Research

My current (2021) research interests include effectiveness in addiction treatment, and the therapeutic role of social care workers. I am also currently pursuing my PhD at UCD which explores the relationship between prison officers and people in prison.

In 2004 I conducted a piece of research on the use of prescribed medication in the treatment of young people in care. This study received entensive media coverage and led the then Minister for children (Brian Lennihan) to conduct a national review of policy and practice on this issue. The findings of this study were recognised as significant by the international child and youth care network based in North America. 

Teaching

I have been lecturing at WIT since 2000. My subject areas include Personal and Professional Development and Citizenship, Social Justice and Rights. I also provide suppport and supervision to our students on practice placement.

Between 2018 and 2020 I taught workplace reflective practice to recruit prison officers on the Higher Certificate in Custodial Care (HCCC) at WIT

Between 2003 and 2005 I was a part time lecturer on the social care course  in St Patrick's College, Carlow. I also taught for two years in DIT.

I am currently (2021) external examiner on the social care programs at TUD, MTU and TUS.

Professional

I have been working in either social care or counselling/psychotherapy since 1993. While I have worked in adult disability and homeless services, the majority of my social care experience has been in the area of residential child care, working with children and adolescents with moderate to severe emotional and behavioural difficulties. I have worked in the state, vuluntary and private for profit residential child-care services.

In 2004 I was the first paid co-ordinator of the Irish Association of Social Care Workers, the professional association for social care in Ireland.This organisation changed its name and re-structured itself based on the recommendations made in my M.A. research.

Since 2010, I have been working as counsellor/psychotherapist in a private capacity. I provide 1:1 counselling, group facilitation and staff training and support to child and social care services across Ireland. My clients include  the Waterford and South Tipperary Community Youth Service (outreach drugs team) and the Irish Kidney Association where I provide 1:1 counselling support to patients with accute Kidney failure. I was also a part time assessments councellor at the Rutland residential addiction treatment centre in Dublin for 18 months.

In 2013 I was the external change management consultant employed by Giraffe child-care in Dublin when they found themselves embroiled in a creche care controversy. My work with Giraffe involved conducting a full care review of 21 centers, providing recommendations and supplementary training for 500 staff and 21 managers and their deputies..

Publications/Conference papers/Professional development

Byrne, J. (2019) “I wouldn’t start from here; Exploring the Professional Development of Child and Youth Care in Ireland” paper/workshop at a conference of the International Child and Youth Care Network, Durban, South Africa

Byrne, J. (2018) “Too Old, Too Fat, Too Deviant or too Insane; exploring issues for Practice in Child and Youth Care” paper/workshop at a conference for the International Child and Youth Care Network, California, USA

Byrne, J. (2018) “The Monkey on my back: Exploring Barriers to Relational Child and Youth Care Work” paper/workshop at the UNITY conference for the International Child and Youth Care Network, Bonnington Hotel Dublin

Byrne, J. (2017) “Exploring Mental Health; A Counsellor’s Perspective” Athenry, Book Hub Publishing

Byrne, J. (2016) “Love in Social Care; Necessary pre-requisite or blurring of boundaries” Scottish Journal of Residential Child-care Volume 15, number 3, available at https://www.celcis.org/files/8514/8663/8053/2016_Vol_15_3_Byrne_J_Love_in_social_care_Necessary_pre-requisite_or_blurring_of_boundaries.pdf

Byrne, J. (2013) “Therapeutic Social Care Practice” in Share, P. and Lalor, K. “Applied Social Care; An Introduction for Students in Ireland” Dublin, Gill and Mac Millan

Byrne, J. (2009) “Person and Professional Development for Social Care Workers” in Share, P. and Lalor, K.. “Applied Social Care; An Introduction for Students in Ireland” Dublin, Gill and Mac Millan

Byrne, J. and McHugh, J. (2005) “Residential Child-Care”  in Share, P. and Mc Elwee, N. “Applied Social Care; An Introduction for Students in Ireland” Dublin, Gill and Mac Millan

I have also written, or contributed to very many newspaper articles and radio/TV debates on issues related to child/social care. For more information GOOGLE 'John Byrne Social Care WIT' or 'John Byrne Social Care Irish Examiner''

Professional affilliations

Accredited member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

Member of the European Association of Criminology (Prisons special interest group)