Caroline Boyd
Summary
Caroline Boyd, Guardian ad Litem has over twenty-five years’ experience working with children and families. Her practice commenced following her Master’s Degree in Social Work in University College Dublin in 2001. Caroline’s extensive practice experience includes child protection, family support, children in care, fostering, adoption, children in residential care and special care.
Caroline’s managerial practice: As a Senior Practitioner, Caroline held the more complex cases that were before the Courts. Caroline was involved in the induction of new staff, training university students and she participated in four HIQA audits. In her role as a social work team leader for children in foster care, Caroline’s experience broadened to the complex management of those providing a frontline service to children.
Qualifications
1999 - 2001 Masters in Social Work, University College Dublin
1993 - 1996 Bachelors in Social Science, University College Dublin
Career History
2023 - present Practicing as a Guardian Ad Litem
2017 - 2023 Social Work Team Leader, Children in Care Team, Roscommon
2014 - 2017 Fostering Social Worker, Tusla, Roscommon
2007 - 2017 Senior Practitioner Role within Social Work Team- Social Worker in Child Protection, Welfare and Children in Care
2001 - 2023 HSE West/Tusla Child and Family Agency - Social Worker in Child Protection, Welfare and Children in Care
1996 - 2001 HSE Midlands & West- social worker in Child Protection, Welfare and Children in Care
Guardian’s Publications
Boyd, C. (2023) Stability in Foster Care: The Child’s Voice https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09WWT573Q and www.gallore.ie
Report writing: Caroline has extensive experience in preparing Court reports for Childcare Proceedings and Private Family Law matters. Caroline strives to provide solution-focused assessments to ensure the best interests of children and their families. Caroline’s practice is deeply embedded in child development theory and children’s rights. Caroline uses play-based engagement to build relationships with children and to learn about their voice in a child-centered manner.
Caroline’s practice approach: Caroline’s engagement with children is child-led and child-friendly. She uses play to interact with children and to learn about their world. Caroline has engaged in years of training and development to learn age-appropriate skills to communicate with children around elements of their lives that are difficult to communicate verbally. In her assessments working relationship building Caroline skillfully employees play-based activities to communicate with children. As a social work practitioner Caroline engaged in training and research to develop this area of practice for children involved with social work services.
Caroline’s practice is built firmly on the belief that working relationships with children, families, and other professionals is key to providing optimal support to children and their families. Caroline’s practice is solution-focused, person-centered, and child-centered. Caroline is Coru Registered and Garda Vetted.