All TIGALA Guardians ad Litem have a minimum of 10 years’ experience working with children and families.
Our Guardians ad Litem
Our Trusted Experts
Tim Noonan
Guardian ad Litem
Summary
Tim Noonan is a professionally qualified CORU registered Social Worker who holds a First-Class B. A (Hons) in Social Work (B.S.W) and an (LLM)Masters in Children’s Rights and Family Law from University College Cork (UCC). He has over twenty years of working with children and families. He has practiced in the area of child protection and family welfare services for fourteen years conducting parenting capacity assessments, pre-birth, child and family social work assessments, as well as completing section 20 reports. Tim has also undertaken section 32 “Voice of the Child” reports as part of private family law proceedings. He spent six years at practitioner and Team Leader level within TUSLA (CFA) assessing adult retrospective disclosures of child sexual abuse and current online child sexual abuse. He has acted as a manager for the out-of-hours child protection service in Cork.
Tim previously worked for eight years with children and adults in asocial care context who have autism and intellectual disabilities as well as with children in statutory care placed in mainstream residential, high support, and special care settings. He holds a mentor professional development award for specialist training in sexual offending, (Manchester), a Certificate in Legal Training for Child Protection Practitioners (TCD), Voice of the Child in Social Work Assessments, Understanding the Impact of Relational and Developmental Trauma, & in Attachment-Based Practice with Adults – Clark Baim,(Birmingham). Tim holds an Advanced Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and Psychotherapy, (AQA), and a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Fieldwork Practice and Supervision (Social Work). (UCC).
He is an experienced social work practice teacher who appreciates the value of bringing reflective learning to his practice as well as ongoing training and upskilling to enhance his professional development and that of others.
Tim is experienced at district, circuit, and high court levels and produced detailed accurate evidenced-informed reports.
Qualifications
2021 – 2022 | University College Cork – Master of Laws (LLM) Children’s Rights and Family Law- Awarded Honours: 2:1
2017 – 2018 | University College Cork – Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Fieldwork Practice and Supervision (Social Work) – Awarded First Class Honours
2005 –2009 | University College Cork – B.A (Hons) Social Work (B.S.W) –Awarded First Class Honours
2001 – 2004 | Central School of Counselling and Therapy (AQA) – Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling P/T – Counselling & Psychotherapy
Further Education and Training
Monthly Professional & Training Sessions with TIGALA
2024 | Attachment Assessment and Intervention Tools with Rebecca Carr Hopkins
2023 | From Wardship to Assisted Decision-Making with Marie Claire Butler
2023 | Instructing an expert witness and Terms of Reference with Karen O'Leary & Emmett Maginn, Caldwell & Robinson solicitors
2021 | CASP-R – Capacity and Ability to Protect – Leonard McGibbon
2020 | Sharing Personal Data Safety: Making Good Decisions About Sharing Personal Data
2020 | Legal Training for Child Protection Practitioners (TCD)
2019 | Understanding the Impact of Relational and Developmental Trauma – Karen Treisman
2019 | Assessing the Protective Skills of Mothers, Partners, and Adult Carers in Intrafamilial CSA – Lucy Faithfull Foundation
2019 | Children who have been sexually harmed: Considerations and Safety Planning – Tusla
2018 |Certificate in Attachment-Based Practice with Adults – Clark Baim, Birmingham
2018 | Signs of Safety Practitioner Training – Tusla
2016 | Certificate in SORAM –multi-agency approach on the release of sex offenders from Irish prisons –National SORAM Office
2016 | Specialist Training in Sexual Offending- Mentor Professional Development Award
2016 | The Mentor Interview Technique- Mentor Forensics-Manchester
2016 | Comprehensive Risk Assessment and Management of Sex Offenders in the Community – Mentor Forensics- Manchester
2016 | Just looking Evaluating Risk in Online Behaviour-Mentor Forensics- Manchester
2016 | Working with Partners and Families- Mentor Forensics- Manchester
2016 | Young People experiencing and exhibiting Problematic Sexual Behaviour- Mentor Forensics Manchester
2016 | The Voice of the Child in Social Work Assessments
2016 | Good Lives and Intervention Planning with young people who sexually harm – G-MAP
2016 | Assessment, Intervention and Moving on – Children that have been sexually harmed – AIM2 – NIAPP
2016 | Understanding the Dynamics of Childhood Sexual Abuse – Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
2015 | Understanding Sex Offenders: A Foundation Course in Behavioural Analysis- Mentor Forensics
2014 | Multi-Agency Risk Identification Matrix (DVRIM) – identifying risks to children and young people from domestic violence – Barnardo’s
2014 | Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Training (FASD) – University of Limerick
Employment History
2022 – Present | Guardian ad Litem – The Independent Guardian Ad Litem Agency
2022 – Present | Independent Social Worker
2015 – 2021 | Social Worker and Social Work Team Leader – Child and Family Agency (TUSLA), Specialist Inquiry Team, Wilton Road, Co. Cork
2013 –2015 | Social Worker – Child and Family Agency (TUSLA), North Cork Child Care & Protection Service, 134 Blank Place, Mallow, Co. Cork
2011 –2013 | Social Worker – HSE, Dublin SE Social Work Department, Churchtown, Co. Dublin
2010 –2011 | Duty Social Worker – HSE, Nenagh Civic Offices, Limerick Road, Co. Tipperary
2010 | Childcare Worker – Agency Placements-Gleann Allain, Glanmire, Co. Cork; Fresh Start Residential Services, Cork; Coovagh House, Special Care Unit, Limerick City
2002 –2010 | Residential Care Worker – The Manse, Brothers of Charity, Lota, Glanmire, Co. Cork
2005 | Programme Instructor – Caisleán Day Service, Brothers of Charity, Lota, Glanmire, Co. Cork
2002 | Special Needs Assistant – St Gabriel’s Special School, Bishopstown, Co. Cork
Areas of Special Interest
· Child sexual abuse: assessing historical child sexual abuse allegations and the assessment of current and ongoing risk, safety planning, and assessing the capacity of the non-abusing parent to protect their child (ren)
· Assessing adults of concern in the context of online child sexual abuse exploitation material.
· Adolescents that display sexually harmful and problematic sexualised behaviours
· Developmental and attachment difficulties as a result of adverse experiences, cumulative harm, neglect, and complex trauma.
· Care planning for children in foster care and residential care, reunification planning
· Preparing children for aftercare
· Working with separated children/unaccompanied minors
· Child and adolescent mental health and children with disabilities
· Working with parents with mental health difficulties and learning disabilities.
· Ongoing socio-legal research, particularly in the area of children’s rights.
Professional Membership
Tim Noonan is registered with CORU
Member of the Irish Association of Social Workers
Committee Member with NOTA Ireland
Member of NAGALRO Professional Association for Children’s Guardians, Family Advisers and Independent Social Workers.