Dr. Noreen Kearns

Noreen Kearns, PhD (Sociology), DBS, BSocSc, has worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Child and Family Research Centre (CFRC), NUI Galway since May, 2007. She has a particular interest in a social ecology approach to wellbeing and health which focuses on cultural and community dimensions, in addition to other key influences including personal and family circumstances, lifestyle, physical environment, public services and public policy. She is currently working on two research studies; one is a Randomised Controlled Trial of an intergenerational reading programme – Wizards of Words – which Barnardos is piloting in eight primary schools in Dublin and Limerick. The other is an evaluation of a Community Safety Initiative in a targeted area of West Tallaght commissioned by the Childhood Development Initiative, Dublin. Previous CFRC research she has been involved in are on the topics of domestic violence, adolescent health, and non-resident parental access to their children. She teaches on three Masters programmes: the MA in Family Support Studies, the Masters in Social Work, and the Masters in Community Development in the School of Political Science and Sociology, NUI Galway. She also contributes to teach Ph.D. programmes in the Centre and School.

Previously, Noreen worked as a researcher in the Centre for Health Promotion Studies, NUI Galway (2005 to 2007), the Organisation Development Unit, HSE, Dublin North East (2002 to 2005), the National Suicide Research Foundation, Cork (2001-2002) and University College, Cork (1996-2001).

Selected Publications

Lyons, R., Fives, A., Kearns, N., Devaney, C., Canavan, J., Eaton, P. (2013) ‘Exploring the utility of the Simple View of Reading in Irish children attending schools in areas designated as socially disadvantaged,’ Journal of Education and Training Studies, 1(1). Available online at: http://redfame.com/journal/index.php/jets/article/view/107/70

Pursell, L. and Kearns, N. (in press) Impacts of a HIA on Interagency and Intersectoral Partnerships and Community Participation – Lessons from a Local Level HIA in the Republic of Ireland, Health Promotion International.

Kearns, N. and Devaney, C. (2012) An Exploratory Study of Volunteering Amongst Older Adults on an Intergenerational Reading Programme – The Wizards of Words (submitted to Critical Public Health in March 2012 based on an invitation to submit a paper to the forthcoming Special Edition on Health Assets).

Coen, L. and Kearns, N. (2012) Co-Producing Innovation or Innovating Co-Production? Responding to the Contact Needs of Non-Resident Parents in the Republic of Ireland, Child & Family Social Work. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2206.2011.00823.x

Kearns, N. and Pursell, L. (2010) Time for a Paradigm Change? Tracing the Institutionalisation of Health Impact Assessment in the Republic of Ireland across Health and Environmental Sectors, Health Policy, Vol. 99, No. 2, pp. 91-96.

Devaney, C. and Kearns, N. (2010) (eds.) Family Support Services, Administration, Vol. 58, No. 2.

Kearns, N. and Donoghue, F. (2008) A Portrayal of Organisational Communications from the Perspective of Staff Working in a Former Irish Health Board – Implications for Managing Change, Administration, Vol. 56, No. 2, pp. 61-87.

Balanda, K., McMaster, C., Pursell, L., Kearns, N., Graham, A., Barron, S., Fahy, L. and O’Donovan, D. (2008) All-Ireland Health and Wellbeing Data Set (AIHWDS) INIsPHO Data Briefing No. 3 (Working Document), Ireland and Northern Ireland's Population Health Observatory (INIsPHO), Dublin.

Selected Conferences

Kearns, N. and Devaney, C. (2011) An Exploratory Study of Volunteering Among Older Adults on an Intergenerational Reading Programme - Implications for the Social Model of Health. International Conference on Assets for Health and Wellbeing Across the Life Course. British Library Conference Centre, London, 26th-27th September 2011.

Coen, L. and Kearns, N. (2011) The Right to Parent(s)? Children's Rights, Non-Resident Parenting and Welfare State Provision in Ireland. 9th Annual European Social Policy Analysis Network (ESPANET) International Conference, University of Valencia, Spain, 8th-10th September 2011.

Coen, L. and Kearns, N. (2010) Outlining the Trajectory of Service User Involvement in a Service for Non-resident Parents: The Case of Time4Us. Paper presented at the 3rd International Conference, Changing Families in a Changing World, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, June 2010.

Prusell, L., Kearns, N., Molocho, M. Brook, A-M., Hanafin, S. & Nic Gabhainn, S. (2009) The Socio-environmental Context of Child Well-being in Ireland. Paper presented at the WHO/HBSC Forum, Siena, Italy, October 2009. 

Reddy, J. and Kearns, N. (2009) A Community Safety Response to Crime and Disorder in Tallaght West, Dublin, Ireland. Paper presented at the Geographies of Children, Youth and Families International Conference, University of Barcelona, Spain, 18th July 2009.