In this episode Irish Foster Care Association chairperson Irene Browne talks to Maria O’Connell, school principal and keynote speaker at IFCA’s 2026 conference, The Healing Power of Play. In the course of this rich and informative conversation between two educators, we learn about the Nurture approach to schooling and how approaches that work for children […]

In this episode of Stories from Foster Care, Niamh Barrett talks to Clodagh Downes. Clodagh was in relative foster care as a child and since then she has been on a journey through education in social care, working in disability services and now working with Tusla in the area of Feedback and Complaints, a role that […]

In this episode of Stories from Foster Care, Andrew Murphy talks to Scott and Tristan Casson-Rennie about their adoption and fostering journeys as a same-sex couple. The conversation then focuses on their passion, as founders of FASD Ireland, to bring awareness about the effects of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) to all areas of Irish […]

In this episode of Stories from Foster Care, Andrew Murphy is speaking with Maureen Gannon. Maureen has been fostering for over 13 years and three years ago began offering emergency placement care. Drawing from her experience of over 150 placements, Maureen talks about the role models that inspired her to become a foster carer, the […]

In this episode of Stories from Foster Care, Niamh is speaking with Elizabeth Ward and Bridget Power, Traveller women who are family access workers at Exchange House Ireland National Travellers Service in Dublin. In a wide-ranging and illuminating conversation about the experiences of Traveller children in care, they touch upon their own upbringing as Travellers, […]

Part 2 of 2 – Part one is available here and on Spotify here In this two-part interview, Niamh is speaking with Katie Wrench. Katie is a social worker, art psychotherapist and author. She and her family have also been respite foster carers. Katie was IFCA’s keynote speaker at its 2022 conference, Wrapped in Relationships. […]

In this two-part interview, Niamh is speaking with Katie Wrench. Katie is a social worker, art psychotherapist and author. She and her family have also been respite foster carers. Katie was IFCA’s keynote speaker at its 2022 conference, Wrapped in Relationships. Katie Wrench is a deeply experienced, empathetic and engaging communicator. She has so much […]

In this episode of Stories from Foster Care, Andrew is speaking with Kai Brosnan. Kai spent time in residential care and he shares his lived experience in a way that dispels a few myths and encourages a better understanding of it. Kai speaks movingly about the people, organisations such as EPIC, and even the beloved […]