Dr Caroline Duignan Guardian ad Litem  is a highly experienced and values-driven social worker, educator, and researcher, with nearly three decades of practice across frontline, policy, and strategic levels. She brings an unwavering commitment to children and young people’s rights and participation, underpinned by her specialist expertise in child protection, family welfare, and collaborative practice.

Caroline has worked extensively across child protection and medical social work, with deep experience supporting vulnerable children and families in both crisis and care settings. She has led national training programmes for social workers and Gardaí, developed pioneering practice-based education modules for newly qualified social workers, and has been instrumental in shaping multidisciplinary training strategies in response to national childcare inquiries.

Since 2014, Caroline has served as Coordinator of the Galway and Roscommon Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSCs), where she has spearheaded the development of strategic, cross-agency plans to promote better outcomes for children. Her work is rooted in inclusion and participation—she has designed an original model of consultation that amplifies the voices of seldom-heard children and young people, and her contributions have been showcased internationally, including at Eurochild and Council of Europe conferences.

Caroline recently completed a doctoral research project focused on the impact of power, leadership, and strategic collaboration in services for children and young people. Her research has directly informed the development of a preliminary framework for improved cross-sectoral working, and she continues to publish and present on this work to influence national policy and practice.

A dynamic leader and effective collaborator, Caroline manages a multi-disciplinary team responsible for delivering a range of targeted supports to vulnerable children and young people in Roscommon. These include initiatives for young carers, LGBTIQ+ youth, Roma children, and local community projects. Her work has been recognised with multiple Tusla Excellence Awards, reflecting her innovation, integrity, and impact.

Deeply embedded in community life, Caroline is an active volunteer, local youth club founder, and chairperson of the Frenchpark Youth Project and Resource Centre. She brings to GALLORE a proven track record of systemic thinking, evidence-informed practice, and an unwavering belief in the capacity of services to be truly child-centred.