Louise Caffrey

Louise is an Assistant Professor in Social Policy in the School of Social Work and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin. She holds a PhD in Social Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where she was awarded an LSE PhD Scholarship to undertake her research. Louise also holds a Full Post-Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching (PGCHE) from the LSE, an MSc in Applied Social Research from Trinity College Dublin and a BA (International) in Political Science and History from University College Dublin (UCD). Immediately prior to joining Trinity College Louise worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Division of Health and Social Care, King's College London, and prior to entering academia she worked as a research consultant, delivering numerous reports for government and NGO clients in Ireland and the UK. Louise is coordinator of the (online) PGDip in Social Policy & Practice where she also teaches 'Contemporary Social Policy Debates & Analysis'. She teaches 'Evaluation Research' on the MSc in Applied Social Research and 'Critical Analysis & Argument Development' on the BA Sociology & Social Policy & BA Social Studies. Externally, Louise (with Dr. Edurne Garcia Iriarte) teaches evaluation methods to United Nations staff.

Publications

• How do we Know if Signs of Safety is Improving Children's Safety and Well Being? in, editor(s)Andrew Turnell, Terry Murphy , Signs of Safety: Comprehensive Briefing Paper , East Perth, Elia , 2021, pp10 - 22, [Louise Caffrey, Mike Caslor, Eileen Munro], Book Chapter
• Padraic Fleming, Louise Caffrey, David Mockler, Steve Thomas, 'A realist review to determine how health system austerity responses to the 2008 financial crisis impacted health system resilience for subsequent shocks - why, when, for whom and under what circumstances', 2021,
• O'Reilly, C.. Jagoe, C., Caffrey, L., Disability data collection in a complex humanitarian organisation: Lessons from a realist evaluation, International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health, 2021, Journal Article
• Elaine McKimmons, Louise Caffrey, Discourse and Power in Ireland's Repeal the 8th Movement , Interface, 2021, Journal Article
• Caffrey, Louise, How everyone's business can become no one's business: a systems study of interprofessional referral to child contact centres , Journal of Children & Youth Services Review , 109, 2020, Journal Article
• Louise Caffrey, We're dragging our heels but there is enough evidence to support making facemasks mandatory, 2020, -, Miscellaneous,
• Louise Caffrey, Evaluating Sign of Safety in Ireland: How to best evaluate a whole-systems, nationwide, complex intervention in a complex system? , Evidence Amalgamation, University College Cork, 10/05/2019, 2019, Oral Presentation,
• Caffrey, Louise, Ferlie, Ewan, McKevitt, Christopher, The strange resilience of new public management: the case of medical research in the UK's national health service, Public Management Review, 2018, p1-22 , Journal Article
• Weinrot, M., Caffrey, L., McKevitt, C., Patient-initiated recruitment for clinical research: evaluation of an out-patient letter research statement, Health Expectations, 2017, Journal Article
• Caffrey, L & Munro, E, A Systems Approach to Policy Evaluation, Evaluation, 23, (4), 2017, Journal Article
• Love, S., Brown, S., Weir ,C., Harbron, C., Yap, C., Gaschler-Markefski, B., Matcham, J., Caffrey, L., McKevitt, C., Clive, S., Craddock, C., Spicer, J., & Cornelius, V., Embracing model-based designs for dose-finding trials, British Journal of Cancer, 2017, p332 - 339, Journal Article
• Caffrey, L., Wyatt, D., Fudge, N., Mattingley, H., Williamson, C. & McKevitt, C. , Gender Equity Programmes in Academic Medicine: a realist evaluation approach to Athena SWAN processes, BMJ OPEN, 6, (9), 2016, Journal Article
• Caffrey, L., McKevitt, C., & Wolfe, C. , Embedding Research in Health Systems: lessons from complexity theory, Health Research Policy and Systems, 14, (54), 2016, Journal Article
• Caffrey, L. (2016) , The BMJ's stance on qualitative research is epistemologically naïve, BMJ, 352, 2016, Journal Article
• Caffrey, L. , The Importance of Perceived Organisational Goals: A Systems Thinking Approach to Understanding Child Safeguarding in the Context of Domestic Abuse, Child Abuse Review, 2015, Journal Article
• Adams, M., Caffrey. L. & McKevitt, C. , Barriers and opportunities for enhancing patient recruitment and retention in clinical research: findings from an interview study in an NHS academic health science centre, Health Research Policy and Systems, 13, (8), 2015, Journal Article
• Caffrey, L. , Hearing the 'Voice' of the Child? The role of child contact centres in the family justice system, Child and Family Law Quarterly , 25, (4), 2013, Journal Article
• Murphy, C & Caffrey, L. , Supporting Child Contact: the need for child contact centres in Ireland, Dublin, One Family/Family Support Agency, 2009, Report
• Murphy, C., Keilthy, P. & Murphy, C. , Lone parents and employment: what are the real issues?, Dublin, One Family/Combat Poverty Agency, 2008

Award

• UCD Entrance Scholarship 2002
• LSE PhD Scholarship 2010-2014