The National Child Protection and Welfare Social Work Conference Committee was established in 2005. This inter-agency, not-for-profit initiative is comprised of social work staff from the child protection and welfare social work teams of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the Irish Association of Social Workers, and @UCCsocialwork, School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork.

This committee was established to address a need articulated by practice to create a space for practitioners in the area of child protection and welfare to hear about and debate new developments in the areas of research, policy and practice and to network with colleagues. To meet these needs we run a biennial conference, normally in October, at University College Cork.

Conference organising committee:

• Jacinta Downing, Principal Social Worker, Child and Family Agency (Co-Chairperson)
• Marie MacSweeney, Regional Manager, Workforce Learning and Development, Child and Family Agency 
• Suzanne Dooley, Principal Social Worker, Child and Family Agency (Conference Secretary)
• Michelle White, Social Worker, Child and Family Agency
• Siobhan Murphy, Social Work Team Leader, Child and Family Agency
• Rachel McCormack, Irish Association of Social Workers and Regional Manager South, Workforce Learning and Development, Child and Family Agency (Co-Chairperson)
• Siobhan Bruen, Irish Association of Social Workers, and Children First Training and Development Officer, Health Service Executive
• Caroline Burke, College Lecturer, School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork
• Dr Kenneth Burns, Senior Lecturer and Research Associate with ISS21, School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork