Jennifer Gargan, Director

Jennifer Gargan began working with IAYPIC in July 2005 and has responsibility for the day to day management of the organisation.

Jennifer has many years of experience working with children and families. She has been involved in community and family support work and has also worked within the voluntary sector.

Jennifer may be contacted on jennifergargan@iaypic.ie

Karla Charles, Advocacy and Policy Officer 

Karla Charles took up this post in late 2009.

Her role involves identifying policy issues that are relevant to young people in care and aftercare, and informing Government departments about these issues in order to advocate for improvements in policy and practice. The overall aim is to improve things for young people in care, and to make sure that the wider public, including the media, are informed about problems and developments.

Karla may be contacted at karlacharles@iaypic.ie 

Children's Rights & Participation Officers

The responsibilities of this role involve acting as an independent support and advocate to children and young people in care or who have had an experience of care. 

Fiona Murray has been appointed as a Children's Rights & Participation Officer with IAYPIC since January 2006.

Fiona has many years experience in residential care and in more recent times has worked with Early School Leavers in a community setting.

Fiona may be contacted at fionamurray@iaypic.ie

Larissa Comiskey took up the post of Children's Rights & Participation Officer in January 2006.

Larissa's professional background is in Residential Social Work, Child Protection Social Work and more recently as a Co-ordinator with the Family Welfare Conference Service in Dublin.

Larissa may be contacted at larissacomiskey@iaypic.ie

learn more about our Children's Rights and Participation Programme

Brenda Kneafsey, Aftercare Network Support Co-ordinator

Brenda Kneafsey has been involved as Aftercare Network Support Co-ordinator since May 2007. Brenda has previously spent 8 years working in Management in long term Residential Care in Galway and Wicklow and during her professional career has worked with young people from age 7 onwards.

Brenda may be contacted at brendakneafsey@iaypic.ie

Learn more about our Aftercare Advocacy & Support Programme

Fiona Daly, Research Officer

Fiona Daly joined the IAYPIC team in September 2009. 

Her role involves finding out information about the issues that affect young people in care and aftercare to help inform the work of IAYPIC.

Fiona has been working in research for the last ten years, which included a study about the education of young people in long term foster care. 

Fiona may be contacted at fionadaly@iaypic.ie   

Patricia Thorp, Office Manager

Patricia Thorp is responsible for the day-to-day working of IAYPIC’s national office taking on whatever duties need to be done to keep the office running efficiently, allowing other staff members to concentrate on their own jobs.

Patricia joined IAYPIC in 2005, having previously worked as PA and Team Assistant for various businesses in the Corporate Sector.

Patricia may be contacted by at info@iaypic.ie

For any general queries or information about IAYPIC e-mail info@iaypic.ie