Olive Onono | Social Worker | HAPii Ireland our team

Profile Summary

Olive Onono is a CORU-registered Independent Social Worker with over 15 years of experience supporting vulnerable children, adults and families across child welfare, child protection, international protection and social inclusion settings in Ireland.

Her practice is grounded in effective case management, risk and vulnerability assessment, crisis intervention and safeguarding, delivered through multidisciplinary and interagency collaboration. Olive brings strong cross-cultural communication skills, cultural competence and a commitment to evidence-based, rights-focused practice — ensuring that the children and families she works with receive holistic, person-centred support.

She holds a Master of Social Work from Trinity College Dublin and an LLM in International Human Rights Law from Griffith College Dublin, which together provide a robust legal and practice foundation for her work across complex and sensitive environments.

Current Profile Areas

  • Child Welfare & Protection
  • International Protection
  • Safeguarding
  • Risk & Vulnerability Assessment
  • Case Management
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Advocacy
  • Cultural Competence
  • Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Qualifications

  • 2010-2012LLM (Hons), International Human Rights Law, Griffith College Dublin.
  • 2005-2007Master of Social Work (MSW), Trinity College Dublin.
  • 2003-2004Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy, University College Dublin.
  • 1985-1988BA in History and Politics, University College Dublin.

Career History

  • 2024-2025Social Worker, International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), Ireland.
  • 2023-2024Return to Practice Social Worker, Tusla — Team for Separated Children Seeking International Protection, Ireland.
  • 2022Head of Department — Elder Justice and Stakeholder Engagement, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), Nigeria.
  • 2016-2022Assistant Director / Unit Head — State Coordination, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Nigeria.
  • 2013-2016Senior Associate — Child Welfare and Protection, Taysha Consulting Ltd, Nigeria.
  • 2007-2012Professionally Qualified Social Worker, Health Service Executive (HSE), Ireland.
  • 2005-2007Project Officer, CrossCare Homeless Service, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin.

Child Protection and Welfare Practice

Olive has practised as a qualified social worker in Ireland across child protection, separated children seeking international protection and homeless services. Her child protection practice with the HSE encompassed thorough assessment balancing legal, social and cultural considerations, complex caseload management, advocacy for children's rights and the production of detailed reports for legal and administrative requirements.

Her return to practice with Tusla's Team for Separated Children involved assessment for eligibility under the Child Care Act 1991, mediating complex cases, coordinating interagency and multidisciplinary interventions and working directly with children to develop and implement care plans.

  • Child protection assessment — legal, social and cultural considerations.
  • Care planning and case management for separated children.
  • Interagency and multidisciplinary coordination.
  • Advocacy for children's rights and voices.
  • Report writing for legal and administrative purposes.
  • Cross-cultural communication and working with interpreters.

International Protection and Social Inclusion

Olive has worked with two of Ireland's primary statutory services for people seeking international protection. With IPAS, she conducted Vulnerability Assessment Triage to prioritise accommodation for single male international protection applicants, working in multidisciplinary teams with administrators, health officers, interpreters and hospital services to ensure appropriate placement and referrals to community supports.

Her broader practice reflects a strong commitment to social inclusion, cultural competence and rights-based advocacy for marginalised and vulnerable groups, including her voluntary work as an Information Officer with the Immigrant Council of Ireland, supporting advocacy and integration initiatives for migrant families.

Leadership and Service Management

Prior to returning to practice in Ireland, Olive held senior leadership roles within public service organisations in Nigeria. As Assistant Director at the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, she provided regional oversight and coordination of service delivery across six regions, managing a team of twelve staff, leading service improvement projects, overseeing budget administration and deputising for the Director of Department at national-level events.

As Head of Department for Elder Justice and Stakeholder Engagement at the National Senior Citizens Centre, Olive managed a team of four staff, developed strategic initiatives to combat elderly abuse and ageism, and led national awareness and service improvement projects including International Day of Older Persons activities.

Human Rights and Legal Foundation

Olive holds an LLM with Honours in International Human Rights Law from Griffith College Dublin. This legal grounding underpins her rights-based approach to social work practice and her commitment to ensuring that the children, families and individuals she works with are supported in ways that are legally sound, culturally informed and centred on their fundamental rights and dignity.

Her combination of social work, human rights law and social policy qualifications provides a strong and distinctive foundation for practice across child welfare, international protection and advocacy contexts.

Contact Olive

For enquiries connected to Olive's work with HAPii, email Olive directly.

Email Olive