Registered Residential Service

A Safe Place to Call Home

Welcome to Diamond Children's Residential Service. We provide residential medium to long-term care for children and young people in the care of the Irish State, offering warmth, stability, and a family-like environment.

Diamond - symbolising quality and resilience in children's care
2024
Established
3
Children Max
40+
Years Combined Experience
Family hands together, symbolising care and support
Who We Are

About Diamond Children's Residential Service

Welcome to Diamond Children's Residential Service. We provide residential medium to long-term care for children and young people in the care of the Irish State. We are dedicated and committed to working in partnership with children, families, and communities to ensure that children in need or at risk of harm are supported, protected, and connected to people who can safeguard and promote their welfare throughout their lives.

Partnership with children & families
Safeguarding & protection
Community connections
Welfare throughout their lives

Our Vision & 'The Old School House'

Children learning and reading outdoors in nature

Our Vision

Our Vision is where families and communities are empowered and strengthened to keep children safe and nurtured, recognising a child's right to protection, security, and the support of a family and community network.

The Old School House

We successfully launched our operations in 2024, operating our registered residential service, the 'Old School House', from our own privately owned premises to offer deeply rooted stability. We intentionally focus on providing a small, highly supportive home for a maximum of three children.

This 'small but quality' approach ensures our care setting truly provides a living environment that closely resembles a natural family home for the young individuals residing there.

Hands forming a heart shape at sunset, symbolising care and compassion
Our Approach

Social Pedagogy & National Standards

At Diamond, our approach to service and engagement is guided by the principles of Social Pedagogy. This model is rooted in humanistic values that emphasise the importance of human dignity, mutual respect, trust, unconditional appreciation, and equality.

We are deeply committed to putting Children's National Standards into practice. We are dedicated to providing safe, high-quality, and person-centred care. We prioritise human rights, ensuring equality, social inclusion, and that the individual will and preferences of our young people are always taken into account. Our services are designed to be responsive, holistic, and non-discriminatory, ensuring every child receives the right support at the right time to achieve their best possible outcomes.

Human Dignity

Rooted in humanistic values that respect each individual

Mutual Respect & Trust

Building relationships founded on genuine understanding

Safe & Person-Centred

High-quality care tailored to each child's needs

Equality & Inclusion

Responsive, holistic, and non-discriminatory services

Meet the Team

Dedicated professionals committed to providing the highest quality of care and support for every child in our service.

A happy child smiling, representing the joy and wellbeing we nurture

Gillian Boland

Director

I have over 21 years of experience in social care, childcare, and youth work. My passion for fostering children and providing them with a safe, nurturing environment has driven me throughout my career. In my current role, my focus has been on leading and starting up projects from start to finish. I believe in the transformative power of Social Practice Art, and I'm committed to creating a supportive and engaging space where children can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.

Aisling Burke

Director

For over 19 years, I have dedicated my life to helping children and families from an attachment and trauma perspective. My passion for helping these kids has only grown stronger. As an advocate for vulnerable children, my approach is based on understanding their needs and treating them with the utmost care and respect. I am proud to now embrace the social pedagogical model of care, providing a family-oriented and holistic approach to children's residential services.

Kate O'Driscoll

Administration & Operations

Administration is a massive and vital role in residential care, and Kate keeps everything running securely and smoothly. Kate brings over 20 years of invaluable experience working in youth services, with extensive knowledge of safeguarding and Garda vetting procedures. Initially joining us on a part-time basis before transitioning to full-time, Kate's fantastic organisational skills ensure our team and the young people we support always have the robust administrative backing they need.

Governance & Oversight

Hands holding paper family cutout, symbolising family care and protection

Diamond Children's Residential Service is guided by a highly experienced Board of Management. Our board provides robust, independent accountability, ensures strict compliance with Children's National Standards, and champions continuous quality improvement across our services.

Siobhán O'Brien

Clinical Advisor

As a Psychologist with Limerick Youth Service, Siobhán brings over 30 years of invaluable clinical and youth work experience to the board, ensuring our therapeutic approaches are always expertly guided.

Patrick Harris

Business & Strategy

Patrick brings extensive commercial expertise, having successfully built, developed, and sold multiple businesses within the construction sector. His strong business acumen ensures the long-term financial stability and strategic growth of the service.

Maeve Brosnahan

HR & Governance

With over 15 years of management experience and currently serving as the Head of HR for a busy solicitor's firm, Maeve provides expert guidance on employment law, staff wellbeing, and robust organisational governance.

Martin Duhig

Community & Education Advisor

Bringing over 30 years of experience working within communities and for the Education and Training Board (ETB), Martin ensures strong advocacy for the educational development and community integration of our young people.

Executive Directors

Gillian Boland and Aisling Burke also sit on the board, bridging the gap between daily operational care and strategic, board-level decisions.