Meet the Team

FFI Senior Management:

Miriam Uhlemann, Director

Miriam Uhlemann is the Director of FFI and has over 30 years' experience as a qualified social work practitioner and manager. She is also a qualified group analyst.

Miriam has been instrumental in the development of FFI, having been with the organisation since its inception. She has successfully developed services for children and their carers. Miriam is also on the Board of Directors for the Irish Association of Young People in Care.

Rohana Reading, Assistant Director

Rohana Reading is the Assistant Director for FFI and has lead responsibility for Children’s Services (Social Work, Childcare Support, Education and Therapy).

Rohana has over 30 years' experience as a qualified Social Worker working in both statutory and non-statutory fieldwork and residential settings. She has been with FFI from the beginning, developing and sustaining new services through her involvement in the development of the North West Region of FFI which involved growing the service, and establishing excellent working relationships with key stakeholders.

Rohana has been a HSE foster carer and is on the Board of Directors for the Irish Foster Carers Association.

Siobhan Fitzharris, Business and Marketing Manager

Siobhan Fitzharris is the Business and Marketing Manager. She has responsibility for managing the business development, marketing and carer recruitment functions within FFI. Siobhan joined the company in January 2009 from a marketing background and also has a BA (Hons) degree in Sociology.

The FFI Team:

Social Work Team Managers

Pat Melody-Dunne is the Social Work Team Manager in the North region and Nora Ni Thuama is Social Work Team Manager in the South region. Their roles involve coordinating and supporting the Link Social Workers in their regions.

Senior Link Social Workers

Eric Plunkett and Margaret Conroy are the Senior Link Social Workers supporting our foster carers.

Link Social Workers

The FFI Link Social Workers supporting our foster carers are: Sean Edmonds, Oonagh Honeyman and Francis O’Callaghan in the North and Lorna Murphy, Lorraine Sinnott and Mary Adams in the South.

Q&A, Assessments and Reviews Manager

Maria Farnon oversees the carer review process and ensures the quality of Form F assessments are in line with statutory and agency requirements and the FFI Group of Companies’ Vision and Values.

Assessments Review

Ken Kavanagh provides support to the Assessment Manager during the assessment process.

Assessment & Panel Administration

Shauna Martin provides administration support to the assessments team for all applicants in the assessment process as well as preparing documents for HSE Panel.

Reviews & Panel Administration

Charlotte Meechan provides admin support to the Q&A, Assessments and Reviews Manager. She organises Foster Carer reviews in compliance with the HSE guidelines and prepares reports for various HSE Foster Care Committee’s. Charlotte is also an authorised Garda Signatory for FFI.

Placements Manager

Taryn O’Hara matches the requirements of each referral we receive with the skills and experience of our carers to ensure the best possible placement match is found for each child referred to FFI.

Placements & Marketing Administration

Dean Shannon assists with placements administration and referrals as well as maintaining and updating company Intranet and CarerNet.

Finance & Inputs Administration

Karen Stivicic works with the FFI resource team to provide the HSE with costing for additional placement inputs.

Fostering Advisors

Barry Ward and Lynda McDonnell provide information and assistance to potential foster carers who are interested in learning more about becoming a foster carer.

Resource Coordinator

John Donoghue is responsible for developing and maintaining a database of sessional workers who can be called upon to support placements that require extra supports. He also participates in planning support packages for complex placements as well as occasionally taking on specialised pieces of child care work.

Education Liaison Officer

Claire Sweeney is responsible for finding appropriate education provision for children and young people placed with FFI.

Reception/Administrator

Kasia Konwinska manages company bookings, provides administrative support and manages reception in our Dublin office.

Fostering News

Foster Carer FAQs

Are we allowed to smack foster children?
No form of corporal punishment is acceptable under the regulations governing fostering; this would include any form of smacking, slapping or shaking. We provide training to all ou... read more