NCSE COUNCIL

Dr Yvonne Kennedy

Yvonne is an Assistant Director with the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of the Department of Education and Youth. Her main responsibilities include supporting policy development in the area of special education and inclusion.

Prior to becoming an educational psychologist, Yvonne worked in Dublin as a primary school teacher, special education teacher and deputy principal. She joined NEPS in 2011 and worked as a psychologist, and subsequently a senior psychologist (from 2016), in providing a service to schools across Louth and Meath. In 2021, she became a Regional Director with responsibility for the delivery of the NEPS service to schools in Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan.

Yvonne has particular interest and expertise in children’s social and emotional development and has published research in this area. Her work has been influential in informing NEPS policy and practice in this regard.

Yvonne has a Bachelor of Education (Trinity College), a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology (Open University), a Master’s in Educational Psychology (University College Dublin) and a Doctorate in Educational Psychology (University College London). 

She is an Honorary Research Fellow and research advisor for the Doctorate in Educational Psychology programme at University College London.