Experience
For over 25 years, Hartley People has recruited for organisations across Ireland — giving us an understanding of different services, team structures and the people behind stable, well-led care teams.
Social Care & Social Work
Recruitment Built Around the People You Support
The right social care hire brings continuity, safety and stability to the people you support and the team around them. The wrong hire can affect daily lives, your staff and your compliance.
Hartley People partners with services across Ireland to recruit social care and social work professionals who fit the role, your service and the values that matter to the people you support.
- Social Care Workers
- Social Workers
- Social Care Leaders
- Persons in Charge
- Service Managers
25+
Years recruiting talent across Ireland
50+
Professionals across our team
150,000+
Strong candidate network
32
Counties covered nationwide
Recruitment Built Around Your Service
A job title only tells us part of the story. Before we start searching, we want to understand your service and who it supports.
The Role
- Is the role frontline, senior practice or service management?
- Is CORU registration essential?
- What does success look like after 6 or 12 months?
The Service
- Who does the service support?
- Residential, day, respite or community?
- Which regulatory standards does it work to?
The Setting
- Sleepovers or waking nights?
- Where is the service based?
We use that information to build the search around the values and experience your service actually needs. Not simply someone who has held a similar job title.
Social Care & Social Work Recruitment Expertise
Social care roles can look similar on paper while requiring very different people.
Social care vs. social work
A Social Care Worker supporting everyday life needs a different skill set from a Social Worker holding a statutory caseload.
Residential vs. community
Residential teams on 24-hour rotas need different people from community outreach.
Leadership & governance
Recruiting a Person in Charge requires us to understand governance, regulation, rostering and team leadership as much as frontline practice.
We recruit across:
- Disability Services Talk to us about Disability Services recruitment
- Children’s Residential Care Talk to us about Children’s Residential Care recruitment
- Aftercare & Leaving Care Talk to us about Aftercare & Leaving Care recruitment
- Fostering Services Talk to us about Fostering Services recruitment
- Family Support Talk to us about Family Support recruitment
- Child Protection & Welfare Talk to us about Child Protection & Welfare recruitment
- Housing & Homelessness Talk to us about Housing & Homelessness recruitment
- Addiction & Recovery Services Talk to us about Addiction & Recovery Services recruitment
- Mental Health Services Talk to us about Mental Health Services recruitment
- Older Persons’ Services Talk to us about Older Persons’ Services recruitment
- Behaviour Support Talk to us about Behaviour Support recruitment
- Management & Leadership Talk to us about Management & Leadership recruitment
Across HSE-funded, voluntary and private services, at every level of seniority.
Talk to a Social Care Recruitment SpecialistOur Social Care Recruitment Team
You're hiring a service delivered by people. Meet the recruiters who could be working your search.
Fergal Hartley
Joint OwnerFergal Hartley
Joint OwnerWith a distinguished career spanning over 25 years, Fergal Hartley is a highly regarded joint owner of prominent recruitment and staffing ventures, including Hartley People Recruitment & Training, Flexiforce, Clannad Care and Burton Sinclair. His entrepreneurial spirit has driven these companies to success, making them leaders in their respective fields. Fergal's comprehensive background in talent acquisition, combined with strategic insight and a commitment to best practices as a Fellow of the National Recruitment Federation, positions him as an invaluable partner for securing top executive talent.
LinkedIn
Pierre Fetat
Head of OperationsPierre Fetat
Head of OperationsPierre is an accomplished B2B International Director who works across functions, with over 15 years of experience across digital marketing, business development, and complex sales. With a strong background in Customer Data Platforms (CDP), Customer Success, and digital transformation initiatives, Pierre brings a wealth of expertise to executive search. His strategic insights, coupled with his commitment to driving innovation and operational excellence, make him a valuable partner for clients seeking visionary executive talent.
LinkedIn
Damien McCleane
Head of Strategic RecruitmentDamien McCleane
Head of Strategic RecruitmentWith nearly 30 years of experience across recruitment, training, business development, and customer relationship management, Damien McCleane is an accomplished professional with a versatile background in executive and managerial roles across diverse sectors. Also serving as Regional Manager at Hartley People, Damien combines his expertise in strategic recruitment, client partnership, and team leadership to drive excellence and innovation within the executive search landscape.
LinkedIn
Jessica Maher
Recruitment Team LeadJessica Maher
Recruitment Team LeadJess is responsible for recruitment across supply chain, production, engineering and warehousing. Having previously worked in the hospitality industry, she spent four years in Australia furthering her career before returning home to Wexford. A positive and energetic member of the team, Jess is a keen supporter of Wexford hurling and enjoys baking, going to the gym and spending time with friends.
LinkedIn
Darren O'Connor
Recruitment Team LeadDarren O'Connor
Recruitment Team LeadDarren specialises in recruiting for IT, HR, agricultural and commercial sales roles. With previous experience as an Operations Manager and Partner and Client Relations Manager within the waste technology sector, he brings strong operational and people-focused expertise to his role. Based in Waterford with his wife and dog, Loki, Darren enjoys sport, travel and keeping active.
LinkedIn
Danielle Bohill-Walsh
Senior Partner — Finance SpecialistDanielle Bohill-Walsh
Senior Partner — Finance SpecialistAs an experienced Senior Talent Partner, Danielle brings extensive expertise and a genuine passion for connecting people with the right opportunities. She combines a professional and personable approach with a strong understanding of clients and candidates, building lasting relationships and identifying the right talent. Outside of work, Danielle enjoys home and interior design and spending time with her husband and young daughter.
LinkedIn
Padraig Murphy
Senior Partner — Sales SpecialistPadraig Murphy
Senior Partner — Sales SpecialistPadraig is a Senior Recruitment Partner at Hartley People Recruitment, where he leads the Sales desk and focuses on connecting talented individuals with the right businesses. Before moving into recruitment, he spent 10 years working in Business Operations and holds a BA in Business and Human Resource Management. Outside of work, Padraig is an avid Liverpool supporter and keen golfer.
LinkedIn
Brendan White
Marketing Manager
Nigel Kelly
Talent SpecialistNigel Kelly
Talent SpecialistHailing from Carrick-on-Suir, Nigel is responsible for recruitment across IT, research and development, hospitality, trades and service technician roles. With a strong interest in technology, he is often the first point of contact for technical support within the office. Nigel previously worked in radio, presenting sports news and his own weekly show on WLR. He is also an accomplished photographer, keen runner, rugby fan and enthusiastic gardener.
LinkedIn
Eimear Cox
Recruitment SpecialistEimear Cox
Recruitment SpecialistEimear graduated from WIT with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in 2018. Following several years in the insurance industry, including a period in Vancouver working with clients such as Michael Bublé and Nelly Furtado, she moved into recruitment to apply her understanding of people and relationships to helping clients and candidates find the right opportunities. A Waterford native, Eimear enjoys reading, board games, Dungeons & Dragons, pub quizzes and jiu jitsu.
LinkedIn
Hannah Sullivan
Recruitment SpecialistHannah Sullivan
Recruitment SpecialistHannah holds a Diploma in International Human Resource Management, a Bachelor of Commerce and a Diploma in International Hotel Management from Shannon College of Hotel Management. Beginning her career in hotel management, she developed strong communication and problem-solving skills, along with a genuine interest in working with people. Her move into recruitment brings together her experience in business, hospitality and human resources, with a focus on understanding candidates and making the right connections.
LinkedIn
Tamara Fisher
Recruitment SpecialistTamara Fisher
Recruitment SpecialistTamara brings extensive experience in operations management, customer service and team leadership, having worked in fast-paced, people-focused environments. She also holds a QQI Level 6 qualification in Human Resources and has a genuine passion for building relationships and helping people find the right opportunities. Outside of work, Tamara enjoys travelling, keeping active and spending time with friends, family and her pug, Harry.
LinkedIn
Tricia Quinn
Commercial and Operations ManagerTricia Quinn
Commercial and Operations ManagerTricia brings energy and warmth to Flexiforce as Commercial and Operations Manager, Hartley People’s temporary recruitment division. A natural people-person, she ensures every interaction is positive and productive, and helps organise team events that keep morale high. With over 15 years as a trainer on FÁS-funded courses, she placed students into permanent roles before moving into operations with charities including Cycle Against Suicide and Make-A-Wish Ireland. Tricia joined Hartley People in 2021. Outside work, she is an avid sea swimmer along the Copper Coast and a proud Ironman finisher (Barcelona, 2019).
LinkedIn
Ashling Durand
Senior Team Lead & Talent SpecialistAshling Durand
Senior Team Lead & Talent SpecialistAshling started in reception at Flexiforce, quickly becoming the office’s go-to person for all things operational—a role she still holds alongside her work as Senior Team Lead and Talent Specialist. She has grown steadily through the business, gaining experience across multiple functions. Ashling enjoys supporting colleagues and clients, solving problems and providing guidance wherever needed. She takes pride in being a reliable point of contact for both the team and the wider business. Beyond work, she loves spending time outdoors with her young family, with a particular fondness for discovering new beaches.
LinkedIn
Kelley Rothwell
Senior Talent Specialist & Compliance CoordinatorKelley Rothwell
Senior Talent Specialist & Compliance CoordinatorKelley works as Senior Talent Specialist and Compliance Coordinator at Flexiforce. With a diverse background spanning talent management, education, hospitality and the creative sector, she brings strong communication, leadership and relationship-building skills to her role. After eight years in hospitality—including managerial positions in Cork and Waterford—Kelley moved into education, holding a Professional Master of Education in Art from UCC following earlier studies in Fine Art at Crawford College of Art & Design. In her current role, she focuses on candidate engagement, recruitment coordination and compliance, taking a proactive, people-centred approach to connecting talent with opportunity.
LinkedIn
Sean Whelan
Talent Specialist & HR AdministratorSean Whelan
Talent Specialist & HR AdministratorSean supports the Flexiforce Agency Staffing Solutions team as Talent Specialist and HR Administrator. He holds a Master’s degree in HR and is an Associate Member of the CIPD. Sean combines his academic background with a genuine interest in recruitment and HR, bringing both knowledge and enthusiasm to his role. Outside the office, he is a keen soccer fan and reigning champion of the company Fantasy Football League.
LinkedIn
Maureen Flynn
Talent SpecialistMaureen Flynn
Talent SpecialistMaureen is a Waterford native and Talent Specialist with Flexiforce. Before joining the team, she managed the Pandora store in Waterford city and later completed a Diploma in Interior Design. Maureen combines her retail and design experience with a natural ability to connect with people, making her a valued member of the recruitment team. Outside work, she enjoys beach walks, sea swimming and spending time outdoors with her two children. She is also known locally as the lead singer of the band No Hot Ashes.
LinkedIn
Jessica Murphy
Talent SpecialistRecruiting for Disability Designated Centres
Disability services are a closely regulated part of Irish social care. Every designated centre needs staffing that meets residents’ assessed needs and a suitable Person in Charge, and HIQA inspects both. We understand what sits behind that: rotas and waking nights, relief cover, PIC and PPIM duties, and the National Standards.
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Social Care Workers
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Team Leaders
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Behaviour Support Specialists
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Senior Social Care Workers / Social Care Leaders
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Deputy Managers & PPIMs
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Persons in Charge (PIC)
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Directors of Services
Our 3E Approach
Our social care recruitment model is built around three principles that guide every search we run.
Expertise
Our team of 50+ professionals is supported by 2 dedicated Strategic Sourcing Specialists, combining recruitment expertise, knowledge of Irish social care and an advanced suite of sourcing technology.
Ethics
A good social care hire needs to work for everyone, including the people you support. We represent your rota, setting and package honestly and assess values and motivation carefully, so people join with clear expectations and stay.
The Best Practitioners Aren’t Always Looking
Experienced social care and social work professionals are usually already in post, committed to the people they support and their teams. Waiting for them to apply is not enough. Our search can combine:
150,000+
Candidate network
- Direct candidate sourcing
- Passive candidate engagement
- LinkedIn Recruiter
- Advanced sourcing technology
- Market mapping
- Referral networks
- Targeted advertising & leading job boards
Our two Strategic Sourcing Specialists work alongside our recruiters to identify relevant professionals and create routes into candidate markets beyond traditional job advertising.
We Look Beyond the CV
Experience in social care needs context. When assessing a candidate, we want to understand:
Where have they worked?
Who have they supported?
How do they practise safeguarding?
What qualifications and registration do they hold?
Can they plan and record care?
Have they been through inspection?
Could they lead a team, or a centre?
What behaviour support training do they have?
Why does this work matter to them?
Do rota, sleepovers and location suit them?
This helps your hiring team spend time interviewing candidates with genuine relevance to your service.
Talk to a Social Care Recruitment SpecialistEvery Social Care Search Is Different
You might need someone to:
We don’t start with a standard search. We start with what you need the person to achieve — and build the recruitment approach from there.
Your Care Team, Supported by Ours
With offices in Dublin and Waterford, Hartley People supports social care and social work recruitment across Ireland.
- Dublin
- Waterford
You know your service, your team and the people you support. We know how to find, engage and assess the people who can help you deliver consistent, person-centred care, in cities and rural areas alike.
Social Care Questions, Answered
A few of the questions employers ask us most often about hiring social care and social work professionals in Ireland.
What social care and social work roles does Hartley People recruit for?
We recruit across social care and social work — from Social Care Workers, Senior Social Care Workers and Social Care Leaders through to Persons in Charge, Service Managers and Directors of Services. We also recruit Social Workers, Senior Social Workers, Team Leaders and Principal Social Workers across a range of settings.
Do you recruit for social care roles outside Dublin?
Yes. With offices in Waterford and Dublin, we recruit social care and social work professionals across Ireland, not just in the capital — including services in regional and rural areas.
How do you find social care candidates who aren't actively job hunting?
Most experienced social care professionals are already in post and committed to the people they support, so we don't rely on job ads alone. Our two Strategic Sourcing Specialists use direct sourcing, LinkedIn Recruiter, market mapping and our 150,000+ candidate network to reach passive candidates who fit your specific requirement.
How do you approach CORU registration, qualifications and vetting?
We work to your requirements. 'Social Care Worker' has been a protected title since 1 December 2025, and 'Social Worker' since 2013, so registration and qualifications are part of the brief from the start. Formal CORU checks and Garda vetting remain with your organisation.
Can you help us recruit for disability services and designated centres?
Yes. We recruit for disability services across residential, day and respite settings, including Social Care Workers, Team Leaders, Behaviour Support Specialists, PPIMs and Persons in Charge — understanding staffing requirements, rotas, sleepovers and HIQA's National Standards.
How long does a typical social care recruitment search take?
It depends on the seniority of the role, the location and how specialist the requirement is — a Social Care Worker search usually moves faster than a Person in Charge search. Registration and Garda vetting add time, so we'll give you a realistic timeline once we understand the role.
What does it cost to use Hartley People for social care recruitment?
Fees depend on the seniority and complexity of the role. Get in touch and we'll talk you through pricing for your specific requirement — no obligation.
Who Does Your Service Need Next?
Tell us about the role and what you need that person to bring to your service. We'll talk you through the market, the search and how we can support your hiring team.
- 25+ years recruiting for organisations across Ireland
- Access to a 150,000+ candidate network, active and passive
- A search built around the people your service supports
Request More Information
Fill in a few details and one of our social care recruiters will be in touch with you.
