What we do

At Behaviour Detectives, we do not make judgments but view every behaviour of concern as carrying a message or having a purpose. We try to understand behaviour as an adaptive response and a way of coping. Behaviour Detectives conducts behavioural assessments, develops and implements subsequent behaviour support plans with outcomes that promote inclusion, improve daily living skills and reduce problem behaviours. 

 
 

Behaviour Detectives provides services based on the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis and Positive Behaviour Support for children, young adults, and adults in the area of challenging behaviours with a range of developmental disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorders across home, school, respite and residential settings.

The emphasis is placed on collaborating and empowering the client, their family and caregivers while incorporating personal values. By establishing a real connection with our clients, together we will work to achieve the best possible results and aim to reach each individuals potential.

Behaviour Detectives team receives ongoing BCBA supervision, undergoes continuous personal development training and all programmes are monitored by the BCBA. The Behaviour Therapists providing services hold a degree in Psychology, Social Care or in other related fields. Also, have knowledge of Autism and training in the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis.

Behaviour Detectives primarily provides services to government organisations such as HSE Disability Services, the Child and Family Agency Tusla, Educational Organisations and Residential Services. We currently operate in Co. Kildare, Co. Carlow, Co. Kilkenny and Co. Dublin.

We have limited capacity for private referrals and operate on a waiting list basis.

 

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Behaviours of Concern

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Workshops, Training and Supervision

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Adult Transition Programme

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Court and Incident Reports

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Community Outreach

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Areas of Support

Home

There are many things that most of us take for granted such as relaxing in front of the TV in the evenings, having a meal, brushing teeth or having a shower, interacting with siblings and going to bed. However, this may not be that simple for some families as many individuals with additional support needs often struggle in these areas. As many hours are spent at home, supported by caregivers rather than professionals, structuring the home environment can be overwhelming.

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Home

School

School

Going to school is usually part of a child’s daily routine and every child has the right to an education. Unfortunately, many children with additional support needs only access school on reduced hours. When a client presents with behavioural problems at home, the difficulties often extend into school. Behaviours of concern can become unmanageable in the school environment resulting in reduced school attendance and separation from their peers.

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Community

The majority of us enjoys going to the cinema, visiting coffee shops, participating in club activities and being able to do the weekly shop. As with school, the behaviours of concern may jeopardise the physical safety of the person or others and are likely to limit the access to ordinary community facilities.

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Community

Meet the Team

Introducing Behaviour Detectives

 

Virge Connery


Clinical Director/ CEO
Chartered Behavioural Psychologist (PSI)

Virge is the founder of Behaviour Detectives and a frontline behaviour support services provider for individuals with Autism and challenging behaviours. She has been practising in the area of behaviours of concern and Positive Behaviour Supports over 10 years. Virge gradually moved to self-employment and has operated as a Behaviour Consultant with the HSE Disability Services since 2013.  

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Marilena Norton


Assistant Clinical Director (BCBA)

Marilena began her studies and career in sports and recreation. Inspired by her mother’s activities as an SNA, she took an interest in therapeutic recreational activities volunteering for the Special Olympics and working with other charitable organisations. At college, she interviewed for a placement in Alaska with a special needs centre for people with varying types of disabilities.  

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Niamh Fitzgerald


Senior Behaviour Analyst (BCBA)

Niamh's journey began when after finishing her undergrad degree in Psychology, she was offered a position in the United States. All set to go, envisioning doing an American grocery shop and picking what pancakes to buy at Walmart, the American government cancelled the social care visa type. However, as the Garth Brooks song goes "thank god for unanswered prayers", she instead applied and was accepted into the master's course in Psychology in Applied Behaviour Analysis at Trinity College Dublin.

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Paul Maher


Home Support Service Lead (BCBA)
Chartered Behavioural Psychologist (PSI)

Paul qualified from Trinity College Dublin with MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis in 2019 and became BCBA in 2021. His journey began in secondary school while like any good student, he was thinking and being encouraged along the traditional professional lines of medicine or business. During his transition year, he volunteered to work for The Vincent DePaul Society. Working for them with people in need sparked his deep innate curiosity as to why people behave the way they do. During the same year, he travelled with SVP to Ethiopia, teaching English in a compound run by them. There he encountered some young people with special needs for the first time and felt drawn to working with them. 

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Cormac Brodigan


Adult Training and Guidance Service Lead (Behaviour Analyst)

Cormac originally qualified as a secondary school teacher teaching geography and religion. After a time taking substitute roles, he got the travelling bug and moved to Canada. He took various jobs one of which was minding a small boy with autism. Finding the experience interesting he heard of another position as a Behaviour Interventionist at a day care centre and he chased it. 

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Stephen Murphy


Behaviour Analyst (BCBA)

Stephen is a recently qualified Board Certified Behaviour Analyst who consults and provides direct sessions for Behaviour Detectives, while also delivering home tuition to his own clients.

Prior to his Applied Behaviour Analysis career, Stephen was a musician working with big bands. He even had a stint in RTÉ, performing in-house bands for TV shows, including the Late Late Show. He loved the lifestyle and collaborative methods of being in a band, but an accident slowed down and inhibited his performance, forcing him to rethink his career.  

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Vivien Kovacs


Behaviour Analyst

Vivian did her psychology undergrad at NCAI .Always interested in development and cognition she loved the module in ABA and was fascinated on Behaviour change and how it related to cognition. After a time working in social care she was exposed to ABA and its strategies with ID. Excited about its possibilities and wishing to connect her psychology degree to her career she discovered the ABA Masters in Trinity applied for it and was accepted for the academic year starting in Sept 2022.

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Lianlian Guo


Behaviour Therapist

Lian Lian originally pursued on the advice of her parents a chemistry undergrad. They felt psychology did not have good career prospects. Both her parents and grandparents were teachers and she often heard them discuss the problem behaviours of some of their pupils at home. Always fascinated by these discussions she never pursued chemistry but found a private clinic in China that would instead train graduates in the skills of ABA but who were not psychologists. She became a Behavioural Teacher there and worked with kids under 12.

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Kataryzna Marenda


Behaviour Analyst

Kat originally studied Fashion in Poland, but never worked in the industry. Having always felt she needed to help people she moved to Sligo in Ireland with her boyfriend and did a foundation course in social care. They sent her on a placement to a Youth centre where her curiosity peeked on why people behave the way they do.

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Teresa Mulhern


Behaviour Analyst (BCBA-D)
Chartered Behavioural Psychologist (PSI)

Teresa has a PhD in Applied Behaviour Analysis and works with Behaviour Detectives providing online therapeutic sessions and is a valued expert for the Clinical Review Panel. She also delivers vital data through graphs to us all while lecturing at her full time job with the South East University.

Diagnosed at four years of age with ASD after her parents and carers noticed how she hyper-fixated on things.

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Róisín Lacey


Behaviour Analyst (BCBA)

Roisin’s interest in disability and autism began while studying Psychology in the University College Dublin. A module on child and adolescent development with an emphasis on autism triggered her interest. Investigating autism and behavioural science lead her Trinity’s master’s in Applied Behaviour Analysis. The collaborative element of ABA convinced her that it could really make a difference in helping families, something that she is passionate about.

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Shane Connery


Director of Operations and HR

Shane is experienced at bringing new and evolving organisations to the market. With an eye for trends and development of new services to meet those opportunities, he can communicate the message across all facets of the business. While searching for opportunities, he noticed that Behaviour Detectives, his wife’s practice, was continually making a difference with people with Autism and challenging behaviours.

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Patrick Tomlinson


Non-Executive Director

Behaviour Detectives was growing expediently in 2019 and a chance reach out by Patrick congratulating Virge on the launch of the new website and office move started a conversation. Virge and Patrick had worked together when he was Interim CEO of Three Steps in Ireland. Their shared interests in psychology started a fruitful relationship. Both moved on, Virge to continue with her own practice and Patrick returned to his consultancy work. On reconnecting, Patrick began to offer a consultancy service to Behaviour Detectives. His input and experience in management, creating structure and procedures of healthcare facilities is a vital part of Behaviour Detectives growth pattern.

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Testimonials

We have been in a very privileged position in becoming a part of the family with our long-term Clients. Going through ups and downs together, being included in the family dynamics and significant life events create a strong bond and basis for a successful professional relationship. Unfortunately, there comes a point when our paths come to an end. Sometimes for families being together, it means living apart, and we are fortunate to make this transition as smooth as possible.

As a Behaviour Analytic service, we are prohibited to solicit testimonials from current Clients and the BACB Code of Ethics regulates the use of testimonials from former Clients. The following feedback has been received from the families spontaneously and are unsolicited reviews.

 

Latest News

Our Work

Core Values

Respect

We are respectful of differences of opinion while maintaining professional boundaries.

Integrity

Being open, honest and taking ownership of our work.

Perseverance

Supporting development, overcoming obstacles and hard work are the founding blocks of Behaviour Detectives.

Excellence

We learn from mistakes, always strive for excellence and improvement in everything we do.

FAQ

What is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)?+
Who is Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)?+
Who is Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)?+

Contact

Please feel free to contact us at hello@behaviourdetectives.ie.

We are delighted that Behaviour Detectives continues to grow.

To join our team and get information about current job opportunities, please feel free to contact us at shane@behaviourdetectives.ie.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you!