Leah Russell

Assistant Professor & Academic Lead for Placement in Early Childhood Education and Care

Greater Dublin

About

Leah Russell holds a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Education and Care and an MA in Education (Early Years). She brings extensive knowledge and practical experience in early years education, having previously served as an Early Years Programme Co-ordinator with Preparing for Life, an intervention project funded by Tusla, and with Better Start, the National Early Years Quality Development initiative. Her professional practice has focused on working with children, families, and communities to support improved educational outcomes. This work reflects the interconnected influences of Bronfenbrenner’s Mesosystem, emphasising how partnerships between families, schools, and community networks shape learners’ opportunities and development. Leah is among a select group of professionals in Ireland to hold The Growing Brain training qualification and is one of only two in the country to hold the Gold Standard award in Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Well-being Scale. Her teaching specialisms include Child Development, Children’s Rights, and the Role of Relationships in Nurturing Young Children’s Holistic Development. Leah is currently undertaking a Doctorate in Education at Dublin City University, where her research explores widening participation in higher education, focusing on how students from underserved communities navigate academic spaces, with particular attention to social capital and inclusive pedagogies that promote equity and access.

Experience

  • National College of Ireland (On-site)
    • Assistant Professor & Academic Lead for Placement
      Aug 2025 - Present · 11 mos

    • Associate Faculty and Placement Supervisor
      Sep 2022 - Jul 2025 · 2 yrs 11 mos

  • Programme Development and Associate Faculty at Progressive College
    Mar 2022 - Jul 2025 · 3 yrs 5 mos

    programme and module development

  • Early Years Consultant at Bright Beginning Early Years Consultancy
    Jan 2023 - Dec 2024 · 2 yrs

    Early Years Consultancy

  • Lecturer Early Childhood Education (PT) at Marino Institute of Education
    Jan 2021 - Aug 2022 · 1 yr 8 mos

  • Early Years Coordinator at Preparing For Life
    Jan 2019 - Aug 2022 · 3 yrs 8 mos

    contact [email protected]