620 children await contact from disability teams in Cork and Kerry

Nearly one in 10 roles in Cork children’s disability network teams (CDNT) are vacant, and more than 200 children are now waiting more than a year for an initial contact by the team in the Southwest.

HSE data shows there are 303.9 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts funded in Cork CDNTs, including dieticians, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, play therapists, nurses, patient and client care/other, administrative staff, and managers.

Of these funded posts, 274 are filled, with 29 vacant as of April, the latest date for which data was available. There are vacancies for 40% of dietician posts, 13% of physiotherapists, and 12% of social workers.

Furthermore, there are vacancies for 17% of patient and client care/other, 8% of occupational therapists, 11% of administrative staff, 8% of psychologists, 9% of management, 6% of nurses and 5% of speech and language therapist roles.

Just two Cork CDNTs have no vacancies. These are both Cork East Central and North Cork City & Blarney, which are both managed by Cope. 

The highest vacancy levels were 24% in Bandon/Carrigaline/Kinsale, run by the Brothers of Charity; 18% in Central Cork, managed by Cope and 15% in East Cork City, also run by Brothers of Charity.

There was a vacancy rate of just under 2% in Co Action’s West Cork CDNT, 7% in North West Cork and 6% in North East Cork, both run by St Joseph's Foundation and 10% in West Central Cork, 10% in South Cork City and 3% in South East Cork City, all managed by Enable.

Further HSE data shows that in the south west region, covering Cork and Kerry, there are 620 children awaiting an initial contact from CDNT teams, including 213 children waiting over 12 months for this initial contact, as of the end of last July.

There were a further 126 waiting seven to 12 months, 112 waiting four to six months, and 169 waiting less than three months, for an initial contact.

A HSE spokesperson explained that nationally, there has been a decrease in vacancy rates from 29% to 18% since October 2023.

They said: “There are ongoing recruitment initiatives and efforts to fill funded vacancies, and work continues at pace to increase staffing rates across CDNTs."

"The HSE and CDNT lead agencies work actively and collaboratively to improve and optimise recruitment into CDNTs, which in turn has a positive impact on retaining the staff currently working in CDNTs,” the spokesperson said.

They added that actions to enhance attraction, recruitment and retention efforts include sustained engagement with "applicant pools" and future potential workforce through multiple engagements to secondary schools, higher education institutes, and via international applicants.

Additionally, the first ever virtual “disabilities virtual career fair” took place last May, and there have been webinars with applicant pools and outside agencies managing CDNTs on behalf of the HSE can now access HSE national recruitment panels and new graduate panels.

On waiting lists, the spokesperson added that nationally there has been a 5.6% increase in new children referred (5,370) January to June 2025 over the same period last year. 

"However, importantly, despite this challenge the CDNT waiting list has been reduced by 14.9% since 31 December 2024.”